Help Getting Started With "Social" Media

[margie albert]

If you don’t know who Chris Brogan is – well, please get to know him soon. You all know how much I respect Seth Godin and those who have attended my classes know I quote him often. Chris is another one of my heroes. Recently, he wrote a blog called “5 Things Small Business Owners Should Do Today”. I contend this also applies to all of us – Sales People, Managers, Consultants, whatever category you consider yourself.

These 5 steps are essential first steps in today’s “social” world.

1. Blogging – It’s so easy to start a blog. Not sure how or where to start? Go to blogger.com, wordpress.com or squidoo.com. Get yourself set up and start. We care what you have to say! We all think we’re boring but I promise you – you are not! You have experience, knowledge and thoughts we can learn from. Don’t worry about being a great writer – if I can do it you can too. Just be yourself. Your blogs will improve with practice but you’ve got to start sometime!
2. LISTEN – I know, here I go again on that! Find out what people are saying about you and who they are. This will lead you to opportunities. Reach out and remember – free advice is social currency these days.
3. Try Twitter OR facebook – you don’t have to do both but get to fully understand the workings of one of them and how to use it to help you grow your business or your knowledge. Twitter is easy and I encourage you to download either a tweetdeck or hootsuite to organize your tweets. Many of you may already use facebook for fun so you may want to set up a fanpage for business.
4. Let people know what you’re doing – what good is all of this if nobody knows you’re doing it?! To start, send a link to your blog to your closest friends and business associates to get their opinion. Include a link to your fanpage or ask them to follow you on twitter. You want and need their interaction and support. Include these links in your email signature and on your business cards if possible.
5. Don’t expect rapid results - if you are providing them with useful information they will spread the word and you will have your tribe before you know it. But it does take time. You need to be consistent in all your efforts but you can do it! Don’t give up – never give up!

And Chris made it very clear – he wrote his blog in hopes we found the information valuable so we would forward the information on and increase the size of his tribe. Chris, mission accomplished!

And now I’d like your help. If you like this pass it on to someone you know. I’d appreciate your help too!