You May Need to Step Away from the Social Media Mic

January 21, 2010

Make no mistake:  Running a successful social media campaign can be a lot of work. It’s time consuming, a little overwhelming and it demands a lot of attention.  However, as I am sure you have seen in countless case studies (here’s my latest favorite), the benefits and rewards can far outweigh the efforts.

Since these campaigns can drain even the most socially savvy entrepreneur, I have been working on a few solutions to streamline the engagement and communication portions of a social media campaign.  My goal:  keep engagement real, timely and consistent.

Like any well-oiled traditional marketing campaign, a social media campaign (although more intimate and raw) can be streamlined with clear outcomes and processes to back it up.

With that said, my hope with my new online engagement system is to ensure my clients are consistently updating and engaging their Fans on their fan pages, Twitter accounts, blogs, forums, etc. as well as mixing up their communication styles to keep things interesting.  (As you may know, some people are auditory and others are more visual, so you want to make sure you are using different forms of media to reach all your fans.) The strategy I have been creating is not a one-size-fits all, but it is something all businesses, authors, speakers, etc. can take and make their own with a little personal tweaking.

While I’ve been creating this new plan I started to see a pattern that scared me a bit.  Actually, it scared me a lot.

The Voice of Your Brand

Most of my clients are extremely busy running their companies (and lives!) and social media is something they think they “should” do, but don’t necessarily make it a top priority.

Therefore they have been putting the social reigns in the hands of their employees (or good friend, neighbor, mom, etc. You name it, it’s been done).  The challenge is that some of they people they have chosen to be the voice of their brand, by nature, are not really the “social” type.  And worse yet, some of these people see the new responsibilities as “work” vs. an opportunity to connect with their client base and create raving fans in the process.

And that brings me to the reason for today’s post (finally!):  Not everyone should be tweeting.  Not everyone should have a blog.  And not everyone should be posting to Fan Pages.

Social Media is NOT for Everyone

I think there’s a weird misconception that social media is for everyone.  There’s this idea that if you don’t tweet or don’t have a fan page, you suck.  Here’s what sucks:  The majority of people who have a fan page only update it every 16 days and have less than 1,000 fans.  Not much engagement going on there. (see study here)

Just like in the real world, not everyone is the social type. Not everyone wants to chat it up, meet new people and engage with others. And that is ok.  But if you can relate to the non-social crowd, or you have someone like this who is running your social media campaigns, I think you need to rethink your plan. (Note:  If you are an introvert, but love people and connecting on your own terms, you can still be a rock star in the social networking world.  I am just talking about people who don’t enjoy socializing, no matter what.)

When you force an employee (or yourself) to do something they don’t enjoy or that does not come natural, especially something as intimate as communication, you are doing yourself and your business a disservice.  People know when communication is forced or driven by ego vs. good intentions.

Here’s The Truth

1. If you personally feel that engaging on social media platforms is a huge chore and you dread it, stop doing it.  Because I can tell you this, your feelings speak louder than your words.  Most likely you are pushing info (instead of engaging) or you are tweeting about things no one cares about because it just is not what you want to be doing anyway.  So instead of making yourself miserable and socially overwhelmed, step away from the computer.
2. If someone else is tweeting and posting on your behalf or for your company, take a close look at that person.  Would this person be someone you would want to spend time with at a cocktail party? Are they interesting?  Inviting and warm?  Do they make you laugh?  Do they represent (or can they relate to) your ideal client? If your answer is no, you better rethink things–because this person is representing your brand!

The Mic May Not Be Your Friend

I am passionate about this topic because I think so many people feel they have to jump on the social media train…but don’t really want to.  And part of that is because they do not understand what social media is or what it can do for their business or personal brand.  And those people just need a little education and they hop right on board.

But there is also a large group of individuals who begrudgingly tweet, throw up a Fan Page and just hope the “fad” will go away soon.  (Too bad for them, it’s not going away…)

When you tweet because you think you have to or hang out on fan pages because it’s what you think you “should” be doing, it’s like you are stepping up to the mic…with nothing of great value to say. So when you talk into the mic, your audience is likely to boo….

If you can relate to this post at all (either you are the one that feels engaging on social media platforms is a chore or you have given the power to someone on your team that lacks the social luster you hoped for), take a breath and reassess.  Step back and ask yourself this:  Are you doing more harm than good being in this social space?  Are there other options to get to your outcomes?

One Solution

Social media might not be right for you or those you initially chose to be your online voice, but it might still be GREAT for your brand.  Go find the right person that is passionate about your brand, who loves what your company is doing, who talks about you online just because they love your products or services, and let them be your advocate.  There are always other options!

Enough said. I want to hear your opinion. Do you think I am way off here?  Can you relate? What are some other solutions you have?

Here’s Why Marie Forleo is a Genius (and how you too can be one!)

January 4, 2010

I had a terrible day today.  It was odd because I just woke up feeling frustrated and that rarely happens in my world.  So I struggled through the day . . . until I received an email from Marie Forleo.  And then everything shifted.

Let me explain. . .

Marie Forleo is amazing.  I consider her a good friend as well as a mentor.  She’s a multi-talented entrepreneur who (among a million other things) empowers women with tools to create financial, spiritual and emotional wealth through entrepreneurship.

Because I subscribe to her updates, last night I received an email from her.  I want to share it here because she is a MASTER at crafting emails (and writing blog posts) that make you feel she is talking only to you-and that is a priceless skill to develop.

Because Marie is able to grab me instantly with each email she crafts, she always has my undivided attention.  To show you preciously what I am talking about, I am going to dissect her email.  But first, here is her original email:

______________________________________________

Happy Happy New Year, Amy!

It feels soooo good to be back in action.

I was pretty much “unplugged” over the holidays
and it was the best thing I could have done for my business and my life.

Wanna know why?

I wrote about my experience in a brand new article and also
shared 3 fast ways to really start the new year off right.

(I wasn’t planning to write about this, but it all bubbled up from being unplugged!)

Read it here:
http://marieforleo.com/2010/01/3-ways-to-really-start-the-new-year-off-right/

I’d love to know what you think of these ideas so be sure to leave a comment.

(I’m also in love with the blog pic. Super beautiful :

My boys are off working on a movie project tonight so it’s time for me to get back to it before they get home.

Thanks, as always, for reading and I’m SO thrilled to play a part
in helping you make 2010 an incredible year.

Now go read the new article on the blog and I’ll see you over there.

http://marieforleo.com/2010/01/3-ways-to-really-start-the-new-year-off-right/

Loads of love,

Marie

P.S.  2010 Mastery is closing this Thursday at 3PM EST.   If you’re thinking
about it – now is the time to rock.
http://themasteryprogram.com

______________________________________________

Great email, right?  Once I received it, it instantly shifted my day for the better and that is a powerful thing to do for your readers.  And the blog post she links to is even better (I encourage you to check it out).

As promised, below I dissect Marie’s email a bit, just to give you a good sense of the elements in this email that are genius!

______________________________________________

Happy Happy New Year, Amy! (#1:  She makes it personal right away by mentioning my name in the greeting.)

It feels soooo good to be back in action.

I was pretty much “unplugged” over the holidays
and it was the best thing I could have done for my business and my life. (#2:  Here Marie offers a little info about herself and what she has been up to.  If people have subscribed to get your updates, they WANT to hear little snippets about you. Share yourself with them!)

Wanna know why? (#3:  She’s casual in her conversation because in real life, this is exactly who Marie is-real and casual.)

I wrote about my experience in a brand new article and also shared 3 fast ways to really start the new year off right. (#4:  Marie is always giving out great value, no matter if it is in an email or in her blog post.  Making sure to always add value in all your communications (or the promise of value to come) is essential.)

(I wasn’t planning to write about this, but it all bubbled up from being unplugged!)

Read it here:
http://marieforleo.com/2010/01/3-ways-to-really-start-the-new-year-off-right/

I’d love to know what you think of these ideas so be sure to leave a comment. (#5: Marie often gets a lot of comments from her blog posts.  One way to encourage this is just ask!)

(I’m also in love with the blog pic. Super beautiful :- ) (#6: Marie’s audience is primarily women and when she writes, she always considers who her reader is. This is important because you do not want to write in a manner that “speaks to everyone” because you fear leaving someone out.  Get specific, get personal and don’t be afraid to talk only to your audience.  It allows your audience to feel they belong.)

My boys are off working on a movie project tonight so it’s time for me to get back to it before they get home. (#7: Again, she makes it personal and you feel like you are great friends with her.)

Thanks, as always, for reading and I’m SO thrilled to play a part in helping you make 2010 an incredible year. (#8:  Her sincerity always comes through and when you are real, there is no mistaking that you care.)

Now go read the new article on the blog and I’ll see you over there. (#9:  This is the 2nd time Marie encourages her readers to click on the link to read her blog post.  You must give your readers a few “calls to action” when you want them to do something.)

http://marieforleo.com/2010/01/3-ways-to-really-start-the-new-year-off-right/

Loads of love,

Marie

P.S.  2010 Mastery is closing this Thursday at 3PM EST.   If you’re thinking about it – now is the time to rock.
http://themasteryprogram.com

(#10: When you build trust with your readers, you can promote your programs with ease because you know they want to know about everything you are working on.  The way Marie mentions her Mastery Program here is perfect because she is giving a deadline and a link to more info.  Simple and effective.  Don’t be afraid to promote a program . . . but only do it after you have built trust over time.)

Did you notice that all 10 of my tips above had nothing to do with being slimy, tricking your readers or trying to be someone other than yourself? There are no tricks to crafting stellar emails-it all comes down to being real. Because I know Marie, I can guarantee that her communications are 100% authentic and true to who she is.

Next time you craft an email to your audience, I encourage you to keep these strategies in mind.  You can experience greater engagement and stronger loyalty from your audience when you hone in on your ability to connect. Talk to your readers like they are sitting in your living room having a chat with you-I bet they will be sure to pay attention next time when an email from you pops up in their in-box.

Now it’s your turn.  Do you use these strategies already when communicating to your readers?  Do they work for you?  Are there other tactics that you have perfected that work great as well to build loyalty and encourage your readers to take action? Let me know your thoughts!

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