Social Media for Business

Jul 01

Is Crowdsourcing a Viable Choice for Your Business?

A good design is vital for online success, as important as content and context. Agency quality designs are expensive, and small businesses often prefer a DIY approach, that doesn’t always work. There are a number of resources to support such a choice, from “design your own logo” software, like the free logo maker by HP, to free banner makers and free website builders.

There are advantages and disadvantages to the above. If you only want to have fun, and your online presence is not entrepreneurial, these tools make sense. But for a business, an “out of the box” solution doesn’t stand out. As a business owner, you have to look for solutions that differentiate your brand and your overal image from your competitors. Like it or not, you have to spend a bit to make this happen. Not a fortune though, if you choose to crowdsource your design.

Wikipedia defines crowdsourcing as the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to a large group of people or community (a crowd), through an open call. Basically, when you post your project, you’ll name your own price. In most cases you have to pay a listing fee. If the designs submitted are not to your liking, you don’t have to select any. Feel free to call for entries again. Obviously, there are already many online websites that offer such opportunities. Here are a few to choose from.

With CrowdSpring.com you can get all kinds of designs, from logo and stationery, to clothing and industrial design. They offer writing services as well (including brand and company names, taglines and larger content projects).

99designs.com does pretty much the same things, minus writing services. But 99designs is more popular, and the designers’ community is larger. 99designs is a Webby Award winner, which says a lot about the power of its community.

Prova.fm is a newcomer, a bit different from the above, and I think it deserves more attention. Here is why: it’s a beta site, powered by crowdsourcing and designed by Prova’s community. Basically still a work in progress. The focus is broader – here you can crowdsource everything from logos to banners, billboards, calendars, brochures, catalogs, mouse pads and other promotional articles. You can also submit calls for radio advertisements, TV commercials, website videos and other creative media.

What’s even more interesting is that the contest entries have an “i like” button that lets visitors vote for a design they like – an effective way to get free feedback from the community – sure, provided that a designer doesn’t send an army of friends to “like” his/her work, in the hope to influence your decision and win the contest. But remember that the final decision is yours and yours alone and you never have to buy what you don’t like.

All these sites are risk free. You only lose the listing fee, but considering the sizes of their designer communities, it’s almost impossible not to get what you need. Typically, logos are priced at $220 – if you pay more, you get more entries, obviously. So what do you think? Would you crowdsource your designs, DIY, or rather hire a pedigree professional?

Tagged with: Crowdsourcing

May 21

7 Great Reasons to Use Social Media

Social Media, Social Media for Business 9 Comments »

picture credit to Brian Solis

Despite the fact that social media is now an accepted form of marketing, there are still many business people who just don’t see the point of it. That’s a shame, because everyone can benefit from online networking and sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, just to name a few. Today we’re going to look at a few of the best reasons you should be using social media if you aren’t already.

1. It costs nothing. There aren’t a lot of great marketing opportunities out there that cost nothing but time. You might say “but time is money” true! then go tell a main stream channel to air your commercial in exchange of your time. Even if you decide to invest some money, it will cost a fraction of what you usually spend on traditional marketing.

2. You have options. If Facebook doesn’t strike you as a great place to network, you don’t have to use it. If Twitter is too chatty for you, look elsewhere. There are literally hundreds of places to network with others and you can choose the ones that suit your marketing and networking style best.

3. Build links for SEO. One of the best ways to get back links is to simply let people know about your latest post or webpage on any social media site. If you have built up a bit of a following and you are offering quality content, you can bet someone will pass the link along and it will likely be bookmarked and blogged about or added to a list.

4. Social media is here to stay. You can ignore it for as long as you want, but the fact is that people are interactive and love the interactivity of the internet. That’s not going to go away, so if you really want to boost marketing, social networking will have to become part of your campaign.

5. You get instant feedback. Since most social media sites operate in real time, you will be able to connect with others instantly and get results back on your marketing efforts. This can be a great way to test campaigns before you move into paid advertising.

6. Make online and offline business contacts. This goes both ways. You can stay in touch with those you meet offline by contacting them through social media sites and you can meet people from online connections in offline tradehows, conferences and meetings, making your meet-ups much more productive since you already know each other.

7. Boost your brand. Every business needs to focus on branding and the internet allows you to do that very easily. You can ensure that your brand is well-known throughout the internet just by using the various social outlets that exist. Having a website and blog is also helpful, of course, but interacting with others online is a great way to increase public recognition.

Social media is a useful resource for any business and it is certainly not going anywhere. If anything, it is becoming more refined and more valuable, so now is a good time to get into it.

Tagged with: branding • Business • publicity • Social Media • social media strategies

May 06

Social Media Campaigns – Learning from Moms Rising

Business, Case Study, Social Media for Business 6 Comments »

When businesses and traditional marketing companies approach the idea of a “Social Media Campaign” they usually forget what social media is all about and go back to their old boring sales mentality. They focus everything on the product and try to convince people with all kinds of manipulative methods that Their Product is THE absolute Best. Sorry but that’s not social media. That’s what you do on tv, with a billboard on the highway or a gigantic bus poster. I know, many hate social media developers for shaking their comfort zones, but just keep these golden rules and you will be on your way to New Media:

1) It’s all about your target audience: Who cares about your killer idea, amazing offer, super duper product. It’s about the audience you’re trying to engage with. What’s important to them, what’s the problem they are facing, what’s their experience.

2) It’s personal: Throw the megaphone to the garbage right now. Start whispering to her/his ear and I guarantee 200% that she/he will come closer to hear what you have to say.

3) It’s innovative: Take the effort to dig deep until you find your very own story. The one that makes you unique and irreplicable. The one that only you could ever tell.

4) Whisper value: When your target audience finally decides to come closer to you to hear You, don’t be a traitor and bite his/her ear. Just go back to the previous three golden rules: whisper something new, valuable and personal.

5) Make it easy to share: And for that you need to give your “followers” the tools to become your “evangelizers”. So whisper a simple message that they can repeat, and like we used to do in the good old days, give them the fliers to distribute. Today we call those fliers links, buttons, widgets and so forth. But the point, something simple that with a click they can share your story.

If you need an example, I have the best one for you today. Moms Rising has launched a campaign to honor moms throughout this country but also to build awareness about the economic issues facing mothers and care givers (by the way, this is the only country I’ve lived in that doesn’t protect its citizens with a salary for at least 16 weeks after they deliver a baby. Instead it forces mothers to rush back to work often with fresh stitches and dump the newborn in a daycare or sacrifice their careers and economic stability for leaving their jobs). Their campaign consists of an innovative video that can be personalized by the user. The content is fun, informative and worthy of our attention. The best part is that it can be shared with any other mom in two seconds.

Take a look by yourself and see exactly what I mean by a well done social media campaign: http://cli.gs/ZqSj9R It will obviously have a viral effect with millions of viewers. Now go on and share with your moms this amazing video You will make their day!

Tagged with: Case Study • social media campaign • viral effect

Mar 05

What I Learned from Maxine Clarks

Social Media, Social Media for Business 10 Comments »

Sharing new concepts learned at the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration – Part 2

Maxine Clark and AnaRC

I was impressed by Maxine as a woman, a business owner, a social media example to follow and more. Let me go straight to the point and share with you all I learned from the CEO of Build-a-Bear Workshop:

Follow your passion. Maxine lost her Teddy Bear at the age of 10 and she was proud to announce that she’s found that bear millions of times. This is equivalent to the number of teddy bears sold at the Build-a-Bear Workshop since the day she started the company.

How many of us can make a business out of a need? a passion? a lost Teddy?

picture credit to buildabear.com

Those of in Social Media can learn so much from this lesson. Is our passion clear to our audience? Are we adding value? Are we fulfilling a need? Is our blog/business only focused on me, myself and I? Transcending from the “me” approach to the “client center” approach is the real secret of turning one’s passion into a business.

Make a business plan. The passion was the source of Maxine’s inspiration but her pragmatic approach was what made it happen. She had over 15 years of experience in the retail business and a very elaborate business plan before she started her company. She had also saved some money and done a fare amount of research.

I personally loved this. So many of us in social media are sold the “get rich fast scheme” we have an unrealistic Silicon Valley dream that success will come by magic when we least expect it and we’ll be BRF (beautiful, rich and famous) forever and ever Amen. Yeah right! there’s actually more possibilities that you’ll win the lotto than for that to happen.

So stop buying those “Make money while you dream” ebooks and follow Maxine’s advice: “buy a Business Plan software” It is a tedious exercise but trust me, once you have it ready (or at least started) you’ll have the most liberating feeling you can imagine.

Focus on your employees. Train for top customer experience! One of the moms noted how stellar was the customer service at the BuildaBear Workshop. They are always willing to help and make your child feel the center of the store. Maxine answered with her recruiting strategy. The core competency she looks for in candidates is that of “caring” if they genuinely care, the rest can be done with training. Then the competency development is customer centered. All about their experience and how to make it even better the next time.

Do you make your customer feel that he/she is the only one you have at the moment? Do you take more than you can handle for the sake of money or ego (or to make sure the competition won’t take it) and then under-deliver? Have you given careful thought about the core competencies your business needs? Do you train and empower your staff or do you compete with them?

Give back. As a social entrepreneur, this was my favorite part. Maxine actually gave before she even made profit. Giving back has been part of her business model and culture from the get go. Maxine and her husband just opened up a health center “Casa de la Salud” to improve the health conditions of Hispanic families in her area. You can imagine how thrilled I was to hear that.

Do you give back to your community? Do you share your assets? Remember that they don’t need to be money. It can be knowledge, time, friendship….

Listen to your customer. I was moved by the way Maxine read letters from her clients to the audience. It was actually part of the presentation. Her customers are able to reach her directly and influence her. One mom asked a question on Facebook. That question not only was heard, but also ended up turning into a new line of products the company will offer. How cool is that? The other thing that really moved me was the fact that Maxine has chosen to manage her own accounts. This includes Twitter! and she added: “That’s why you’ll see my tweets come out at 3:00 am”

We were so impressed by her that even Chris Brogan called Maxine “Your Highness” to show his admiration. I have taken so many notes that I can go on writing but I learned even more from the way she engaged with her customer’s letters, Facebook messages and tweets even during her presentation.

Thank you Maxine for sharing your success with us all.

Tagged with: BuildaBear • Disney social media conference • Maxine Clark • Social Media for Business

Feb 18

Social Media Will Continue to Grow in 2010

Social Media, Social Media for Business 7 Comments »

picture credit to hosterio.com

More and more companies are using social media to boost their popularity and reach a wider audience. Until this year, a large number of companies refused to use social media, seeing it as more of a venue for chatter than a place to promote. However, with four out of every five Internet users spending time monthly on social media sites, businesses big and small are starting to realize that they have to be on social media if they want the greatest impact.

Do you run a business? Are you fully utilizing social media to grow your business and increase your client base? If not, you’re missing out on a lot!

Consider these areas that social media can help you:

Lets you interact with customers and present a more personal side to your business. This is a great way to create a bond with your potential clients.
Gives you first rate access to information on what your target audience is looking for. Find out just what your clients are interested in and then give it to them.
Generate leads for your business by doing searches and interacting with people who need help. If you offer something as a freebie, you’ll get plenty of people to sign up for your email list, as well.
Create a buzz around a new product or service. Social media is an excellent way to let the world know about your upcoming project and build up a buzz.
Gain worldwide exposure for virtually free. You’ll put in the time, of course, or hire someone to do the social networking for you, but the actual social media requires no monetary investment.
Get ahead of the competition. If you start using social media now, you can still be one of the first to use it, since many businesses have yet to implement a social media marketing plan.
Provide great customer service. An excellent way to show your customers that you care, that you’re there for them after the sale. Remember, happy customers = healthy business.
Build up a quality network of connections. By gaining plenty of contacts, you’ll have more people to turn to when you need someone to collaborate with and they can also help spread the word about your services or products.

Your business can benefit drastically from using social media. Get started by reading through some of the blog posts here, by getting out there and making an impression on potential clients. If you don’t start now, you won’t be able to join the ranks of businesses jumping into social media this year, something that is predicted to continue rising over the coming few years.

Tagged with: Social Media for Business

Feb 08

Social Media Event – Disney Conference for Moms

Case Study, Large Business, Social Media Events, Social Media for Business 12 Comments »

As you know, I try to cover social media events on Mondays since I strongly think these are corner stone to any business owner and consultant who is taking social media seriously. Today will be special since I will talk about the Social Media Conference for Moms at Disney World. While I’ll be covering the actual details in a fun way from my new personal blog: Fantasticos4, I would like to talk about the actual conference from a business and branding perspective here.

The Target: what better target audience than the social media professionals who are moms. You know what that means right? it’s an automatic buzz. The Disney message will be spread in words, pictures, videos and all kinds of human interaction.

The Message: I find really important that the message is not Disney, instead it will be social media. Here is a company gathering a group of mavens with their families and instead of asking each one to write a blog review, they just let them experience the magic.

The Messengers: here is what made me go crazy about this event. The speakers aren’t only the mommy bloggers (who I love and respect highly). The speakers here are Chris Brogan and Guy Kawasaki. These are high level social media professionals well respected in the field.

There is no doubt that Disney is bringing value, giving value and sharing value. The investment on this event probably costs a third of a typical TV spot. However the impact will be really significant. I think this is a great case study and example of how a brand uses social media to spread the message, increase engagement around its products/services and create a relevant buzz that not only is genuine but will also last the entire year.

Disclosure: I will be part of the conference for a symbolic prize and also have development relationships with the Disney Company. However, the opinions expressed here are my own.

Tagged with: Social Media Events

Feb 03

Corporate Social Media: What to Keep in Mind

Advance Track, Social Media Classroom, Social Media for Business 8 Comments »

photo credit to remg.com

Social media is an excellent way for corporations and businesses to stay in touch with their target market, but often this is poorly done. If you want to be successful in social media as a business, then there are a few things you need to keep in mind. I’ve compiled some tips here to help you out.

Write down specific goals. The first thing you need to do is decide where you’re going with your networking campaign. What are your goals? To find out what your market wants? To build up a following on a social media network? Boost traffic and sales to your site? Write these down and make sure everyone knows exactly where you are going with this promotion.

Decide who will post. You’ll get the best results if you have just a couple of people working on social media, or even just one, using a corporate account. It can be very difficult to coordinate more than this if they are all working on the same account. Choose someone who is naturally social, since they will likely do best with networking.

Stay on top of things. It’s very important that you know exactly what is going on in your social media department. This is an area that should require weekly and monthly reports to make sure that you are going in the direction you want to be going. If you aren’t sure what your social media people are doing, it’s pretty hard to gauge success. Often, campaigns need to be adjusted, so keep that in mind when going over reports.

Have guidelines in place. Some things are obvious, such as no trashing the company on Twitter, but you need to have this type of thing written down. Even if it seems obvious, having paper to refer back to is always useful when facing problems. Also, it gives anyone working on social networking a good place to start from and they can refer back if they aren’t sure what’s allowed. However, don’t let the fear of not having a “social media policy” in place stop you from getting started. In the meantime, just grab your PR policy and use the same rules for social media. You don’t say on Twitter what you wouldn’t say on TV. Simple right!

Respond to complaints. When someone says something about your company on Twitter or another popular social network, you’ll benefit from contacting that person and offering to fix the issue. This can be a great form of positive publicity because people often report back to their followers when things have been set right.

Social media can be a bit tricky when you’re a big company. However, it is also very beneficial since you’ll be establishing a presence online in a more personal manner. This is what people respond to.

Tagged with: corporate • Social Media • social networking

Jan 30

3 Social Media Mistakes You May Be Making

Intermediate Track, Social Media Classroom, Social Media for Business 10 Comments »

Social media is an excellent way to make valuable connections in your industry. Just about everyone who does any kind of business online is aware of the usefulness of social media sites, but that doesn’t mean they know how to use them. There are plenty of articles on how to make social media work for you, but today I’m going to look at some of the big mistakes that you could be making. These aren’t just little glitches that can be overlooked, they are mistakes that could destroy your online reputation or ruin your carefully built network.

Social Media Mistake 1

Going on a rant. When you’re using Twitter, Facebook, etc. on a daily basis, it’s easy to fall into a false sense of security. You feel that you’re among friends. And when that happens, it’s not difficult to move into other territory . . . where you start sharing personal information. This in itself isn’t bad, until something happens that makes you angry and you splash it all over the web.

Being upset about something is fine. Tweeting about how horrible your client is . . . not fine. In fact, it could lose you business. Even if your client or boss never realizes what you said, others will see it and realize that they don’t want to work with someone who blasts their personal vendettas across the social networks.

Social Media Mistake 2

Dropping off the face of the planet. Unfortunately, this happens quite often in social media because people start out with great intentions and then lose focus. When they come back a couple of months later, no one cares anymore.

You can easily avoid this problem by not overdoing things. There’s no need to post 50 times a day. A handful of posts will keep your presence up without taking too much time or energy and you won’t be overwhelmed and drop out. Social media is a very valuable method of promotion, so don’t waste it by burning out and disappearing for too long.

Social Media Mistake 3

Spamming. Most of us are aware that spamming is a bad idea . . . yet a lot of people are still flooding others with unwanted offers and ads. However, that isn’t the only way you can spam and you MIGHT be spamming without even realizing how offensive it is!

Are you signed up for one of those Twitter ad networks? If you’ve allowed them or any other site to publish auto-tweets then your followers are probably quite annoyed with the spam they get when you aren’t even online. Another way that many people spam is through auto responses to followers. When someone follows you, sending them a direct message with an ad is not a good way to make a nice first impression.

Are you making any of these mistakes? If so, you might want to reconsider how you handle your social networking before it’s too late.

Tagged with: Business • Social Media • social networking • spam • twitter