Social Networking Plus Blogging Equals...

Social networking plus blogging for small business equals success! But, you have to know what you are doing to make it work properly.

Recently, I responded to an email from a gentlemen who has a small business. He mentioned that he has tried the "web 2.0 thing" because everyone told him he should.

Well, according to our correspondence, he tried Facebook, LinkedIn,and even started a blog but he wasn't getting any business. No leads, no nothin'! So, according to him, social networking and blogging doesn't work!

I did some research on both of his social networking accounts and looked at his blog. He had a total of 13 friends on his Facebook and 4 connections on LinkedIn. His blog was an absolute mess. Ok, maybe I'm being a little harsh on the blog but as a person who teaches on proper blogging techniques it required some attention.

So let's get real. If you are going to use social networking to enhance your marketing efforts please go to a seminar or a workshop and at least learn the basics. Don't complain if it isn't working for you especially if you don't know what you are doing.

Here are a couple of tips for Facebook:
1. Become friends with someone who has lot's of friends to get started. Use their friend list to help populate yours. It will take a little time but it will help you get started.
2. Search for groups that these "friends" belong to and join. It will help you get acclimated to Facebook and increase your learning curve. There is sooo much more to offer, in terms of training, on Facebook but these 2 tips will help you get started.

Now,here is tip for your blog:

1. Use the same header on your blog as you do on your website. This will help keep the synergy between the two and help build brand awareness.

Totally off subject. I recently produced a show with a woman who reads faces. Yes, reads faces. The business is personology and her name is Naomi Tickle. This is way cool stuff and it really can help someone in small business, sales ,and/or marketing. I have included a short clip from the show.

To your success!
Tony Estigoy VP, New Media
Rebel Public Relations
http://www.RebelPR.com
Producer
The RebelWoman Show
http://www.TheRebelWomanShow.TV

Are you LinkedIn?

Are you LinkedIn? I used to think that this was another social networkng site that I would have to manage and ,quite frankly, didn't want to invest the time. Man, was I wrong.

Why would I want to be on LinkedIn?

Considering that the new currency in business is trust what better way than to have your collegues, co-workers, or friends recommend you to thousands of people. Wow, there is nothing more powerful than "word of mouth" advertising for your business. Nothing! Unless, of course, you and your business stinks, well that's another story.

Below are 3 reasons for you to be on LinkedIn:

1. To increase visibility-Be found by other people
2. Increase Credibility
3. Build Relationships

It's pretty simple. Who in business doesn't want to found? Especially if you don't have to pay advertising or marketing costs to get it!
Your credibility is enhanced when collegues, co-workers, or friends recommend you. That's huge TRUST!
And of course, relationship building 101. Any entrepreneur will tell you that relationship building is a vital component to the health of their business.

Here are a couple of tips for you as you ramp up your LinkedIn account so that you can maximize your LinkedIn account:

1. The header area of the LinkedIn page is keyword searchable. Yes, Google will index your LinkedIn page. So be sure to have strong keywords. Just don't leave it blank!

2. Customize your profile.Include your website and customize the label. The goal is too be found.

3. Call to action.Include phone numbers and email address so someone can easily connect with you.

Just by doing these few things you are helping to become more visible.

Be sure to make connections and you are on your way to using social media to enhance your marketing efforts for your business!

To YOUR success!

Tony Estigoy
VP, New Media
Rebel Public Relations
tony@rebelpr.com

Barack Obama is Using YouTube, Are You?

Of course the fact that Barack Obama is using YouTube as a media vehicle is nothing new. But what is new is that he will be using it for his weekly fireside chat. Every week the President-elect will be broadcasting his address to the world through video via the internet. Wow!

So here are the real questions? How are you using video to communicate your message? How is your business using video to communicate its message?

The use of video has come a long way from just a year ago. With internet speeds getting faster and faster(remember dial up? I do!) upload speeds for video has also increased incrementally allowing the user to watch a tv show on their laptop. The reason for this increased speed is simple-We are moving from copper wiring(the slowsky way) to fiber optics(wooohooo!)!

Communicating your message via video is a powerful way for people to get to know you and trust you. And you trust is worth is weight in gold in today's social market. Video puts a "face" on business, your business. It allows you creative freedom to showcase your passion, your knowledge, your product. But, there is a caveat, be careful with your video as there could be negative backlash.

So here are a couple of tips:
1. Don't make it too commercially
2. Don't try to "fool" the audience

Video is a wonderful and inexpensive way to promote what you do to a potential market of millions!

The world is truly your oyster.

Go for it!
Tony Estigoy
VP, New Media
Rebel Public Relations
tony@rebelpr.com
Producer
http://www.TheRebelWomanShow.TV

SEO, Online Marketing, Really?

We keep hearing about businesses that can create a seo website or an online marketing site so...

Here are 3 great questions that I want you to ask your web designer prior to you handing over any money for a new website.

1. What is your strategy that will guarantee traffic to my site? How do you plan to do that?

2. What is your strategy to convert those prospects who visit your site?

3. What is your strategy to get repeat customers?

If your web designer(seo expert, webmaster, your cousin, etc) cannot give you answers to these questions then what why would you give them a dime to build your site?

There are too many web design businesses that claim they can optimize your site or create more traffic but when I question them or analyze their site I find more often than not it's a bunch of bs.

Online marketing is not rocket science but it does need to be done correctly in order to maximize the internet and create traffic.

Need to be found on the internet?

Let's chat.

Tony Estigoy
VP, New Media
Rebel Public Relations
www.RebelPR.com
tony@rebelpr.com