So you finally decided to venture into social media marketing and created your first Facebook Page for your business. Do you have 25 ‘Likes’ or Fans yet? If you don’t,  ask your family and close friends, colleagues and employees to ‘Like’ it to get to the magic 25. The real power of Facebook Fan Page promotion starts once you have reached that first milestone of having 25 ‘Likes’ or fans.

Instead of your page url looking like some kind of a mile-long mathematical formula that includes combination of  hyphens, letters, numbers and special characters, it will look refreshingly clean and easy to remember if it is set up like this: http://www.facebook.com/womeninconsulting or http://facebook.com/google (facebook.com/YourUserNameHere).

Having your unique page url makes it easier to share and spread the words about your page. It’s best that you create a username that is relevant to your business and easy to remember.

Here’s couple of tips about that:

• Create a username that is close to your business name (if your business name is not available on Facebook – Facebook will let you know as you go through the process of selection).
• Username can only be made of alphanumeric characters (no hyphens or special characters are allowed).
• When making a decision on your user name, make sure it is what you want, since Facebook user names are not transferable. Your user name should stay relevant to your brand.
• Once your user name is created and approved, it cannot be changed (double check your spelling to make sure there are no silly and unintended errors like that).
• Your profile username and your Page username cannot be the same.
• Learn more about Usernames for Facebook Pages.

Use your unique Facebook url in your marketing communications, company website, business cards and email signature.

So how do you set it up? Follow these simple steps:

• Login to your Facebook account
• Go to http://facebook.com/username
• From the pull down menu select your Page and click on “Check availability”.

Congratulations! Now, please go to our Women In Consulting Facebook Page and see if its something you would ‘Like’. Make sure to leave a comment. If you are shy, just say “hello”.

Before you go, share your Facebook page url in the comments section below and tell us how you plan to promote it.

By: Karmen Reed

There are so many social media tools available it can be overwhelming to choose which to use and how to allocate your time.

Here are my thoughts on which tools are the best choices.

The big four are Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogs.

Facebook is by far the largest social media site with over 600 million users worldwide, and 51% of the US population using the site each day (Edison/Arbitron).  LinkedIn and Twitter are much smaller, used by 9% and 8% of the US population, respectively (Ediston/Arbitron), but are highly relevant for business professionals.

Given its massive reach, Facebook is a great place to be, but not appropriate for everyone.  For example, if your business model is to sell to many, Facebook might be appropriate, and if your model is to service only a few clients, then maintaining a Facebook page is most likely not worthwhile.  Facebook is a great tool for maintaining and strengthening relationships, staying top of mind, increasing thought leadership, and ultimately selling a product or service (but this shouldn’t be your primary goal).

While LinkedIn isn’t as huge as Facebook, it’s a must do for most consultants.  Many check LinkedIn profiles after meeting a person for the first time, and those hiring often check a person’s profile in the hiring process.  So it’s important to have a robust profile with a good number of connections, complete information, and recommendations.  Other ways to showcase your thought leadership and expertise are to link your blog and Twitter feed, as well as SlideShare account.  Beyond having a LinkedIn profile, consultants can gain information and network on Groups, and highlight expertise by providing Answers.  And of course there are many job opportunities on LinkedIn.

Twitter is similar in size to LinkedIn, and while not appropriate for everyone, can be highly useful to many.  A recent Jay Baer article quoted Morgan Stewart of Trendline Interactive saying “Comparing Facebook and Twitter is like comparing shopping malls and fashion shows. Malls, like Facebook, have mass appeal and are an expression of larger culture. In contrast, while only a small subset of the population actually attend fashion shows, the interactions that happen there influence the larger culture. Twitter is where online influencers congregate and share new ideas, and that alone is significant.”  I thought that was a great analogy.  Influencers are on Twitter and are fairly accessible.  This makes Twitter a great place to be if you want to get your message out to a broader audience.  And, if you are in marketing or PR you should probably be on Twitter to show that you understand the marketing medium.

Blogs are also a great tool for consultants.  Blog articles can be syndicated to Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and showcase expertise and build thought leadership.  People like to share valuable content, so creating quality articles will get your message to a larger audience.  Lastly, it is totally appropriate to showcase your products and services on your blog or drive people to your site for that information, hopefully closing a sale.

What social media tools do you think are the most valuable for consultants?

By: Rachel Melia

In September of 2009 an 8.3-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami near the Samoan Islands. That same year the social media wave crashed on the shores of the Internet and  surfing the web has never been the same. Large and small business owners are still feeling the effects. Some will sink and some will swim but for everyone it’s a learning experience. Are you ready to “hang ten” and catch the wave?

1. Be a lifesaver – Or at least a problem solver. Remember, it’s never about you or your product it’s about how you can help someone else. Someone always has a problem. Show them how you can solve it.

2. Boards are for surfing – Don’t leave your audience board (ooops! – I mean “bored”). Content is king but only if it’s good content. Keep your words relevant, fresh and informative.

3. Don’t be shellfish – Errr I mean SELFISH. Provide free valuable, interesting information. Make it easy for people to find it and to share it.

4. Fish where the fish are – Sometimes sources dry up. Sometimes we fish in the wrong waters. If you’re looking for tuna you’re probably not going to find it in the local trout stream. Stay active in online communities that are stocked with your target audience.

5. S.O.S. (Share Our Stuff) – People love to share what they know. Give them valuable information and they’ll share it for you. Be sure to ask for credit (or give credit if you’re sharing someone else’s brilliance). Get people talking and engaged in the conversation.

6. Catch the wave – One way to get a conversation going is to comment on current events, popular topics, or timely advice.

7. No man is an island – Remember you’re building a community. This means post often, acknowledge others that post on your wall, participate in other communities, and validate your readers. It’s a conversation not a monologue. People love to be heard so let them know you’re listening.

8. Whatever floats your boat – It’s ok to throw in a random comment now and then. Of course you want to keep your message relevant to your community but sometimes it’s fun to show them a different side of you. Edginess and unexpected reveal creates curiosity and interest. Don’t be too drastic — hare your favorite song, movie, or book.

9. You’re the Captain – Only once in a while you may find spam or (heaven forbid) a negative comment on your wall. You have two choices. You can either respond or delete. There are positives and negatives to each approach so handle these posts on a case by case basis.

10. Life’s a Beach – Enjoy the tide! Social Media is fun. It’s a great way to make new friends and share your passion. Enjoy!

I’m sure this is not all…. What else to add?

–>Previously published as an article on KickoffTopic.com.

By: Karmen Reed

In my first “Skeptic’s View” post, I admitted to signing up—grudgingly—for many of the social media tools because they simply aren’t the way I prefer to communicate. However, as a consultant who helps companies develop and implement effective customer communication strategies, it’s my job to understand the various mechanisms by which users want to interact—and more and more users want to interact using social media.

Since diving into the various social media tools, I’ve discovered a lot of value. In addition to giving your clients something they want and expect, you have the potential to gain incredible customer insights and see a side of them that might otherwise remain hidden. I didn’t think I would, and I did—and that stands true for every tool that I’ve tried thus far.

LinkedIn: A Multifaceted Networking Tool

Of all the social media tools available, LinkedIn is the one that I entered with the least amount of skepticism. I “got” the value that it offered, because it was clearly developed for business people. But it wasn’t until a February 2006 Women in Consulting (WIC) meeting that I really started using LinkedIn.

I implemented a number of best practices from that meeting and started benefiting almost immediately; and I continue to benefit today. The single greatest thing about LinkedIn is it offers so many ways to connect with your network and stay on top on of what everyone is doing.

LinkedIn: What’s the Big Deal?

If you’ve never tried LinkedIn or you created a profile but you’ve not done much because, quite frankly, you “don’t get what the big deal is,” here are a just few reasons to consider tapping this resource:

• It’s expected. A LinkedIn profile is pretty much the status quo now. Not having one is considered out of place if you’re a business professional. That said, assess the need for a Linked profile based on your client base (there’s that audience thing again), your professional connections, and your business. If nothing else, this assessment should drive how you build your profile. If it’s deemed not appropriate right now, then at least you know you’re basing your decision not to join on factors that matter most to your business.
• Project and job offers are a real possibility. If you stay top of mind, employ marketing and networking best practices, and you “know your stuff” (in other words, you’re good at what you do), your first tier connections will recommend or even use you. You may even find work via referrals when a second or third-tier connection solicits their network, asking if anyone knows of a good “fill in the blank.” I know I have received project offers via LinkedIn, simply by following some of the basic LinkedIn best practices.
• It’s a way to stay top of mind. LinkedIn is a lot more than an online rolodex. You can easily keep your network up to date on what you’re doing, with numerous tools for staying top of mind.   
  1. Twitter-like status update bar. Your connections do read these. Maybe not everyone, and maybe not every day. But people do read them.
  2. Connection updates on your home page. Not only do your connections see what you’re up to if you update your status, but your home page contains a flow of what your connections are doing. I love this feature. I quickly and with little effort know what my connections are doing and feel more connected than I do with quarterly emails or calls. If offers opportunities to reach out to them. The key is being authentic and sincere. I regularly look at my home page feeds and respond when I have something to say related to what a connection is doing. Sometimes it’s encouragement and congratulations; other times it’s a suggestion; and yet other times it’s just to say “hi,” it’s been a while since we talked. The opportunities for connecting are as varied as your connections.
  3. LinkedIn update emails. LinkedIn also sends (if you elect to receive them) regular updates of what your connections are up to—this is the same type of information that appears on your home page. So, you don’t even have to go to LinkedIn to stay up to date.
  4. Multiple interaction points. The home page and email updates don’t just filter status bar changes. They track new connections, when you answer questions, when you join a group, when you update your profile or recommend someone. All of this is fed to your connections’ LinkedIn home pages and email updates (if you allow it).
• You can demonstrate thought leadership. There are so many opportunities to demonstrate your thought leadership and join the conversation in LinkedIn, including:
  1. Let your network know when you’ve written an article/blog post, presented at a conference, wrote a book, gave a talk, etc. using the status update text box.
  2. Answer questions posted in LinkedIn Answers. There are a host of categories from which to choose. Remember, whenever you answer a question, your response is posted in your connections’ feed (at least they should be—you control what’s sent).
  3. Pull your blog posts into your LinkedIn profile.
  4. Start and join discussions in your groups (join groups, too, if you haven’t). By the way, Women in Consulting (WIC) has a LinkedIn group.  

LinkedIn: Best Practices (Tips & Tricks)

• Complete your profile:
  1. Spend time considering how you want to present yourself, how prospective connections might view you when reading your profile.
  2. Gather the information you’ll need to complete your profile (if people are interested, I’ll include this in a subsequent post).
  3. Edit your public profile settings—remember the more you show, the more people outside of your network can learn about your services, expertise, and skill set.
  4. Add connections. I don’t advocate being a LION—LinkedIn Open Networker; be selective. Your connections can reflect on you. You can also open yourself up to people who are a bit “spammy” in their communications. In fact, with every social media tool, I advocate quality over quantity—but I also advocate using these tools to build relationships, too.
  5. Build your recommendations.
• Join groups related to your areas of interest and expertise.
• Spend time on your home page reviewing what people in your network are doing.
• Review the applications that LinkedIn offers for ones that might benefit you.
• Participate:
  1. Post status updates on your home page.
  2. Answer questions posted in LinkedIn Answers.
  3. Interact with other group members, asking questions, answering questions, sharing information, joining discussions
• Don’t make it all about you and your products and services.
• Don’t SPAM
• Request introductions form your network, or send InMails if you have a premium account, to people you’d like to connect with. (See “Working Those LinkedIn Connections” for more on InMails and how to use them.)

LinkedIn: Bottom Line

If you’ve not joined LinkedIn yet, check it out and see if it’s right for you. But don’t show up for the party half dressed. You’ll likely send a negative message.

If you’re on LinkedIn but only half dressed, put on some clothes. Complete your profile. Give some real thought to the best way to do it, looking at it from your audience’s perspective. Be authentic—can’t stress that enough—and don’t be “sales-y.”

And remember, why you should care. LinkedIn is a great way to:

• Build brand awareness, promote events, demonstrate thought leadership, and disseminate information
• Stay in tune with what others are thinking
• Increase your visibility and community size
• Collaborate online
• Keep your database current
• Recruit volunteers, employees, and resources

By: Avery Horzewski

MarketingProfs, a Women in Consulting (WIC) partner, posted a useful article by Clay McDaniel that details 13 essential social-media “listening tools,” separating them by free and paid-for. If you’ve ever wondered how you can “listen” to all the chatter about your brand or your clients’ brands, check out this article.

Read “13 Essential Social-Media ‘Listening Tools’“

By: Avery Horzewski

Okay, I admitted in a previous post on Nine Twitter Tips for Business that I’m not someone who follows everyone who follows me because it’s the polite thing to do. So of course, I would find this nice little post on the TerraFarm blog to my liking.

Here are Tom’s top 10, all of which are worth keeping in mind as you start to Tweet:

1. Your picture hasn’t been set.
2. Your name is comprised of works like money, cash, free, sex….
3. You auto-DM me when I follow you.
4. Your Tweets are full of foul language.
5. You constantly lash out at me or others.
6. You constantly push your own product, service or blog, and tweet about nothing else
7. You’re never positive. Ever.
8. Your bio is empty and you live “nowhere.”
9. You haven’t Tweeted in months.
10. You are never “live.”

Read the full “10 Reasons to Unfollow/Not Follow Someone on Twitter” article

By: Avery Horzewski

Jason Snell of Macworld.com wrote a nice overview on nine ways to use Twitter for business. It’s a great introduction for those who are unsure how Twitter can be used for business.

I agree with everything he says for the most part, with the caveat that you should assess any recommendations in light of your own audience, as well as what makes sense for your business. Consumer companies will have different needs from business-to-business companies who will have different needs from consultants and so on. The key is to view Twitter as a tool and not all tools work for all people.

The one recommendation I disagree with in part is “# 3: Follow people who are relevant…it’s polite to follow people. And by following people you are creating an ecosystem — people will see who you are following and consider those as suggestions for users they should follow as well.”

Yes, you should follow relevant people. And it may be polite to follow someone who follows you, but is it in your best interest to follow everyone who follows you? No is my philosophy. Follow people who make sense for you to follow.  For example, I won’t follow people who: 

• Never Tweet anything of interest to me
• Neglect to provide a bio and/or a link to more information about them
• Are only interested in selling me “stuff”
• Bombard followers with a plethora of Tweets daily – there are people who post 30 or more times in a day; and that’s way more than I want to here from anyone person

These are some of my personal guidelines for following people. They’re based on my reasons for using Twitter. I view Twitter as an information resource. So for me, it’s about sharing and receiving information.

Here are the high-level tips:

• Don’t automate it
• Be conversational
• Follow people who are relevant
• Make sure your people are on Twitter, and refer to them
• Answer your mentions
• Search for your name
• Consider creating sub-accounts for sections of your business or customer base
• Use Twitter to ask your customers questions…and get good answers
• Be a good Twitter citizen

Read the full “Nine Twitter Tips for Business” article

By: Avery Horzewski

For those of you managing a WordPress blog but aren’t backing up your site, Christopher Penn posted a nice article on how to back up your WordPress blog in 60 seconds. When reading the article, make sure to read the couple of comments at the end that refer to also backing up database files (pasted below, too) 

“Yeah… I use a plug-in that automatically backs up the whole database and emails it to me. Daily. I save a month’s worth of backups so if something goes ugly or gets hacked, I can walk it back to when it WORKED.”

“Please be aware, though, that the WP export function only backs up internal-to-WordPress portions of your database. If you use plug-ins that store information in DB fields (such as PodPress), this will not keep that data safe. For that, I suggest you use WP-DB-Backup.”

Read the full “How to Back Up Your WordPress Blog in 60 Seconds” article

By: Avery Horzewski

For those consultants who have launched a Facebook page or are considering doing so, this article on allfacebook.com reviews a new measurement tool released by Facebook called “Post Quality.” According to Facebook, it measures “how engaging your content is to Facebook users. A higher Post Quality indicates material that better engages users.”

For those unfamiliar with Facebook Pages, these are different from the personal pages that most people recognize. The capabilities are very similar to personal pages, but Facebook Pages are for organizations, companies of all sizes, consultants, etc.

Read the full “Facebook Introduces Post Quality Score for Pages” on allfacebook.com.

By: Avery Horzewski

instantShift.com posted a nice article showcasing what they believe to be 125+ incredible Twitter themes. I thought I’d share them on WIC’s blog to show readers what’s possible with Twitter themes.

http://www.instantshift.com/2009/01/18/125-incredible-twitter-themes/

By: Avery Horzewski