As an entrepreneur and infopreneur myself (owner of SunLover Publishing LLC, my publishing, media properties and coaching company), who has been doing business online for nearly a decade, and marketing offline and online for over 15 years, I get asked a lot of questions about just how beneficial social media is for entrepreneurs and infopreneurs.
Generally I find that most entrepreneurs and infopreneurs fall into one of four categories regarding social media:
1. Totally confused about social media and are not sure who, or what to believe anymore.
2. Are trying to make sense of the social media scene, but aren't sure they're accomplishing anything other than "being sociable."
3. They've heard about social media, but aren't sure how to get started, or still have a Twitter profile with the telltale default brown and blue graphic, and their last tweet was 3 or more months ago.
4. Some combination of all of the above!
Well fear not, here are 3 tips to help you get the most out of your social media efforts:
1. Remember that social media marketing is just one component of marketing online, and marketing online is just one component of a solid marketing program.
Social media has lots of buzz now as a marketing vehicle (even though we're not supposed to admit that we use it for marketing), because it's still a novelty, anyone can use it and it's free. But keep in mind that it's not the be all and end all of marketing. The purpose is to raise your overall virtual footprint as I like to call it, and to make connections with prospects and customers who you might not have come into contact with any other way.
2. You don't need to participate on all the social media sites to be effective in social media.
You could drive yourself to drink with all the different social media sites and social communities out there. You simply can't participate in them all on a regular basis, and the good news is that it's not even necessary. I actually focus on just three sites--Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook--and in my experience, that's really all you need (depending on your target market).
3. Social media messages should be a balance between business-oriented messages and sociable messages, and you should be strategic in how you use them.
There should be a purpose behind every social media message you create, and you can have business-oriented messages if you are tactful in how you use them. Generally, you don't do overtly salesy messages, but you can certainly point people to great content you offer in the form of your articles, blog, podcast, teleseminars, webinars, guest appearances, videos, etc that then lead them to your opt-in list, your information products and services, or what your business has to offer.
And now I'd like to invite you to check out more of my social media tipsand strategies, as well as other great content on infopreneuring (creating original content information products and services from your unique knowledge), and marketing you can use to grow your business via my free What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) Podcast. And if you want to truly know all my social media secrets, there's no better way than through my Strategic Social Media Makeover Training.
Happy Infopreneuring!
--Melanie R. Jordan, Everybody's Infopreneur Coach, Author of What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know™ - Achieving The Life You Were Meant To Have By Making Money From What YOU Know! and Host of infopreneur podcast What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM), The Podcast Available 24/7 at: http://www.WhatYouKnowIsWorthMorePodcast.com
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Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications on work-at-home lifestyles, healthy eating and foreclosure investing, and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com
Check out Melanie's Other Blogs:
The Healthy Food Review where healthy eating with favorite comfort foods is deliciously possible! at http://www.TheHealthyFoodReview.com
Vegas Inside Scoop--for Las Vegas locals and visitors at http://www.VegasInsideScoop.com
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