First, wishing everyone a very happy, fun filled Thanksgiving full of fun, family and blessings. Speak a blessing of gratitude for what you do have, and lift up to the heavens a prayer for all those in the world going through rough times.
As I sit here drinking my morning Isa Shake (already had my Ionix Supreme) wanted to write an article to share with everyone in our Isa Social Media group over on Facebook...a few tips on getting started in Social Media Marketing. For beginners, Social Media Marketing (SMM) can be...well, it can be intimadating.
Social Media Marketing is something necessary in this new age of instantaneous communication, and it takes time to learn as there is a LOT TO LEARN. That said, don't let it intimadate you...Rome was not built in a day, and when it comes to getting yourself out there, patience truly is a virtue. So, some basic tips for those wanting to get started. (Hey, once the turkey is in the oven, and the footballs games are turned on, or after dinner when everyone wants to take a timeout before desert, why not get your toes wet?)
Social Media Tips For Beginners
1. Listen to your audience. Sure, we all want to speak our minds, but are we doing it in a way that makes others want to listen...your audience is going to let you know what they like, what they want to hear about. If one of your articles in a blog, tweets on Twitter, or a time line entry on Facebook gets great response (how many comments, how many article views?) while others see almost no traffic, your audience is speaking to you, "HEY, we really like this." You can also ask your audience what they want to hear using polls, or even putting up a post asking them, "What articles would you like me to write, or what discussions are we wanting to have."
2. Know your audience. On Facebook, many of us belong to various Isagenix groups, a captive audience of folks who want to hear about, and learn about Isagenix...so, probably would not make a lot of sense if I started putting up comments about the fine points of overhauling and restoring a 1947 DeSoto. Those in Twitter A) like short concise statements (duh...only have 140 characters) and tend to like links in case they want more information. Blogs on the other hand give you more of a platform for longer posts and explantions.
Bonus tip...Write a blog post (IE, this one) then make a short concise statement about it with a link on twitter...a great twofer! Viral Marketing at its finest.
3. Start small. Yes, you want to protect your brand, maybe you want to run out and establish yourself on say 10 Social Media sites...but, once you have made that LAND GRAB, let some of those pieces of real estate sit idle. It is best to put all your efforts into one or two projects, build them up, grow a following, then look toward expanding.
4. See what’s working. Think of it as research...do Google searches, find out what others in your industry (Isagenix) are doing to attract and build their own audience...if you are using Facebook, go find out who is being successful marketing a similiar/identical product, and start modeling your plan based on this newly gained information...they say imitation is the highest form of flattery, and it is. After all, why would any of us want to duplicate a marketing plan that DOES NOT WORK?
What it all comes down to...GET STARTED. Find your audience, strike up conversations about what you are passionate about (Isagenix), engage, engage, ENGAGE...why do you think they call it SOCIAL MEDIA?
