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Social Media Has Changed YOUR World

February 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

REALITY: Social media and business social media have created new sales, new marketing, new exposure, new branding, new communication, new networking, and new business opportunities, the likes of which have never been seen or known before. And the revolution is just starting.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment for me below.

Filed Under: business, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Are You An Employee or a Person?

September 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Business social media is not just an opportunity. It’s also an obstacle. Many businesses have rules, regulations, policies, and barriers that may preclude you from using any and all forms of social media that include their business name.

ACTION: Continue as an employee, but divorce yourself from the company as a person. There are no rules that preclude you from participating in any of the social media as a human being.

If you’re in banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals, or any other business that has a legal department that begins with the word no and ends with the word no, then take the business name out of everything you do.

You can tweet about, and you can blog about, and you can Facebook about aspects of your relationship that customers and prospects deem significant, never mentioning the name of your company, or your affiliation with it.

There is no rule against telling people the best place to take a weekend vacation, how to keep your front yard safe, how to reduce costs of heating and air conditioning in your home, or your personal philosophies and insights about life.

NOTE WELL: Leave out offers to buy.

Rather, create opportunities that will allow you to connect and opportunities to get together and meet. A seminar, a networking event, even a party.

Make the information valuable, and I guarantee it will get forwarded. Business social media is an opportunity for you to build your personal brand, build personal awareness, build your personal network, and build your personal reputation.

Yes, it takes a little chutzpah, but it will save you the embarrassment, and loss of ground, of not doing it at all.

CONSIDER THIS: Suppose you left your job tomorrow, or get laid off, or get fired. The first thing your prospective new employer is going to do when considering you for a position is check your online status and your Google ranking.

In today’s employment world, you don’t even need a resume because your Google rank, your social media presence, and your overall online presence speaks way louder than what your high school gym teacher (from 20 years ago) thinks of you.

There is a big difference between reference and reputation.

And if you’re in sales, the only people I’m going to call for a reference are your prior customers.

FINAL PIECE OF ADVICE: If you’re frustrated by what you can’t do, start doing what you can do.

Filed Under: business, customers, sales, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How To Be Successful In The World of Social Media

September 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Here’s the big secret: How you position and promote yourself in the NON-social media world is critical to your success in the social media world.

Your writing, your website, your blog, your e-zine, your personal brand, your reputation in your marketplace, your perceived value in your marketplace, and your Google rank are elements of attraction that affect your social media status—and surely your success.

And then there are the charlatans, and those trying to take unfair advantage of others. Like anything else in business, there will always be a small percentage of idiots and zealots doing the wrong thing. Ignore them. Don’t let the actions of a few spoil your outlook to advance and grow.

REALITY: The cold call has been part of the selling world for more than 100 years. And it’s over. Technology guards, gatekeepers, voicemail, and the overall sophistication of buyers and executives, have forever changed that landscape. This is GREAT news.

GET SOCIAL: By implementing the free opportunities afforded on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and ESPECIALLY LinkedIn, you have an incredible opportunity to attract and connect with prospective buyers.

There are billions of dollars of new business being generated by making social media connections. How much of it will you get?

Filed Under: business, customers, General, sales, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

23.5 Characteristics of Trusted and Trustworthy People

August 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Business social media is all about trust.

From my personal life experiences, here are 23.5 characteristics that I have discovered in other people that have led me to trust them:

1. To get trust, first give trust.

2. Surprise (genuine) helps leads to trust.

3. Trust grows slowly over time.

4. Giving value first leads to trust.

5. Questions that differentiate, especially in matters of money, lead to trust.

6. Competency and superior skill leads to trust.

7. Straight-forward truth leads to trust.

8. Creativity leads to trust.

9. WOW! leads to trust.

10. Giving trust leads to getting trust.

11. Superior knowledge and genuine help lead to trust.

12. Superior service leads to trust.

13. Understanding leads to trust.

14. Willingness to help leads to trust.

15. Truth and honest dealings lead to trust.

16. Respect and reliability lead to trust.

17. Desire to serve with a grateful heart leads to trust.

18. Dedication to serving and enlightening others based on heartfelt belief leads to trust.

19. Random acts of kindness and the desire to do the best job possible lead to trust.

20. Accurate advice over time and friendship without condition or expectation lead to trust.

21. Superior performance with passion over time leads to trust.

22. Dedication to personal excellence and mastery of a craft leads to trust.

23. Friendship based on respect, mutual admiration, truth, and fun leads to trust.

23.5 I trust myself first.

Study this list, and add to it. I hope it helps you become a more trustworthy person, and helps you find trustworthy people to connect with in life.

Are you a trusted source on your business social media sites?

Filed Under: business, customers, sales, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Download My Books For Your Kindle or Apple Device

August 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I just wanted to take some time to make sure you knew that my books are now available for download to your Kindle or Apple device. Click below to download my books:

For your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch:

For your Kindle:


Filed Under: business, sales, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Social Revolution and Your Evolution

August 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The social revolution has changed the way you sell forever. Only problem is, most salespeople have no idea of that – YET!

As business social media evolves and matures, all salespeople, executives, and entrepreneurs will expose themselves for who they are and who they aren’t WAY BEFORE a sales call or sales meeting of any kind takes place.

Think about the impact of that.

I’m gonna Google YOU.
I’m gonna Facebook YOU.
I’m gonna find you on LinkedIn.
I’m gonna look you up on Twitter.
I’m gonna search you on YouTube.

And you can’t stop me.

I’m gonna find out EXACTLY who you are – the same way you’re trying to find out stuff about me.

Two years ago, it would not have happened that way. At least on the social media side. Maybe five years ago for Google.

Today, ALL systems of selling are preceded, and even precluded, by your online reputation. Before I ever call you, before you ever call me, before you ever meet with me – I already know everything I need to about you. Or, I can look you up in ten seconds WHILE you are on the phone.

Here are the NEW standards by which you’ll be evaluated, granted appointment time, decided upon, measured, branded, and talked about (whew!):

Your Google presence and ranking.
Your online reputation.
Your business social media presence.
Your personal website (present or absent).
Your blog (present or absent).
Your Facebook presence.
Your LinkedIn connections and recommendations.
Your Twitter followers.
Your tweets.
Your YouTube channel.

Feel a little overwhelmed? That’s because you’ve been asleep at the wheel waiting for the economy to “rebound.” Or you think the internet is about your company, not you. Or you’re waiting for your attorneys to figure out a “corporate plan” for social media, while your competition KICKS YOUR ASS.

Wake up and smell the Internet, Sparky!

Here are a few things you should do, and can do – that if you don’t do, you’ll be “doo doo”:

  • Look at your competition and their people. Study their online presence and their social media presence.
  • Talk to your customers IN DEPTH. Find out what they would consider valuable to know, and make a plan to deliver that information, whether it pertains to your sales or not. HINT: If you provide valuable information, it directly pertains to your relationship, and their loyalty to you.
  • Allocate more of your time to learning what you don’t know about “online.” At least an hour a day. If you’re behind by your competition’s standards, that’s one issue; but if you’re behind by your customer’s needs, that’s THE issue. If you don’t know what to do, start studying, and start getting involved.
  • Set achievable goals and measure your results. Start with LinkedIn. Get 200 connections and expand your network from there. Create a few videos on YouTube that feature your customers talking about how great you are.
  • Communicate value messages, not product offerings. The purpose of your presence online is not just to sell, it’s also to attract people who want to buy. Especially on social media.
  • Seek professional help, BUT BEWARE. Get personal one-on-one references BEFORE you spend a dime. There are a lot of people who can help you, but many more who CLAIM they can, but cannot.
  • Waiting is more expensive than starting. Whatever you budget for online and/or social media presence, it’s cheap compared to doing nothing while others pass you by.

Social media is not going away. My bet is that your business social media presence is lacking. And there is not one good reason for it, other than your foresight is limited by your insight.

Hopefully this will help you kick-start what you’re doing online – especially your social media participation – so you’ll have no regrets (also known as hindsight).

Filed Under: business, Social BOOM!, social media, twitter Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Difference Between Social Media and Business Social Media on YouTube

August 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

YouTube provides the biggest opportunity for you to promote your name and your brand. Anyone in the world can find you and your information. And it’s FREE!

If you have a YouTube channel, go to the main page and see how many total views you have. If it’s less than 1,000 you haven’t provided enough opportunities for others to find you, or enough value for any kind of viral activity.

Let me share some YouTube opportunities with you:

  • Create a library of customer testimonials, tips, and ideas about your product that appear in no brochure.
  • Record business philosophies that you have and want to share with others.
  • Record your best idea of the week.
  • Record your favorite customer of the week.
  • Record your favorite restaurant in your city.

You get the idea. Your ability to broadcast on your own YouTube channel is limited only by your imagination and your allocated time. And did I mention, IT’S FREE!

Start with customer testimonial videos because they will lead you to more customers and you can pull them up when you’re making a sales presentation to provide a point.

KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: Keep all videos short and light. (One to four minutes is the idea length.) Keep all videos fun and real. Make sure the videos that you post are an accurate representation of who you are in the business world, and what you believe to be true with your customers, your product, your company, and you.

I am on social media providing examples for my customers so they can do the exact same thing. Spend some time watching some of the value videos I have uploaded onto my own YouTube channel:

Filed Under: business, customers, lead generation, sales, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Quick Reminder [VIDEO]

July 24, 2012 By 2 Comments

Here’s a quick reminder for you:

Filed Under: business, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Take Advantage of Business Social Media TODAY

July 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Every time I’m in front of an audience I ask two questions:
1. How many of you have some social media involvement? (Almost everyone raises their hands.)
2. How many of you wish you were better at it? (Almost everyone raises their hands.)

And keep in mind this is from a (supposedly) sophisticated group of people. They all have smart phones, most of them get personal Facebook notices on their phones, but for one reason or another they have chosen not to enter the world of business social media. Many are on LinkedIn and have a few connections, almost none of them tweet, and even fewer have their own YouTube channel.

What’s your social media status?

REALITY: Some HUGE companies have gone all out in social media, while others have their heads buried in the sand or are playing ME TOO, because they woke up one morning and found their competition gaining ground through a prominent and active social media presence. Still others are claiming “regulations” are keeping them from engaging.

Here are a few examples of big companies taking BIG advantage of business social media:

  • Starbucks is asking customers opinions and soliciting customers ideas (where do you think the idea for that little green stopper splash stick came from?).
  • The CEO of Sun Microsystems blogs daily.
  • Burger King is continuing to let customers “have it their way” online with information and coupons.
  • IBM is utilizing every aspect of social media and has plans to double their effort in 2011 by trusting and encouraging their employees involved on a personal-business level to their individual customers.
  • Proctor & Gamble is all about Facebook and is substituting TV ads for social media presence. (WOW!)
  • Ford is using social media as a PR communication device and consumer sounding board and feedback opportunity.
  • Comcast is tweeting individualized customer service help messages.
  • And as if they weren’t customer service dominant enough, Zappos tweets their service responses, and as a result RECEIVES THOUSANDS of positive tweets.

All of these companies, B2B or B2C, emphasize the same word in their philosophy and their outreach: COMMUNITY. They all recognize that their customers have a voice, and by listening and responding to them, they’re discovering benefit and profit.

These are NOT isolated examples – they are typical examples of how big business is using the power of social media to inform, communicate, serve, and sell.

How are you doing? What’s your “community” strategy? Who are you listening to? Who are you responding to? Or are you still answering your phone and “serving me better” with nine options? Pathetic.

Here are 6.5 TOUGH questions designed to make you think, plan and act:

1. What are you doing about the social media opportunity?
2. How are you attracting customers and prospects?
3. What’s your value message beyond product offerings?
4. How are you engaging customers and prospects?
5. How are you connecting with the people you engage?
6. What’s your social media doubling plan for 2011?
6.5. What policies, trust issues, and lawyers are holding you back? Get rid of them (no play on words intended regarding the lawyers)!

Those are painful questions that need answering before January of 2011 rolls around.

REALITY: And while you sit around strategizing and legalizing a business social media plan, your competition is laughing at you, hoping you’ll delay even more.

TWEET POWER: I tweeted this quote last night, “The more you hold your people back from using social media at work, the more your competition will kick your ass.” Less than one hour after it hit the Internet, more than 50 people had re-tweeted it, and more than 100,000 were exposed to the message. And ME. FOR FREE.

REALITY:
People have made the following statements, or asked me the following questions, over and over:

  • How do I use BUSINESS social media to attract?
  • Isn’t social media for kids?
  • I have never tweeted.
  • I tried it and didn’t get any results.
  • My boss won’t let us use Facebook at work.

HUH?

REALITY:
Individuals (like you) can safely setup their own value-based, value messaging BUSINESS page on Facebook INSIDE the parameters of whatever guidelines your business has. And you can do the same with twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

PROBLEM: It requires hard work
MAJOR CLUE: Start today!

Filed Under: business, Social BOOM!, social media Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Understanding The Power Of Twitter

July 1, 2012 By 2 Comments

It seems as though the mature (seasoned) salespeople are resisting Twitter or simply do not understand the power in it and efficacy of it. With an estimated 175 million accounts and millions of tweets a day, there MAY be something to it. Especially because the Fortune 1000s are tweeting. Every newspaper and news agency is tweeting. Thousands of small businesses are tweeting.

What are you doing? Are you tweeting every day? Or are you stymied by the process and don’t quite know what to do? (Like most people.)

WARNING: Twitter for business has nothing to do with being in your pajamas, having a tough day, heading to the office, or other inane useless information. It also has nothing to do with “tweeple,” “tweeps,” or other buzzwords that are cute and condescending.

  • Twitter is about informing.
  • Twitter is about passing on information.
  • Twitter is about value messages.
  • Twitter is about connecting.

Twitter is about others finding value in your messages or information and passing it on to others. And when you’re retweeted, it’s proof that your message had enough value, content, or vital information that people in your network were willing to pass it on to their network.

How does a daily value tweet help you?

1. It challenges you to think and write. Daily discipline.

2. It challenges you to create viral messages so that you become better known as a person of value.

3. It challenges you to create the REAL law of attraction. Attraction = potential customer.

3.5 People will proactively connect with you. If they agree with you, and they respect you, they’ll tell others to connect with you as well.

There is a secret to Twitter success. And it’s the same secret for all of social media, especially business social media: Wake up and WRITE.

Here are some Twitter conversations going on right now about me:


Filed Under: business, customers, lead generation, sales, Social BOOM!, social media, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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