If you been noticing recently that Your are seeing more and more TV ads, interactive campaigns for TV shows and such showing up on your favorite social media platform, there is a reason.   More and more people are now Face booking, Tweeting, are using Google+ as they are watching their fave show.  Out of the billions spent on TV advertising, it has become a hot topic that advertising on Social Media is reaping benefits.  hash tag “All My Children” on Twitter is now a cool thing to do for stay at home moms, or “Did you see that latest episode of “Dancing With The Stars?” Now you can see little ads pop up on Facebook or on your smart phone.  As we become a mobile society with cable outlets offering apps for you to watch your shows advertisers have aggressively been spending more and more money advertising their shows on social media.  Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, Pinterest, you name them, they are making profits.  Social TV will become the new outlet for target marketing because it is so versatile .  Want to try out a new pilot? Run the show and get a focus group on Twitter to tell you what they thought. Want to promote the season premiere of a new show? Blast it on Facebook and see how those “Likes” go.

There is another effect from al this.  The brands themselves.  The advertisers who advertise on the actual shows can piggyback right along with the shows into Social TV for the very same reason.  Exciting? Oh yea.  Profitable? It has already proven so.  40% of mobile users have already browsed links to those brands using social platforms while actually watching the shows. Get ready for a new buzz word in the industry. Social TV. The perfect courtship with Social Media.

Nothing troubles me more than to see a website built by a business (probably the owner him or herself) and content does not change, pictures of staff who no longer work there, or even old addresses from where the business once was located.  A website can be a powerful tool if you maintain it.  To throw something up and see if it sticks is insane.  I visit a lot with SMB’s and I ask them. “How is your website doing?”  I get back “Well we have one if that’s what you mean.”  You start talking analytics, key words, content management, and they all give you this blank look.  With today’s technology, data streaming, market targeting, and embedded analytics, if you do not understand the real purpose of your website, then you seriously should not even have one.  You have to maintain your website and change the content frequently and you should also embed at the very least Google Analytics to track your hits and see what is working for you.  A website can be a powerful marketing tool, but you have to empower it to work for you.

A recent study shows that only 25% of SMB’ use any kind of tracking tool  So what are the other 75% doing?  Nothing.  Using reported data properly can tell you not only who is visiting your site but when, what pages they are looking at, and this is just a small sampling of all the data you can use.  I am only mentioning Google analytics because it is free for most of its basic services. We are in a digital and competitive world today. With the proper tools, even small businesses can compete with the big boys if you know your market, use your web site to gain that data, and keep your content rich with key words that will attract todays buyers and market share.  I highly encourage you to revisit your website and look at it carefully.  Embed an analytic tool and use it!  If you find it too complicated, then hire a web service to do it for you or ask one your employees who may be web savvy to help you.  It will be a win-win situation for your entire team.

I can’t believe I have yet to post on this topic as I have been asked a lot about this question.  While there are stats out there done by various firms on when and how you should post, it can still be a “crap shoot” if are in to heavy analytics to get the most out of your posts. Having said that, there are some great resources and tools I personally use.  HootSuite has auto scheduler which I like as it sends your tweets out based on historical times to reach your masses.  Besides the ability to pre-load your tweets and have them go out to all your platforms (paid version), auto scheduler has proven to be a valuable tool.  Another item I have  read about but have not personally used to the nature of my business is Social Bro.  This is strictly for Twitter and if you have a specific marketing firm or a larger Business it is a good tool but for smaller companies, using common sense can get you the same information.  It is not free starting at $6.95 a month on up to $145.00 a month.

Getting down to the brass tactics of posting.  Research shows the following:

• Twitter-between 1p.m an 3p.m Monday thru Thursday
• Facebook-between 10am and 4 p.m. Monday thru Thursday
• Linkedin-between 7am to 9am and 5 to 6p.m Tuesday thru Thursday
• Google+-between 9am to 11am Monday thru Friday
• Pinterest- between 2pm to 4p.m and 8pm to 12am Monday thru Fridays and Saturday Mornings as well

You can already see why I said that posting can be a “crap shoot” as most small business do not have the resources  to be posting at all these various times unless you are a large business with a specific social media employee or have a  marketing firm  that can do this for you.  A scheduler like HootSuite or similar tool can be most helpful in auto loading these times for you and cuts your work load in half.  The above information is a guideline done by professional research firms and obviously your situation may be different based on your product or service and your staffing.  Experiment a bit and look to see who is responding to or reading your tweets, Facebook posts, Linkedin comments or repining your pins and change your times if you are noticing low responses. Good luck!

Many small businesses want to launch something, anything actually to start engaging their customers with their brand.  But to do that, you first need a foundation.  You need to look at yourself and your business and say “OK, how do I draw people to my brand?” So to influence your market you need a foundation and a plan of action.  Here are some key guidelines for you to follow.

Look at all your customers or market share as being a sole individual. Being personal like you known that customer for years will spread the goodwill to all. In a nutshell, marketing like you are one on one instead of selling to the masses keeps your message like you are the “guy next door.”

Develop a strategy.  Make sure you are reaching who you need to reach. Leverage  your product or service to its full potential.

Use current market trends.  Do not go with “Well this is how my Grandpa used to do it.” If you do not adapt to current social media trends, your business will perish. Be flexible to embrace your branding to digital media or the latest social media platform as this is where your customers are heading as well.

Make sure you have a mission statement that shows your customers know and trust you.

Think outside the box.  Do not be afraid to try something nobody else is doing. Today’s society loves the daring.  I am not saying be ridiculous, I am saying be creative.

Be smart in how you strategize and then launch a social campaign that your target market will want to embrace your brand and keep coming back. Make them want to engage with you and your business.

I recently did a keynote on LinkedIn. I love that platform for networking with other professional people. After the presentation, I met a few folks who thanked me for helping them find ways to get themselves and their business or practice noticed.  Putting your business on the web or on a social media platform is one thing. Expecting results from it is another. Too many people have this mentality that “Well I did it because my competition is doing it but I am not getting results.” You have to add content, you have to maintain it at the very least weekly, and you really should have multiple platforms to work from that all connect to each other.  You yourself also have to get out and network to get noticed. If you want to be in business, you can not be a wallflower. If you hate meeting people then send a representative from your business who does that can professionally convey your message on your behalf.  Here are a few pointers that I suggest you try to embrace.

Get out and be a part of your community  If you don’t have the time or  just hate crowds, then send a company rep on your behalf. Volunteer!

Attend and be  a part of a chamber or civic group   Join your local chamber, leads group, Rotary Club, or other professional organization

Develop a LinkedIn profile  Using LinkedIn will allow you to network with other business professionals from the comfort of your office or home.

Keep a marketing and social media plan updated  Use social media to keep your brand out to the public but keep the content fresh!

Keep your website updated   I have actually found websites with old pictures of former employees, outdated addresses, old phone numbers, old logo brands, I mean seriously, if you can’t even manage your website, how to you expect to stay in business? (I did eventually find the businesses new locations)

Business Cards   Keep your business cards fresh.  It is your brand and it should define what you do. Ever consider a QR code on your business card?

Trade Shows-Conferences   While this can be cost prohibitive to some SMB’s, try to attended  a conference or trade show relevant to your business. The networking you gain from these can be rewarding.   If money is a factor , find one close to attend that you can travel to and from within  day to save hotel and airfare costs.

I hope you find this informative and helpful to your business. Drop me a line via my website and let me know. Now go out and get noticed!

We have a few months behind us in 2013 already so what are businesses doing with social media? Doing some research, video is quickly becoming the tool to draw customers. Web video is becoming big business. YouTube recently announced they are now getting 2 billion users a day world wide. That in itself, is amazing.  Besides video however here are some quick fast observations about where social media is trending in marketing and advertising.

Facebook and that “Like” button   Businesses in the past loved those Facebook landing pages and getting customers to like them to get traffic. But that is no longer enough to keep your customers. Now it is solid relationship building.  It must now move across other platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube. (Ahh, that Video platform again!)

Marketing Your Market  SMBs can no longer sit on their laurels and expect magic things to happen on one platform.  If you talk about your business let’s say via a single  web or blogging site, you are already losing your base.  Right now it is the trend to embrace multiple platforms to talk about your products or service via Twitter, Tumblr, StumpleUpon , Pinterest, and your own YouTube channel.  This has been popular with e-Commerce or e-Commence Book marketers.

Video Entertainment  Advertisers, as previously discussed, are embracing web video to sell their products and using big bucks in the form of entertainment to do it. As more and more consumers are pulling away from their armchairs and going mobile so has the trend to market to the web. They are creating dynamic high-profile ads to reach  that market.

Reality Marketing  Although it is nothing new in the sense of selling, tying in with “Call To Action” advertising and marketing I noticed, is also making a larger presence.  I am seeing this not only in print media but also on the web and television. The soft fuzzy ads are being replaced with “So what are you going to do about it Mr. or Mrs. Consumer?!”  They are telling you to make a decision and make it now before it’s too late.  This is becoming in tune with the fact we are now a fast paced and action oriented society. Being mobile and with all these tools to take action now via our cell phone, tablet, or laptop, we can now buy cars on-line,  make a reservation for dinner or a hotel room, or even buy a plane ticket.  Reality or augmented marketing is growing leaps and bounds this year.

We are 4 months into the new year and look how social media has shifted!  I will be anxious to see how the rest of the year shapes up!

Having limited resources does not mean you can not market your business against those big guys. If you are careful, target your market, and research your resources, you can come out on top. Let me go over just a few tips that can help SMB’s overcome their larger competitors using strategies that can have positive impact.

Growth:  Specific individual markets can be a good source for SMBs  Find a niche that the larger box stores overlook. They go on volume and often never carry specific specialty products customers may look for. A good example.  I have often gone into Ace Hardware and found a specific electrical item that Lowell’s, Home Depot, or Wal-Mart never had on their shelves. LG, whom you always think of for flat screens, started making front loading washing machines and chose the US to introduce its product because we are so accustomed to Top loading consumer machines.  Another example. I recently worked with Lenovo for a desktop deal. They are now number 3 in the computer desktop market.  Why? because they changed up their target market to medium and large enterprise markets knowing this market is being ignored by mass retailers.

Promoting:  Promote your business to the people or market you are trying to reach by telling about yourself and what you offer. Don’t use those old clichés of  “We service What We Sell” or “Clean Isles” or “Small enough to know you”  Focus on your strengths of Why you sell the products that you choose to merchandise. Be bold and know your customers! Sure, it does not hurt to know you can spend time with your customers and you might have the coffee pot on for them with some of that small town flare but advertise and research your mix. In the end, you will win!

So you are ready to make the leap to social media. My first question is “Why have you waited so long in the first place?” My second question is “How are you going to develop your game plan?  If you have a limited budget, chances are you are going to go after what is free out there over paying for a consultant or paying for various apps or on-line ads.  Free is not so bad.  There are a lot of free platforms that can work to help get your brand out. Paying for enhancing your brand is obviously better.  Let me briefly go over the pros and cons of both and you can decide for yourself based on your needs and your budget. Regardless of what you decide, just making the jump to using social media is a smart choice in this digital age we now live in.

Free Social Media Marketing

Your business exists because you made it happen. You probably built your customer base by having good products or services so your first happy customer told someone else thus word of mouth got you started and perhaps is still working for you. This coincides with repeat business. Your branding that you worked hard to build can be placed for free on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to start. These are all free.  While it will take time  intense monitoring of your sites to start, soon, you will build followers if you do it right. Create promotions, interaction with your customers, attach links via your website or email or even on your invoices. The bottom line is get your brand out.

Paying for Social Media Marketing

While we all like free, the other side of social media marketing is paying for related services, apps, and on-line advertising is going to get you better results most of the time. While you may have a free Facebook site, you can do promotions, use their  per click ads or tap into Google ads to promote your business.  I use Woobox which offers a paid service to promote your business as does another company that integrates with your Facebook called Wildfire. LinkedIn also offers paid ads. Finally , if you have a website (technically not a social media platform) Use the social media platforms you have made to link to your website or vice-versa. Create the interest and make one big circle so everything interconnects!  Your on-line ads creates leads for you, especially if your website deals in e-commerce. Good luck and I hope these tips were of value to you.

Viddy, like my last review of Vine, is also a up and coming hot social media video app. It is available both for Android and Apple mobile phones and tablets.  Viddy allows you to create videos up to 15 seconds. Differences between Vine which is a Twitter product, Viddy can not loop (as of this writing) but you can add special effects and a music bed. It will also connect to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and YouTube.  I would recommend have both apps just because both serve different purposes. It does require a log in account as with most apps these days. You can follow other Viddy users, “Like” the videos, and follow hot videos that are getting a lot of hits just like You Tube.

To use Viddy’s special effects, it does not require a lot of genius work.  When you install the app, it will ask permission to access your video library or your camera and then it will ask you if you want to “Make It Beautiful” and from there, you can work your magic.  From there you simply touch “Next” and post it.  By default it goes to Viddy’s network but you can choose your other social sites if you wish.  You can get various special effects by download and yes, you can pay for premium effects if you think you are going to be that next Hollywood Director.  I like Viddy more than Vine but I have to give Vine a bit of a break here because it is new whereas Viddy has been around a bit longer.  The cons of Viddy is it is a bit hard to work with if you have big hands like I do.  Editing is bit cumbersome from a cell phone. From my iPad it is a bit easier.

Since I look at most apps from a business point of view, after playing around with Viddy, I think from a promotional and marketing angle, Viddy has some potential.  For the 15 seconds you have with your video, some cool stuff can be produced to promote your brand.  Adding music and some effects can have impact.  Considering where you can post this especially to your FB landing page or your Twitter account, the ideas are limitless.  Give Viddy a try. It costs you nothing for the basic app and like with all apps, the delete command is always there for you but I don’t think you will be doing that any time soon.  It’s too much fun.

While some of you may already know this, you actually can have android apps on the new Microsoft Surface tablets or your iPad. Bluestack offers a free download that runs the android apps through the cloud. So if you been a former android user and have moved  to a iPad or have chosen to go to Windows 8 be it the Surface or other tablet, you can still keep most of those apps you have grown used to. This benefits Surface users more than anything because of the lack of apps presently available to the Microsoft store.  Some users have reported sluggish response times but keep in mind their apps are going through the cloud and the slower response time (a few seconds) is worth the small inconvenience if you really missed your apps that much.

While the Surface RT has not been that big of hit for Microsoft, the current Surface Pro has been a bigger surprise due to its Enterprise class capabilities as a professional work tablet. Still, many users who may have had or are considering giving up their android tablet for this new machine may have been holding back due to their displeasure of their  apps not being available. Bluestack solves this problem.  Check it out. Microsoft also may have shot itself in the foot by artificially creating a shortage of the tablet by over marketing it. Many retailers have been complaining  of very little stock and not getting resupplied as customers line up to purchase the Surface Pro. Surface Pros are not cheap starting at $899.00, but they are loaded with features designed for the business professional who is working remotely, through a VPN, or logging in on the cloud. You can have your Android, open your Windows, and take a bite of your Apple all in one setting!