Marketing has changed due to social media. But, this is not simply a change in venue, it’s a change in how you market. It’s about engaging potential/current clients.
It’s amazing to me that so many people still don’t get it. You’ll see it in Facebook and LinkedIn groups and on Twitter. People will hit you with ads on their first interaction. In truth, interaction isn’t accurate. They would have to listen to what you say and respond in kind for it to be an interaction. These people post their carp irregardless of what conversation is actually taking place. My response is delete, block, remove, etc. any trace of that person.
There’s a big lesson here. Long before you attempt to promote your services or product, you have to create a relationship with your potential market. That relationship should be one where you become a well-liked, trusted resource to your potential client/customer. They have to feel that when they have a need or a problem, you would be the person they would choose to help them out.
Talk to them, teach them, learn from them, and above all else listen to them.
Social media sites have have expanded the internet’s reach and given us access to large numbers of people from all over the world where we can connect, discuss issues, and actually make friends (real friends, not simply “friends” or followers). And, if we want to have some great discussions, there are groups that can be formed on sites like Facebook, Ning, and Google.
My personal preference for professional discussions is LinkedIn. LinkedIn, by nature, is a more professionally oriented site. It doesn’t have the flash of videos and pictures that other social media site have and, while it now does allow status updates, it remains more clean cut and business-like. Since I (and hopefully you) have already made professional connections on LinkedIn, it also makes it easier to invite them to join your group.
LinkedIn has many groups that already exist for the health/fitness professional and you should join some that interest you, see what you like, and what could be improved upon. I joined some that seemed to be focused on the topics I was hoping to discuss, but they all seemed to lose that focus as time went on. Too many members used the audience to market themselves and/or their products to the point that any real discussions were difficult to find.
This is why I recommend starting your own group. You are then in control of what the focus of the group is, who joins, and what content is allowed. You can set up the rules for your group. (but you also need to enforce them.)
Let me walk you through how to set up a group. Click here to get started: LinkedIn. You will be asked to:
Upload a logo. If you have one, great! If not, at least throw the group name on a solid color picture file and use that. It at least shows that you made some effort. (That’s all I did.)
Add the group name: Make sure the name reflects what the group is about or who you’re trying to attract.
Choose the group type: probably networking or professional, but you make the call.
Summary: Add a brief summary about what the group is about and why someone would want to join it
Description: Here’s where you can get into detail about the group’s goal/purpose
Website: Unless you have a website relating directly to the group’s needs, I wouldn’t add one
Access: This is a big one for me. The choices are Auto-Join (anyone can join at any time) and Request to Join (you are the gatekeeper and need to approve requests). I recommend selecting Request to Join. I want to know who everyone is that wants to join my group. I don’t decline access often, but I like seeing where they are from and what their background is. It’s not that time consummingeither. I have group on LinkedIn for Fitness Entrepreneurs which has over 1200 members and I added them one by one. – Either way, once you get your group set up, go to the Manage tab and down to templates. Take a moment and set up an auto-response welcome message that also includes the group rules. It will save a lot of headaches.
As for the section in gray, what you allow done in promotion of your group, unless you want a very small select group, I would check all. Allow any and all promotion of your group.
Finally, do you want an Open Group or Members Only Group? Well, here’s my thought on that. Open Groups allow anyone to see the content. Members Only means that content can be seen by….. you guessed it, members only. Now while I like sharing information and seeing the content might get some people to join the group, most people don’t participate in the conversations, they just read them. If they just read them and don’t join, I have no idea if they are there at all. They are ghosts to me. I’d rather have them join the group and know who’s out there. So, my group is a Members Only.
I hope this wasn’t too long and dry for you. I don’t usually give step-by-step posts.
I’ve had some real business ideas come out of my group and I think you will find groups to be well worth your time and effort. Give it a try. I’d love your feedback and to hear about your group (existing or planned). Please tell us about it in comments below.
While the economic state of the country seems to be on the rise, people are still looking for inexpensive ways to get their company’s name out to their market. Running an ad, a standard business card kind of block that tells what your company offers, has always been an expensive proposition. And…THEY DON”T WORK. Not as far as your Return On Investment (ROI) goes.
The new marketing plan goes where the people are, web 2.0, the interactive, user driven content medium. It’s where you can inform, help, and interact with your market. Creating a permission based relationship with current and possible future customers/clients that can cost little to nothing except the time you invest in it is the where smart businesses are now going. Some companies have even created new positions in their company for a social media relationship builders. (Take a look at mashable.com job postings).
You and your business need to get out there and create a web presence. Connect with your audience. The books listed below (as well as many online friends) helped me to understand just how to use the marketing tools that are now available to us.
The new marketing and branding medium is the web. Remember, it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. The internet offers the opportunities to get your name out there faster and farther than any other means. Become a provider of content, a resource to others, offer a positive message, be entertaining, or be controversial. Whatever is consistent with the brand you want people to associate with you.
Do you need the world to know you? Well, maybe not, but if you have or will have a product to market, the more people you connect with the better. Not only are you able to let them know what you’re offering, but they can easily let others know about you and what you’re doing. Here’s a blatant example: A friend of mine, Gina Lombardi, is coming out with a new book available Jan. 5th, Deadline Fitness: Tone Up and Slim Down When Every Minute Counts. Gina’s specialty is getting celebrities in shape in a very short amount of time(hence the book). I found out her release date via a Facebook announcement (She should’ve called me. I’ll tease her later.) In one fell swoop she let all of her connections know about the release and here I am telling you. According to LinkedIn my 277 connections links me to 3,105,000+ professionals. What a web we weave. Currently I’m also building connections through my website/blog, Twitter, a mini-blog (follow me on Twitter), Keith Ferrazzi’s Greenlight Community, and various other blogs and forums.
What if you’re just doing the local thing, trying to build business in your neighborhood? The rules still apply. Get your own website or blog (blogger.com or blogspot.comin example) Also, within many of the larger networking entities, there are the opportunities to narrow your focus and join local groups. (In Facebook, I’m part of a Portland, ME group.) Some local papers give you the chance to blog on their site. (I blog on Portland, ME-based MaineBusiness.com). Find those local online communities and get involved.
The web can become your greatest marketing tool if you get your name, your brand, recognized by the public and then, of course, get them to act. (for another post)
. Gina’s specialty is getting celebrities in shape in a very short amount of time(hence the book). I found out her release date via a 
Comments RSS