A lot of people ask me how Facebook ‘works’, how they get their message out to their fans and followers and the truth is – it can be very confusing, even for professional marketers. Unfortunately, Facebook itself doesn’t make it any easier to understand, and some recent changes make it even more complicated. I thought I’d talk a little bit about those changes today.
With so many options available to you for marketing these days, it can be really easy to over do it and find yourself overwhelmed. Don’t let that happen. Keep it simple and use only the marketing tools that work for you and that you can maintain without drowning.
If you are an author interested in Social Media Marketing or Podcasting for Creatives, I’ve got a little something for you. This weekend (the 28th & 29th), I’ll be presenting as part of the 7th Annual Author Fest of the Rockies in Manitou Springs Colorado. As mentioned above, my presentations will be on Podcasting for Creatives and Social Media for Authors, two topics that authors have a lot of interest in and questions about. Cost for the event is $75 for two days and includes breakfast and lunch.
A little background: Author Fest of the Rockies is a nonprofit organization operating under the umbrella of the Business of Art Center. The conference is open to anyone interested in the written and spoken word. Author Fest is dedicated to keeping a strong arts-in-education component in its activities and to supporting the Manitou Springs Community.
For more information, visit the Author Fest Website.
Hope to see you there.
Marketing is a double edged sword. I bet you thought I’d say it was an art or a science. For most people, it’s a necessary evil. You have to market to get people to buy your stuff or use your services or support your cause. Don’t do it enough and the phones stop ringing. Too much and the exact same thing can happen. I myself can become quite irritated when, outside of my work, I get over-marketed by someone.
Example: when I run into a store, the last thing I want to do is answer a ton of questions upon checkout. “What’s your zipcode? Your phone number? How did you hear about us?” This usually before they have even begun to scan into the register whatever it is I’m trying to buy, and all because someone, somewhere, decided that it was a worthwhile exercise to annoy some people as long as some other people went ahead and gave them the information they were looking for. But is it worth it?
If you are serious about your marketing, you probably already have a copy of The New Rules of Marketing & PR in your library, but the 3rd edition, The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, updates the book to include more social media areas and content.
Even if you have an older edition, the core tenets of this book can be applied to your 21st Century marketing plan, but I’d recommend picking up (or downloading to your Kindle) the latest edition.
If nothing else, grab this book for the updated case studies, examples, and the Marketing and PR Strategy Plan template.
When it comes to social media, some people think they should put it all out there while others are loathe to reveal any part of their personal lives. Knowing where to draw the line can be difficult, but really, it all comes down to common sense and a little self-discipline.
Here’s a list of 5 rules for social media I think will help.
I have the Kindle version of Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (& Other Social Networks), and I find that it speaks to the heart of social media: connecting.
Everyone will tell you, when it comes to social media, you have to be a real human being, someone people can identify and connect with. An endless stream of links and in your face selling will not get you anywhere.
Likeable Social Media lays it out for you in clear, concise language with plenty of examples and success stories. Highly recommended for anyone looking to be successful with social media marketing.
I’m always surprised by people who miss the point of social media; being social.
There is a definite benefit for sales people who use social media correctly, but some try to force it to be something it isn’t. I see this a lot, especially with self-published authors, or people who pay services or companies to ‘monitor and update’ their social medial channels for them. This leads to a stream of endless and impersonal links, an immediate turn-off for people who are looking to connect.
As part of my marketing presentation to authors and sales people, I talk about carving out an hour a day to do social media marketing in quick, manageable bites. I break it down as:
Use this time to put out updates, reply to other people and make some connections.
If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to social media marketing, I’d like to suggest Dave Evan’s updated Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day.
As one of the newest kids on the social media block, Pinterest is growing by leaps and bounds. Once thought to be for women alone, men are jumping on board with the site that lets you ‘pin’ images to virtual cork-boards where friends and followers can find them.
Click to view a larger image
What is Pinterest? Let’s take a look at the official description:
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and share their favorite recipes.