That is one good-looking and functional Twitter post.

The Social Media Manager

I’ve spoken previously about social management and how there is no real benchmark for outlining what process must be followed in
order for someone to be deemed a ‘great’ social media manager. As we investigate these challenges, I would like you to keep in mind that YOUR opinion matters here.

• The Sliding Scale: A core challenge for social media managers is the proliferation and idealization of the notion of ‘good enough.’ Managers think that if it ‘kind of works,’ then it works, and that’s a win for the strategy. This is NOT true at all. In fact, social media requires above and beyond attention to detail, on scales we have yet to measure. All we know is that the brands that do the best, don’t do the most – they literally do ‘the best.’ Average work can’t be acceptable in social management.

EXAMPLE: Posting any old image along with a Facebook post vs. posting a specially designed infographic that complements your Facebook update. The interactions and shares you’ll get from the ‘created from scratch’ image will be much, much higher.

• Content Integrity: Another issue with social managers today is that they tend to ‘copy’ the tones, styles and formatting that everyone else uses. Unfortunately most people using social media do it for personal, and not sales-based reasons. To guarantee the integrity of your content, and to make sure that it stays in line with your overall social media goals – you need to formulate your own ‘in-house’ set of content parameters: style, tone, format, spacing, rules, toolkits and the like.

Check out how we space our Facebook posts, to get additional interactions!

EXAMPLE: Using unique spacing on both Facebook and Twitter, to gain more fans and follower. This may be a sub-strategy, but it’s one that matters as your content assets grow over time.

• Content Asset Management: All content that is created is an asset. If you’re a financial manager, you manage your assets carefully as they are pretty much the most important parts of your daily business. It’s the same with content, and I’ll tell you why. Content has the ability to become very profitable, very quickly, for no particular reason at all. When this happens, you better hope you have a content asset management strategy in place. Then you can leverage this boost and convert it into sales.

EXAMPLE: A blog post that you posted 3 years ago suddenly ranks on Google page 1. You receive a ton of traffic and interactions because of this out-dated post. Bad practice would be to ignore it and continue posting new stuff. Good practice would be to investigate WHY the content has suddenly escalated (like stock does), and capitalize on it. That means finding out why the search term is suddenly more valuable, or why the topic is being explored again in your niche. Then you should create new content on that topic, with that keyword to maximize the traffic flow and gain additional sales from the ‘asset conversion.’

This is just the beginning of a whole list of problems that social media managers have been encountering. Now I’m going to invite you to leave your core problems here. I will do my best to help you solve them over the coming weeks.

Don’t be afraid to detail the problems you’ve been having below! I love to help.

Or…join our Facebook page and get instant updates as they happen.

Courtesy of hotspotpromotions.com

What is a Follow Up?

In old school sales, a follow up was a very valuable method of converting interested parties into buyers, even if cold calls or initial marketing materials didn’t work. Remember when a nice man would call you, offering you a great deal on the latest vacuum cleaner? You hated those calls! In fact, you would tell him you’re not really interested and put down the phone.

Then you would briefly think about the deal, and go on with your life. A week later, the same salesman would call back and remind you who he is. Then, he would offer you an additional discount off the vacuum cleaner. At this point 1) he’s not a stranger anymore, but a real person 2) he has genuinely offered you a good deal.

Nearly everyone in the market for a vacuum cleaner would buy one from this nice man. Following up on ‘almost’ or ‘not interested’ calls rapidly increases conversions. At least 30% of the time, people change their no to yes. Even more people buy from you later on, in their own time. Vacuum sales skyrocket!

This SAME principle can be used in social media, to boost sales and increase communities.

The Good Old Email Follow Up

Emails! I can’t tell you how many spam mails I get in my inbox every day. Then there are those ‘spam’ or ‘cold call’ emails that are well written, polite and worth reading. A new design firm has opened and they are sourcing new clients – great. But do you care or click on their services? Nope. You dismiss the mail immediately. No-one has time for that.

Why do you dismiss the mail?

• You immediately think the email is mass delivered
• You don’t expect to ever hear from them again
• You have no problem being ‘rude’ to a spambot

But what happens if you receive a mail from the same person – 3 days later? The mail says something along the lines of, “Hi, my name is X, I sent you a mail 3 days ago asking if you were interested in one of our services. You haven’t responded to me, so I thought I would drop you a line.” Suddenly, your perspective changes.

• Maybe there is someone EXPECTING a reply
• You could actually hear from this person again
• You know they are real, and most people won’t be rude to a real person

Out of pure etiquette, many, many more people will respond – refusing the service, or taking the business more seriously by checking out their website. Either way, you’ve won. They’ve entered your social sales funnel. One day, they will be buyers.

The Twitter Follow Up

Twitter! There are so many tweets every day, I barely get a chance to read the ones from people I know, never mind the direct messages from people I don’t know. But I ALWAYS pay special attention to people that bother to ‘follow up’ on the initial introduction.

The second direct message I receive from someone could be important, I nearly always click that link. Most people do. This is because it’s human nature to notice faces that keep popping up trying to get your attention. With the right pitch, I will click your link and I will join your other social pages, or sign up to your email list.

That SECOND follow up tweet is way more effective than the first. It proves that you’re real, that you want to actually interact, and that you have something to offer me. Many marketers even incentivize the second interaction to seal the deal.

SIDE NOTE: How do you differentiate your tweets from the ones above and below you in the hashtag feed? Spacing of course! Twitter now allows line spaces between your words, which means that your tweets can be bigger than other people’s tweets. Add a space line between your text, and you’ll get higher conversions and retweets.

Courtesy of blog.propertyowl.co.uk

Facebook Direct Name Follow Ups

Facebook! It can be very tough getting fans to engage. Unless you ask them to engage by name! But even then, many fans are shy. Some will respond, out of sheer flattery – others will see it as a marketing tactic and ignore it. To fix this little issue, use the good old ‘follow up’ question.

Adding their name again in the comment area on a Facebook post, will almost certainly lead to a response of some kind. Remember that the more these fans interact with your brand, the more of your deals and marketing materials they will see in their newsfeed.

Likes are great, but comments are the winner. There is no better way to improve comments on your page, than speaking directly to your fans and using the follow up to make sure everyone participates.

To be honest, this little social-hack is the easiest thing under the sun – but it needs to be done tactfully and tastefully. Never harass your fans or repeatedly ask the same people for responses. The second time is the last time, that’s the rule.

You can use the ‘follow up’ method on Pinterest, Google+ – anywhere you have trouble getting fans to engage. Discussion is the goal for any social media post. Right now, you are used to getting a few opinions from different people. True success will come when fans are chatting to you and to other fans about your post, ON THEIR OWN.

I bet you can’t wait to try it!

Choose your follow up, do it, then come back here and let me know how it went!

Courtesy of portent.com

#1: They Don’t Know Any of The Latest Updates

As you move from campaign to campaign as a social media manager, it becomes a very important daily ritual to check out what is happening in the news. Facebook, Google, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn – someone will have something new nearly every day.

Real social media managers will be concerned with staying up-to-date on the latest trends and patterns so that they can change their strategies periodically. If the person you’re hiring doesn’t know the latest information (or even upcoming information) they could be a poser.

#2: The Social Media Theorist

The person you have hired knows a lot about social media theory, but very little about practice, strategy and content development. This means they’ve read a book on social media, along with a few articles online, and think they are experts. These people don’t have a business view of social media, and they will think that it’s easy to get results over time.

#3: Experts Usually Know Other Experts

If your social media manager doesn’t know anyone else in the field of social media, they are probably not as important as they believe they are. The best social managers will have a close network of influencers that work within the online world. Ask your new manager if they know who Mari Smith, Michael Stelzner, Seth Godin, Jason Falls, Jeff Bullas or Chris Brogan are – these are the top social media guys in the field.

#4: I Can Get You Way More Fans

For some mysterious reason, new social managers are obsessed with growing their communities, but they tend to go about it in the wrong ways. This is because they think ‘success’ means numbers. We already know that numbers mean nothing if they can’t be converted, and it takes dozens of strategies to keep these conversions high.

If your social media manager tries to sell you the old ‘more likes, followers and fans!’ pitch, that’s all it is – a pitch. Chances are, they will make the horrible mistake of buying your fans or employing some other rather spammy techniques to get you noticed. This is the last thing you want for a brand that has barely entered the social sphere.

#5: Use The Ranking List Test

Many social media posers are only concerned with Facebook and Twitter. They’ve barely had time to think about other sites. A true social expert will not only know about Pinterest, Google+, bookmarking sites, YouTube and Foursquare – they will understand how to use each site for your brand benefit.

Administer a ranking test, by asking your potential social manager to make a list of the best social media sites, as well as what each site is commonly used for. Then ask them to write a short paragraph on how they would use these platforms to achieve more sales, larger communities and better customer service for your brand.

Courtesy of themarketingpill.com

#6: Content Separates Social Managers From Posers

It doesn’t matter what your social manager tries to tell you – social experts are first and foremost experts on content, and how to use it to achieve certain results online. All of the best social media managers plan, research, create and publish tiered content that meets a predetermined need. If your manager can’t even write, they’re not an expert.

Now I’m not saying you can’t be an effective manager, without being an effective writer. Yes, you can always hire others to do your content for you. But content strategists have to work with their own content to truly understand the process. It’s just not the same if you have content made – unless you have a serious list of features required in that content.

#7: Too Much Excitement and Obsession With Viral Marketing

If a piece of content goes viral, it becomes that much more effective. But every new social expert believes that they can do it, with barely any effort. This is because they have just been introduced to the world of social media, and they think that it’s a NEW thing, even though it’s been around for some ten years.

They won’t be able to contain their excitement, and they will make sweeping declarations like ‘I can make your video go viral!’ – but they have no idea what SEO is, and they’ve never even seen the YouTube ad backend. Be very careful of grand statements like this, it’s devastatingly difficult to make content go viral.

#8: Ask Them The Ultimate Strategy Question!

If you still can’t decide whether your social manager is an expert or a poser, there is one fool-proof question that you can ask them. “How will you prove to me that the tactics and strategies you are employing each day are working?” New social posers won’t have a clue. Some might say – analytics and not know how it works.

You’re looking for an answer like this: “I’ll begin by determining what your current social content map appears like online. Then I will evaluate your content, to determine what still needs to be done before certain strategies can be utilized. At the beginning of each week I will outline what I’m going to do. Everything will be recorded in an Excel spread sheet.

I’ll also use a dashboard like Hootsuite, Argyle Social or TweetDeck as an analytics tool to accompany the metrics we pull from Google Webmaster Tools. The goal is to reach for constant content improvement based on tests, content analysis and by implementing customer-centric decisioning throughout the process. At the end of each week a report will be compiled. These will form monthly and bi-annual progress reports.”

If the answer is nothing like this, they’ve never worked with social media strategy or content a day in their lives! If they can pass this test, then you have yourself an expert strategist!

How do you determine whether someone is a social media expert or a fake?

Courtesy of juliagillmor.com

Idea Generation and Instant Inspiration

As a social media manager you already know that coming up with good ideas can be tough, on a day-to-day basis. That’s why you need to know where to get your daily dose of inspiring content that gets the idea machine going. Here is where you can get inspired:

#1: Subscribe To YouTube Channels

YouTube is seriously one of the best ways to source information today. Even if you don’t sign into an actual account, the algorithm that governs YouTube will track what you like to watch, and give you suggestions based on those past videos.

When you specifically use YouTube for niche inspiration, the algorithm will do all the searching and legwork for you – all you have to do is open the site! You’ll instantly get a list of news, music, entertainment, popular and recommended feeds that will help get those ideas flowing. Subscribe to the channels you love.

#2: The Social Bookmarking Sites

Use sites like Digg, Reddit and StumbleUpon to explore the web. On StumbleUpon for example, you can sign up and tell the site what you’re interested in. Then it will take you through new and exciting sites that Google has never shown you before.

When I’m out of ideas, I often nip over to StumbleUpon, and use their random search tool. You can find some incredible sites and people out there, who are hidden in a sea of SEO. This is especially good for bloggers, social managers and people looking for niche content.

#3: Circle The Right Google+ People

There are some people on Google+ that are full time curators – or at least it seems that way. If you happen to come across one of these individuals, you’ll immediately notice how they post 5-10 fresh pieces of highly engaging and interesting content every day. You can use these suggestions to inspire blog posts or new Pinterest images.

The trick is to shop around for the right people to circle on Google+. If you can do that, you’ll have access to at least 30 people that are brilliant at finding inspiring content – so you don’t have to look on page 3045 on Google to find a fascinating article.

#4: Other Niche Blogs

I love seeing what other niche bloggers are up to, and where they are getting their content ideas from. It’s often from other influencers in their network, or from personal experiences that they have. Sometimes you can encounter a post that was written so well, it sparks ideas in your own head about a niche subject or issue. Use it to create new content.

#5: Specific Pinterest Pages

Pinterest is a world of inspiration and images. If you can’t find anything inspiring in copy-form, there are plenty of great images, tutorials and infographics to get those ideas moving. Find boards that you like and make sure that you visit them often. The best image curators will post several times a day, so you’ll never be short of image inspiration.

Courtesy of webbythoughts.com

#6: Browse The Online Libraries

There are libraries online that contain endless books, journals and publications that can add a bit of spice to any subject. All you have to do is subscribe to get access to thousands of quality materials. Sometimes this is the best way to ensure that you are providing your fans with the quality of content that they deserve.

#7: Certain Twitter Feeds

Twitter is a knowledge hub for social media managers, and it’s brimming with inspiration! Just use your niche hashtags to find the latest news or story. You can also follow influencers in your niche, to hear what they have to say about the news in your industry. Then you can use the opinion of influencers to inspire you, for excellent content ideas.

#8: Key Facebook Business Pages

‘Fan’ or ‘like’ key Facebook business pages to get the latest information coming up on your feeds every day. This is a great way to source expert information as it is published. As you know, time matters with content creation – so getting the story down first is very important to getting people interested in reading it.

#9: Become a Fan of Meme Sites

Interestingly enough, meme sites have evolved into more than simply ‘joke sites.’ They contain a lot of good information and social commentary about the latest news of the day, and can present interesting concepts in creative ways. If you’re really stuck for content, try searching a niche topic on your favorite meme site for a fresh perspective.

#10: Use Amazon, Etsy and Ebay

Where can you find out what is hot and happening in the world of niche sales? On sites like Amazon, Etsy and Ebay of course! Checking in to see what is new on these major selling sites is a great way of staying informed. Simply search for new books in your niche, new products, or bestsellers. Some of them can be surprising and inspiring!

Make a point of checking in on a few of these sites each week, to keep yourself informed. Even if you don’t need any new ideas, it’s never a bad idea to keep your finger on the pulse of your niche, and these sites will do it for you. If you aren’t using StumbleUpon, Pinterest and Twitter to help you find fresh content, start doing it now! It makes all the difference.

Where do you find inspiring, interesting niche content? Any sites or methods to recommend? Leave them here.

Courtesy of soshable.com

The Incentive Based Social Media Campaign

Not too long ago the spotlight was once again on customer relationship management in social media. Research conducted by Resonance, recently indicated that 77% of social media users look for some form of incentive-based engagement.

Even more shocking was the stat that 50% of all companies using social media, don’t use it properly – which actually drives customers AWAY from their brand. It’s imperative that all social media strategies include a way to ‘give back’ to your customers – a way of thanking them for their loyalty or interactions with your brand.

Here is how to ensure that you give back each week:

• Always have a competition running. Competitions will get you likes, shares and email sign ups. It’s nice to run one now and then, but you should be running some form of competition at all times. Set the time limit to each month, add a decent prize and begin promoting. This gives your brand the impression of giving back to your fans.

• Publish promo codes on your Facebook page: Every week, publish a new discount promo code on your Facebook cover page. That way, when fans visit your page, they instantly gain access to a discount, every week. They will appreciate the savings, and you’ll get more visits, fans and interactions on your page.

• Ensure that you are solving problems, instantly. The second most desired trait of a good social media brand is the ability to problem solve for their clients. Some 46% of customers expect instant responses on your pages. Make sure you are there to deal with their concern, and they will love you for it.

Courtesy of mslgroup.com

• Always provide your customers with entertaining content. A whopping 28% of all of your fans expect to be entertained when they land on any one of your social media pages. Have you ever even measured how entertaining your Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or Pinterest pages are? Time to sort that out.

• The free giveaway. Every 3 months, your business needs to give something to ALL of your fans, absolutely free. It could be an exclusive coupon, a free gift, a large discount – something that will make the average customer ‘like’ you more. It’s fickle, but that’s how you improve customer retention on your social pages.

With these tips you could rapidly expand your fan base, and contribute to converting your existing fan base into customers that purchase from you more often. After all, if they aren’t buying, giving you feedback or additional exposure – they’re useless community members. You want to use each member, and transform them into advocates for your brand.

How do you give back to your clients? Tell me about your latest discount, deal or gift.