Social Media Marketing: How To Manage Accounts Efficiently And Stay Sane

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Social Media Marketing: How To Manage Accounts Efficiently And Stay Sane

Many organizations and businesses are joining the social media marketing wave, but some are holding back. There is a lot to consider, not the least of which is time management. Is it really worth the time and effort to build such a presence for your group? The answer is probably yes- you just need to go about it the right way.

There are many forms of social media that you can choose to participate in. The first step to get started is analyzing what your group needs, how social media can help you meet these needs, and what end-goals you want to accomplish. There are lots of resources, on-line and in print, that can help you determine the answers to these questions and help you lay out the basis for your social media marketing plan. I’d recommend checking out David Meerman Scott’s The New Rules of Marketing and PR as a start. There are also courses and seminars that train individuals in effective social media marketing, such as the New Media Drivers License course at Michigan State University.

Once you’ve determined the ways you want to use social media, you need to determine what social media tools you should use. There are a lot of options, and they won’t all be right for you. Do some digging and find out which tools will meet your needs. You must keep your target audience in mind as well. If you build a large presence on Facebook but your professional clients are all on LinkedIn you are missing out.
Once you have your plan, and you’ve chosen your tools and set up your account(s), how do you keep the process work from overtaking your life? The trick is to keep a balance. Start slow- don’t take on more than you can handle at the start. Do some “listening” and monitoring, getting into the routine of checking account activity, before committing yourself to particular numbers of periodic posts. To avoid having to visit individual sites for listening consider using a web aggregator, such as Google Reader. This will bring all the traffic involving keywords and phrases you designate to one place, allowing you to read it in a more time-efficient manner. Then use an account management tool, such as Hootsuite, to run your accounts. A tool like this will allow you to post to multiple accounts from one site, as well as set up some monitors on social media traffic.

By setting up these tools you’ll free up time and avoid unnecessary redundant behavior (such as logging in to multiple accounts.) This will allow you (or your employees) to work on other important tasks, instead of wasting time waiting for pages to load. Social media marketing is a great tool for your organization, but you should take care to manage accounts in a time-efficient way so as to optimize your efforts.

For more information on the resources mentioned above, please visit these websites:

David Meerman Scott’s The New Rules of Marketing and PR: http://www.davidmeermanscott.com

New Media Drivers License course at Michigan State University: http://newmediadl.com

Hootsuite: http://www.hootsuite.com

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Tips to Stay Healthy, Happy, and Strong for the Years to Come

admin    Twitter Marketing     Come, Happy, Healthy, Stay, Strong, Tips, Years

Tips to Stay Healthy, Happy, and Strong for the Years to Come

Do you want to live to be 100 years old?  You know you do. So follow a few tips and give yourself a shot at a full century.

Mental  Health…be active and join activities with other people. Be thelife of the party not the frump in the corner. Research done by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden of over 500 men and women 78 years plus stated they were not easily stressed and enjoyed the company of others. Researches feel that these people have more resilient brains and produce less cortisol. This stress hormone can inhibit brain cell communication.

Cortisol also will inhibit you to loss weight. Cut the cortisol levels by meditating, drinking black tea or just take a nap and relax.

Try new activities. Join the techie trends. Many older Americans sendemails to friend and family,find lost friends via the web and even date online. Researchers state that using the latest technology helps keep you mentally alert and in contact with friends and the world and current events. What the younger generation takes for granted, is so amazing to their grandparents. Older Americans listened to the Philco 47 radio and the black and white television was still a thing of the future. Learn to Twitter or Skype and help keep your brain cells young and healthy.

What you eat…add some fiber. Most Americans eat 14 to 17g of fiber perday.Add just another 10 grams and that will reduce your risk of dying of heart disease by 17%. Dietary fiber helps reduce bad cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and increase weight loss.

Make every calorie count…A study done in St. Louis reported that peoplewho ate  1400 to 2000 calories a day, 25% less than most people,were young at heart.  Really young at heart. Their hearts functioned like those 15 years younger.

Get tested for Vitamin D…
Humans need at least 30 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood.Nearly 80% have less than that.Vitamin D not only helps prevent osteoporosis but may also reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and infection. If needed you can take a supplement to get your numbers up. I have seen many older people so bent over that I want to run home and swallow an entire bottle of Vit D but beware, Vitamin D turns toxic at 100 to 150 ng/ml. Always follow your doctors advice.

Exercise…walk fast for 40 minutes a day. Even 20 minutes a day provides positive long term physical and cognitive effect. Scientists in California found that middle aged people who ran, jogged or speed walked lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they aged. Aerobic exercise keeps the immune system young.

Lower your pulse…a slower pulse means your heart does not have to work so hard and could last longer. Aim for a resting heart rate of 60 beats/minute. Aerobic activity is the easiest way to lower your resting heart rate.

Flatten your belly… women who are too round in the middle are 20% more likely to die sooner, even if their body mass index is normal. If your waist measures 35 inches or more or 40 or more if you are male, you need to get rid of that belly fat.  Add a couple of 20 minute strength training exercises  to preserve lean muscle and rev up your metabolism.

Eat a daily serving of omega-3s to combate inflammation and seven dailyservings of fruits and veggies that are loaded with antioxidants. And make sure 25% of your daily calories comes from healthy fats such as monounsaturated fatty acids.

Feeling youthful when you age is linked to better health and longer life.It improves your attitude, motivation and helps overcome challenges which reduces stress and improves optimism.

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How To Stay Away From These Deadly Twitter Marketing Mistakes

admin    Twitter Marketing     Away, Deadly, From, Marketing, Mistakes, Stay, These, Twitter

How To Stay Away From These Deadly Twitter Marketing Mistakes

To date, Twitter has gained the reputation of being one of the largest attractions in the global social media craze. By definition ‘tweeting’ started out as being short online messaging similar to text messaging but more social; however, online marketers have also realized the benefits of such a communication tool. Of course, most every marketing tool always has its own particular way of being used. If you want to get appropriate responses, you need to follow a definite path.

If you don’t pay attention, you’ll find the results can ruin all the efforts you have put in. The great thing about this type of marketing is you can avoid common Twitter foul-ups by following a few simple rules. First off, you should remember that Twitter is a widely used social networking site, and people are on there for fun. This is why your business will get enough exposure. This article will cover those blunders that you can and should avoid to make Twitter the best marketing media to promote your business.

If you have a business, and you have customers or clients who follow your progress with Twitter, do not think that they are interested in being your friend. The other thing that people have to learn is that not every person who sees their marketing campaign even cares about what the business is about. Your prospects don’t really think about “you” but they inherently think about “themselves”. It will never make a difference how good the product is; your potential customers will never purchase from you if they don’t care about your product.

Your prospective customers who read your message only care about how your product or service will benefit them. In order for you to make this product important to them, you have to figure out how to make them believe that their life would be worse off if they don’t purchase your product. Once you understand that very important concept, you should be able to come up with a great Twitter marketing movement.

Another major problem that Twitter marketers run into is not giving enough information about their product. If a person cannot figure out what you are selling or what you are doing, then they will ignore you! One way to clarify yourself is to create a biography that will hook your prospects, and include a photo so they could identify you. It’s all about product placement and how you present yourself and if your first visual communication is off, then they most likely will not communicate with you again.

But you don’t have to be too serious. Taking your product or your business too sternly can be a death knell to your business and any chance of having a successful marketing movement. The whole point of being on Twitter is to be urbane and witty. Don’t complicate the lives of your potential Twitter following by being too serious. Write your tweets with some spice and add a little humor if it is appropriate. That will make more people interested in what you have to offer. You want to give a picture of life to your advertising on Twitter.

Community is the key word here, and Twitter should be treated as such. That’s also the reason it’s so important for you to participate in it. However, the biggest mistake some make is that they don’t join in the community, but rather only try to promote within it. Avoiding this mistake is pretty easy though; just keep in mind that you will have to give in order to receive. You can’t just inform, you must participate in the social aspect. Becoming a follower of some Tweeters, answering their questions, and participating in Tweet threads are great ways to build a relationship within the community. If you want to achieve positive results, then becoming an active member of the community and working with other Tweeters is the only way to accomplish this.

Twitter is really a simple concept – in order to succeed using this marketing tool you will have to put forth some effort and grow a large following of people interested in listening to what you have to say and who want to hear it again. So how are you going to make this happen? All you have to do is give the people what they want – write about what they want to read about. It has to be beneficial to them. This is how you can avoid the most common mistakes that marketers do when trying to use Twitter to market their product.

How Can I Stay Secure Whilst Using Twitter?

admin    Twitter Marketing     Secure, Stay, Twitter, Using, Whilst

If you are reading this article then you know how to use a computer.

You also know how to use the internet.

Therefore, it follows that you are probably one of the many millions of people who use social media.

The most popular such site right now is Facebook but my personal favourite is Twitter.

You have a Twitter account too, right?

That may be a question that isn’t even worth asking these days.

After all, having a Twitter account has become almost as common as having an email account.

Twitter is one of the best social networking services available on Internet.

Tweeting tweets has become as necessary as breathing for some people (and, yeah, you know who you are!)

Twitterers are able to use the service from just about any location in the world and via a huge number of different devices.

I, for example, use my mobile phone for reading tweets at work, though I much prefer my desktop computer when it comes to writing anything.

Twitter has, in many ways, changed the way in which people socialise on the internet.

I know many friends, bloggers and otherwise, who now prefer to share their thoughts and their daily activities on Twitter with their friends.

They often share information that they would have been scared to record in their private diaries just a few years ago.

One of the issues I have with Twitter though is the fact that it is very different from other Social Networking services.

One of the main fifferences is that on other social networks people cannot read your status messages and bio details unless they are in your friends list.

Not so with Twitter – you can follow absolutely anyone.

Following someone means that you can read their tweets regardless of whether or not they reciprocate your follow.

The implication of this is that Twitter exposes you to a far greater part of the social internet than other services.

For this reason Twitter users need to be more cautious and careful when they are Tweeting.

Since each tweet needs to be kept to a maximum of 140 characters people use URL shorteners to shorten them.

With shortened URLs you are, under normal circumstances, completely unaware of the web site that they will take you to until you click on them.

For that reason it is highly advised to either click on only those links which are posted by known members or to use a service which will reveal the real URL behind a shortened one.

You also need to guard your password on Twitter too.

There are number of Twitter applications which can make your tweeting easier and more interesting.

Most of these applications request access to your account for information.

Before you actually allow any application to crawl into your account, do some basic research about that application in order to ensure your security level.

Ensure that you are following a real person or a firm instead of a spammer because you do not want to end up reading junk or following people who link out to malicious web sites.

Never reveal too much about yourself on a social network.

That applies to Twitter as well as all the alternatives.

Identity thieves are now using social networking sites and the more info you give them the easier their job becomes.

There have been cases where identity thieves have hacked into accounts on some social networks and then attempted to use the information available through them to trick friends of the account holder into sending money.

If you are a parent, you need to educate your kid about all the risky elements involved in Twitter.

Convince your kids to come to you whenever they see or read a subject which they are not supposed to.

I have seen children giving away their personal information and photographs on Twitter.

As I parent I wouldn’t want to see my kids doing that!

Ensure that your kids set their profile as a private one.

Also make sure your kids allow you to view their tweets from time to time so that you can be sure they are following any rules you have set down.

This will surely help your kids to experience the good part of Twitter.

Be cautious and be secured.

Happy Tweeting.

Twitter Safety Tips: 3 Must-Read Tips To Stay Safe On Twitter

admin    Twitter Marketing     MustRead, Safe, Safety, Stay, Tips, Twitter

We all know how fun Twitter can be. Many people have fallen in love with this micro blogging site, and don’t really see anything that could go wrong. After all, who needs Twitter safety tips against a cute, bird logo?Well, don’t be too caught up in your Twitter postings that you forego your safety. Remember that the Internet is still a prime target market for sexual predators and people who want to do others harm. You might need these Twitter safety tips more than you realize. Just the other day, I chanced upon this TV interview of a young, popular actress who pointed out that someone has set up an account on Twitter, pretending to be her which leads me to…Twitter Safety Tip # 1:  Don’t believe everything you read.Have we not learned from the past? The Internet, while not harmful by itself, is still a haven for individuals and groups that are up to no good. After all, who can say that a 50-year-old pervert isn’t a cute, 15-year-old student from Wisconsin when he sounds just like a 15-year old student from Wisconsin? And that picture of him in that blue shirt just backs it up, right? If you are inclined to believe this, then you need this Twitter safety tip more than anyone else. People who want to befriend you can easily make up lies in Twitter. Don’t think for a second that they wouldn’t take the time and effort to prattle away about their non-existent boring Algebra classes and upcoming winter dance if it meant making themselves more convincing. Twitter Safety Tip # 2: Don’t give out your location.I know that micro blogging is fun. There’s just something addicting about being able to post what you’re doing or what you’re feeling at this exact moment… and having hundreds of followers seeing it. If you have added people in Twitter who are not really your friends, then all the more reason to be careful. If you, for example, tweets that you’re stuck in the Starbucks near your home late at night, anyone could just take advantage of that information. Twitter Safety Tip # 3: Don’t attract too much attention to yourself.Twittering that you have just received a gold bracelet from your boyfriend can also attract the wrong sort of followers to your account. Trust should not be so freely given on the Internet. You might want to show it off on Twitter, but think about the possible risks. It might tempt others into doing something both you, and they, will regret.As much fun as Twitter is, set a limit on how much private information you’re really broadcasting to the world. Never forego these Twitter safety tips and never let your guard down on the Internet.

Top 10 Tips for Entrepreneurs to Start and Stay in Business

admin    Twitter Marketing     Business, Entrepreneurs, Start, Stay, Tips

Starting a new business is such an exciting time in life. You’ve got an idea for a product or service that you know will be a success. All you’ve to do is make it happen. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to entrepreneurship.  1.  Find your passion in life – Do some soul searching and make sure that the business you are about to begin is your true passion in life. Why venture into doing something “just because” – make it something you love to do.

2 .  Research, research, research – Take the time to do your homework. Find out all that you can about your new business, starting a business, and what kind of competition is out there. Don’t rush in to anything. Your business will only succeed if you are filling a need or a void in the marketplace.

3.  Develop a solid business plan – Whether or not you need financing for your business, you still need a business plan. Many people dread this process because they make it out to be a very daunting task. Daunting or not, it’s crucial to your success. A business plan, at minimum, should be an outline of your goals and objectives for the business – attainable and reasonable goals – both strategic and financial. It can be one page, it can be twenty pages – just be sure to do it. Putting the plans that are constantly floating around in your head down on paper will make you accountable. Visit your plan often and make the necessary changes to ensure your success.  4. Develop a solid marketing plan – The marketing plan is an essential part of your business planning. You need to research your competition, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the risks, opportunities and threats posed by both internal and external factors. In doing so you can easily determine a niche market, the best way to enter the market, and how to best turn your marketing efforts into revenue.

5. Create your USP – Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. This is what makes you stand out from the competition. Why should people buy your product or service over the competition? Do you offer the best price? Do you have a superior product? Do you offer the best customer service? Your niche coupled with your USP and a good marketing plan can quickly position you at the forefront of the marketplace – you’ll blow the competition away.

6. Establish your external support system – Starting a business on your own can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when and where you need it. Draw on the resources closest to you such as family and friends. The Internet offers a number of opportunities to establish a system of peers including social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, etc., teleseminars, message boards, and discussion groups. Check out the various online and offline networking groups and associations. Chances are you have a local SBA office, Small Business Development Center, or SCORE office in your area that can be a great source of resources for starting and growing your business.  7. Communicate with your internal support system – Without the support of those closest to you – kids, spouses, moms, dads, significant others – it can be difficult to dedicate the necessary time and resources to developing your business. By communicating your plans, goals and objectives with your internal support system you better your chances of gaining their support and getting them behind your new venture. Keep the communication lines open so that they understand what you’re going through and let them know how they can best be of help to you.

8. Give it time – Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will your business turn a profit in a day. It takes time to build a successful business. If the phone doesn’t ring today, it will tomorrow. The key is to be ready for when it does ring. Have all the proper systems in place; be prepared to spend a little money to make some money. If one marketing technique isn’t working, try another one until you achieve the results you desire.

9. Take it serious – If you want others to take your business seriously you have to take it serious yourself. You have to give it your all and apply yourself at all times. A successful business can’t be something that you just play around with or consider it a hobby – even the IRS won’t take you seriously.   10. Reward yourself – Be sure to reward yourself for all your successes no matter how big or how small. Sooner or later all of your efforts will begin to pay off. Be proud of yourself and do a little something special just for you – you deserve it!

Top 10 tips for Entrepreneurs to Start & Stay in Business

admin    Twitter Marketing     Business, Entrepreneurs, Start, Stay, Tips

Starting a new business is such an exciting time in life. You’ve got an idea for a product or service that you know will be a success. All you’ve to do is make it happen. Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to entrepreneurship.

 

1.Find your passion in life – Do some soul searching and make sure that the business you are about to begin is your true passion in life. Why venture into doing something “just because” – make it something you love to do.

 

2 .  Research, research, research – Take the time to do your homework. Find out all that you can about your new business, starting a business, and what kind of competition is out there. Don’t rush in to anything. Your business will only succeed if you are filling a need or a void in the marketplace.

 

3.Develop a solid business plan – Whether or not you need financing for your business, you still need a business plan. Many people dread this process because they make it out to be a very daunting task. Daunting or not, it’s crucial to your success. A business plan, at minimum, should be an outline of your goals and objectives for the business – attainable and reasonable goals – both strategic and financial. It can be one page, it can be twenty pages – just be sure to do it. Putting the plans that are constantly floating around in your head down on paper will make you accountable. Visit your plan often and make the necessary changes to ensure your success.

 

4. Develop a solid marketing plan – The marketing plan is an essential part of your business planning. You need to research your competition, analyze your strengths and weaknesses, and identify the risks, opportunities and threats posed by both internal and external factors. In doing so you can easily determine a niche market, the best way to enter the market, and how to best turn your marketing efforts into revenue.

 

5. Create your USP – Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. This is what makes you stand out from the competition. Why should people buy your product or service over the competition? Do you offer the best price? Do you have a superior product? Do you offer the best customer service? Your niche coupled with your USP and a good marketing plan can quickly position you at the forefront of the marketplace – you’ll blow the competition away.

 

6. Establish your external support system – Starting a business on your own can be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when and where you need it. Draw on the resources closest to you such as family and friends. The Internet offers a number of opportunities to establish a system of peers including social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, etc., teleseminars, message boards, and discussion groups. Check out the various online and offline networking groups and associations. Chances are you have a local SBA office, Small Business Development Center, or SCORE office in your area that can be a great source of resources for starting and growing your business.

 

7. Communicate with your internal support system – Without the support of those closest to you – kids, spouses, moms, dads, significant others – it can be difficult to dedicate the necessary time and resources to developing your business. By communicating your plans, goals and objectives with your internal support system you better your chances of gaining their support and getting them behind your new venture. Keep the communication lines open so that they understand what you’re going through and let them know how they can best be of help to you.

 

8. Give it time – Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor will your business turn a profit in a day. It takes time to build a successful business. If the phone doesn’t ring today, it will tomorrow. The key is to be ready for when it does ring. Have all the proper systems in place; be prepared to spend a little money to make some money. If one marketing technique isn’t working, try another one until you achieve the results you desire.

 

9. Take it serious – If you want others to take your business seriously you have to take it serious yourself. You have to give it your all and apply yourself at all times. A successful business can’t be something that you just play around with or consider it a hobby – even the IRS won’t take you seriously.

 

10. Reward yourself – Be sure to reward yourself for all your successes no matter how big or how small. Sooner or later all of your efforts will begin to pay off. Be proud of yourself and do a little something special just for you – you deserve it!