This guest blog is from my good friend and networking expert Biba Pedron, also known as the Connection Queen. I was a member of Biba’s networking group Biba4Network when I lived in New York City. She is an amazing businesswoman. In this blog, Biba offers savvy social media advice for those of you who are trying to figure out how to best use this new medium. Thanks Biba!
Is Social Media Working for You?
Many of my clients, both French and American, wonder how I can write on multiple blogs plus Facebook, LinkedIn and other sites everyday in both languages. It must look like I spend all day, everyday managing my social media because I hear some clients tell me “Biba, I am not like you, I don’t have time to spend hours everyday on social media!”
In reality, I don’t spend hours a day, it just looks like it because I have a system. In fact, I only spend 15 minutes a day, both languages included. Then I need just a couple of hours a month to write articles for each blog.
As solo-entrepreneurs, it is very important to maintain a presence and give people the feeling that they see you everywhere. Your job is to appear as an expert in your field to gain more and more credibility. You can have the best product or program in the world, but if nobody can find you, you also have the best secret in the world as a result no one will buy from you.
How to create a system to use social media effectively without wasting your time?
1. Determine your niche and target market. I say it all the time, but before you start anything in your business you need to determine your niche and target market, so then you will be able to know how to communicate effectively. You can’t sell to just anybody. It is very important that you know your target market very well, to know their challenges, their pains, their obstacles, to be able to become their problems solver and to be seen as an expert.
2. Constantly communicate with your audience, your contacts and your clientsThrough Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, but also by publishing articles on your website, your blog and article directories (most of them are free, so no excuses). One of the secrets is to know how to recycle your work. You should be able to work once and use the information to generate money multiple times.
Example – One simple article can be posted as an article but can also become a podcast, a base to do a video, or become a free report. And multiple articles can become an ebook or a course. Each time you write an article, try to see all the possibilities you can use it. What are the various media that will attract your audience? Some people prefer to read, others to listen, others to watch a video (millions of people watch videos on YouTube every day, so make sure to integrate this in your business).
Make the habit of spending at least 15 minutes a day on social media to post new information. Make sure to deliver valuable content, don’t sell each time. Use the 80/20 rules, inform 80% of the time and promote a product or service 20% of the time. Use quotes, retweet other people’s valuable information, post resources, inform about your events or teleclasses each time you add a new post on your blog. Show people how you can help them to solve their problems.
3. Combine networking and social media – When you meet people at an event, the next day connect with them on social media. Invite them to join you on Facebook, Linkedin and twitter, to be able to communicate with them on a regular basis. So even if you don’t see each other for a while, you will be still informed on each others businesses. Also invite them to sign up for your newsletter. Always make sure to drag your contacts from social media to your own list. You never know what will happened to your account or page, if for some reason your Facebook account is deleted or blocked for example, you will be still able to communicate with your own list.
When you get the chance to schedule a live meeting with somebody that you met on social media don’t hesitate. I work mainly via internet and social media on my various businesses but there is always a special extra when I can meet people face-to-face, it brings a little plus to the relationship. This is not only for the people in your city but if you travel try to connect with your contacts, or if they travel take time to meet them. Go “from Facebook to face-to-face”.
Always make sure to develop a relationship with your contacts for them to get to know you, like you, trust you and know that you will be there to help them and will be their problem solver. When you build a strong relationship, they will know that you are the expert in your field and when the right time comes, they will contact you and nobody else. It is always more effective to attract people to you because you are known as an expert instead of chasing them and begging them to buy your products or services. Then you can be assured that you will have loyal customers for life and raving fans who will send you like minded referrals.
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