Feb 13, 2009 | blog
I’ve been wondering, has social media done anything really special for you?
Has it brought in more readers?
Has it increased your earnings?
Has it simplified your life?
Has it generated more sales leads?
Has it improved your customer service rating?
Has it save you more time?
Those are the questions I (and others) have about social media. The intangibles indicate yes on multiple fronts. The trick is how to measure that, and it’s different for everybody and every business.
Of course it’s worth the effort, but for you and your organization to succeed in your work, accurate metrics are needed. What have you found that works for you?
Photo credit: vaXzine
Feb 10, 2009 | blog
So you’ve drained all your energy on social media and don’t know what direction to go next? Don’t fear my hard workin’ friend! The next step is closer than that notebook you’re drooling on. Come on! Wake up! You’re makin’ us look bad.
I know you’ve been trying to take it to the next level and figure out how to break into the blogging stratosphere alongside the Brogan’s and Scoble’s of the world. Of course, the reality is that getting to that level is through a LOT of hard work. A never-ending job of reading, learning, tweeting, researching, writing, blogging, writing, and (hopefully) consulting. All to become really good at what you do. As any expert, and they’ll describe the same type of thing. Long hours, following their passion on a topic that they want to share as much as learn about.
So you’ve been writing about social media, talking & tweeting with the rest of the flock about social media. What’s the next step for you to make your mark?
Find something else to talk about.
Seriously, I’m not trying to be a smartass about this. You stumbled upon (heh, get it 😉 ) social media and something clicked, but you came from doing something else. I’m not saying there isn’t space to explore social media as a career. What I am saying is that its nothing more than a set of tools to better communicate. You need to use these tools to better interact with folks either in your industry or the genre that fits your passions.
- Social Media allows you to listen to customers better and faster.
- Social Media allows you to start, and join in conversations with customers.
- Social Media can be a new teambuilding tool.
- Social Media are tools of change for those looking to affect change.
So if you still have dreams of being a blogging superstar, make sure that you find your niche and get started sharing your knowledge. That’s one of the values of social media – sharing what you know in a way that helps other folks, but also brings more folks to your doorstep.
Good luck my friend, and don’t let the keyboard leave marks on your forehead!
😀
Photo credit: Magnus
Jun 2, 2008 | blog
It’s been awhile since I’ve written a post on corporate blogging, and I thought it was high time to continue what I think may become a series. The needs of many companies are little different than the needs of an individual. However, the process in which most should approach blogging is as unique as the organizations themselves.
For the most part, it’s like most other business decisions. Decide what the purpose is and what the organization expects to achieve by doing it. Many businesses are not ready to use social media on external facing systems to engage customers. Some are almost ready to use it for internal continuous improvement processes that engage their employees. Both these models require that the organization accept negative feedback along with the praise, and that is a very bitter pill to swallow for anyone – businesses or individuals.
If you are an agent of change in your organization and are trying to figure out how to approach the business with a blogging or social media proposition, you need to understand how to present the idea. It’s not unlike trying to sell a new business strategy.
Here are a few tips on preparing to present blogging or other social media ideas to your company:
- Learn about social media by participating personally
- Research similar companies in size and target market to see how they’ve used social tools
- With these learning’s in mind, determine if it’s the right time for your company to invest in social media. Is the climate right, are they receptive to new ideas, are they looking to improve service?
- Identify areas, or even departments, within your company that could benefit by using select social media tools. Be specific about the benefits. Understand the negatives.
- Write a simple overview to capture these things and provide a structure for you to build a case for using social media to augment the business.
- Have samples ready to demonstrate, and be able to talk about how these new tools and ideas help solve real business problems.
There are many ways to pursue social technologies for your company, and many tools, services, and software to choose from. What works for one company, doesn’t always work for the next. Keep looking for the right fit, not necessarily the biggest, or most well known of them are best for your business.
What successes have you had in bringing social media to your company? Does your company actively engage in the social media space? What can you recommend to others who are exploring these tools for their company?
Photo credit: juhansosin
