07.21.08
Posted in Entrepreneurship, Facebook, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking
at 3:07 pm
by Anita Bruton
When it comes to social marketing, the gurus to follow are not the “usual suspects” of internet marketing. Internet marketing, generally dominated by men, uses a very different approach than social marketing. The hard sell, always-be-closing approach falls flat in the Web 2.0 world of relationship building. With social marketing, the focus is on planting the seeds of trust and likeability that blossom into profits later on. Traditional internet marketing takes a much more aggressive approach- all you have to do is look at a typical sales page from an internet marketer versus a Facebook profile page and you’ll see the difference.
If you look around at people who are rising to the top of social networking, you will see the brightest and the best tend to be women. What does that tell you? From an anthropological point of view, you can say that women are wired to approach things from a relationship point of view, rather than a combative one. While the warrior was out spearing the wooly mammoth, the woman was back at the cave making nice with the neighbors and forming bonds for survival.
Unfortunately, even a lot of successful women internet marketers need to un-learn their internet sales training as they transition into the world of social marketing. Here are some tips to remember as you use social networking tools to grow your business and boost your visibility.
1. Focus on Relationship Building
It bears repeating, but relationship building is the foundation for success in social networking and anything Web 2.0. When you meet someone online, you want to focus first on learning who they are. It’s not about saying “Hi” then sending them to a sales page. In romantic terms;
2. Don’t Abuse Signature Lines
In internet marketing, you’re taught to make the most of every piece of real estate on a page- especially your signature line. When you sign your social networking messages with links to your opt-in page or even your blog, then you’re perceived as being pushy. Pushy people are the party crashers of Web 2.0 and don’t make many lasting relationships!
3. Comment From the Heart
One way to build relationships with others is to offer genuinely helpful comments on their pages. A bad habit carried over from the traditional internet marketing world is to use the comments as a place for self-promotion. Someone leaves a comment on another person’s blog or wall, then follows it up with a 2 line promotion for their upcoming teleclass. Bad, bad, bad! You know the caricature of the tacky tourist wearing plaid shorts, dark socks, and dress shoes? OK, THAT is how you come across when you do stuff like that.
Social networking isn’t going away and there is enough room out there for everyone to taste success. Take a relationship building approach and see for yourself: the results hold the potential to be astounding.
Would you like to reprint this article? You may as long as you include this blurb in its entirety:
Nancy Marmolejo is a PR, media, and social networking strategist who teaches women entrepreneurs how to generate more money and attention by positioning themselves in the spotlight. An award winning business owner, Nancy is frequently quoted in the areas of business, creativity, and social networking. Get Nancy’s 7 part free audio course by visiting www.VivaVisibility.com
Contact the Author
Nancy Marmolejo
Marketing: PR and Media Strategies
Nancy@VivaVisibility.com
More Details about marketing, social networking, women ent here.
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07.15.08
Posted in Entrepreneurship
at 10:39 am
by Anita Bruton
In all the hundreds of success stories I’ve read over the years, from people who have created an empire from nothing to those who became celebrated in their own right in spite of having famous parents, there seems to be one common theme: determination.
They were determined to succeed. The obstacles they encountered where just obstacles, not stopping points. The struggles they endured toughened them for future challenges. And the goals they set for themselves pushed them higher and higher-instead of defeating them right from the start.
If you want to make more money and reach your dreams, then it’s time to take stock of your assets and liabilities. Do you have what it takes to succeed?
Here are 7 key traits that separate the “winners” from the “wanna-be’s”. See how you compare:
1. Goals
People who succeed set goals. They know what they want, and they set deadlines for attainment.
If you want to double your income or walk away from your job in six months, for example, then you have from now until December to put it together. What do you need to do to accomplish it?
2. A Plan of Action
How are you going to get from Point A to Point B?
If you’re going to someone’s house for the first time, you’d probably get the directions. “Left at the stop light, right by the filling station. Go down two blocks. We’re the third house on the right, white with blue shutters.”
The more specific the instructions, the faster you’ll get where you’re going.
BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND. Then work backwards through what you need to do to get there.
3. Flexibility
What? Things aren’t falling into place precisely as you planned? So what? How close are you? What do you need to do to fix it?
If the house you were traveling to was the location for a surprise party for your spouse, and you were driving him or her to the party, would you give up and go home because the third house on the right is green with black shutters instead of white with blue shutters? No way. You’d re-read your instructions, and either back up or go around the block until you found what you were looking for. If all else fails, you’d called the hostess and get the instructions again.
Winners are flexible. If they fall short of their goals, they don’t give up, they just try again.
4. Organization
In order to succeed, you need to get organized. Figure out what needs to be done, and do it. If you can’t do everything yourself, delegate. The bigger your business grows, the more vital this becomes.
Clear the clutter, cut the chit-chat, eliminate the time wasters. You only have 24 hours in a day, like everyone else, so make the most of it. Spend your time and energy in activities that allow you to move forward instead of make you “spin your wheels”.
5. A Mentor
In story after story of noteworthy entrepreneurs, I see a second prominent name mentioned: that of the person’s mentor. The one who inspired, encouraged, or cajoled them into doing what it took to get the job done.
If you don’t have a mentor, find someone who is or has succeeded in your area of interest. Learn how they did it. If you can’t talk to the person, read all you can about him. Buy her books, read his biography, do whatever you need to do to figure out what “makes them tick”. Learn from their mistakes. They’ve created the road map-all you have to do is follow it, adding your own twists, of course.
6. Practicality
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it comes dressed in overalls and looks a lot like work.” -Thomas Edison
A beautiful house…a luxurious car…a bank account filled with money…absolutely no effort required…
Hey, as long as you’re dreaming, why not throw in that last line? Unfortunately, most people DO. They want it all, now, no effort required.
Guess what? It doesn’t work that way. Get your money-making businesses up and running FIRST, then sit back and enjoy them later. You know that-so snap out of it and get busy!
What’s going to get your heart pounding to do all that’s required?
7. Dreams
That’s right-you need to dream. You need to have a reason for doing all that’s required.
Maybe you want a way to stay at home with your kids. Perhaps you’re looking for money to travel. Or retire. Or build a vacation home.
Whatever it is, write it down. Find pictures of it, if you can, and put them in places where you’ll see them every day. Think about them constantly. Let them motivate and inspire you.
Then, get busy. Turn those dreams into reality. Set goals, make a plan, be flexible, get organized, be practical, and find a mentor.
Once you achieve those dreams, dream again-only bigger. Then do it all over again.
That’s what winners do.
So do you have what it takes to succeed? Probably. All you really need to do, to quote Nike, is “just do it!”
Good luck!
Diana Pemberton-Sikes has been helping entrepreneurs turn their EXISTING knowledge, skills,
and interests into cash since 1999. To learn how you can turn your “passions into profits”,
visit her online and subscribe to her FREE ezine at www.niftybusinessideas.com .
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