If you’re a blogger, it’s sometimes challenging to think about what to write next. You want something that will connect with your audience, and sometimes finding the right idea is tough. The folks at Copyblogger have been great to provide this infographic with wonderful ideas for creating great content, and they’ve made it available to share. It fits quite well with the social media strategy series we are doing. I thought it was worth sharing here. Enjoy!

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Have you created your business plans for 2012 yet? It’s the time of year when we all start thinking about what we’d like to accomplish in the next year and creating a plan to get there.

January will start a new series of webinars that we’re offering for businesses who want to learn ways to increase their traffic, and thus their sales. In today’s world, it’s really about trying to figure out how to boost the revenue in our business as we serve our customers. We’re excited to be offering this series as it will bring value to those who want to learn more about how to do this through the use of social media and the internet.

Social Media Education Series

Here’s a list of the topics we have planned and what you will gain from them!

Intelligent Social Media

Everywhere you read about marketing, you hear the words “social media.” What does that mean to your business and what are the smart ways to go about creating a social media strategy? How can you do this in a way that makes a difference and still lets you have the time to run your business? This workshop will discuss those topics, and will be held on February 15, 2012, at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

Establishing a Facebook Presence for Your Business

Your customers are on Facebook and hopefully you are too. If you don’t have an active Facebook presence, this workshop will show you how to do that. We’ll also discuss ways to get traffic to your Facebook page and ideas for interacting with your customers. This workshop will be on February 22 at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

Facebook Your Way to Increased Sales

Facebook is fast becoming one of the most economical avenues for advertising. In this workshop, we’ll talk about how to set up a Facebook campaign for your business and how to track its progress. This workshop will be held on February 29 at 5 p.m. Mountain time.

LinkedIn for Professionals

The LinkedIn community is another awesome avenue for connecting with your customer base. We’ll discuss how to set up a LinkedIn profile, how to find like-minded people and groups, and how to maximize your time spent on this site. This workshop will be March 7 at 5 p.m. Mountain time.

Get Found! Search Engine Optimization Techniques

So you have a website, but nobody comes? This interactive webinar will teach you techniques to increase your online presence and get more traffic. Using the right tools will help raise your visibility online, which will bring more visitors to your site. This workshop will be March 14 at 5 p.m. Mountain time.

Better Business Blogging in 2012

Many studies have shown that having a blog on your website increases traffic and increases your customer base. In this workshop, you will learn how to get that blog started and tips for making it a success. This workshop will be held March 21 at 5 p.m. Mountain time.

Attend From the Comfort of Your Office

This entire series will be done via webinar. You can attend from your office or home using your computer and an internet connection. No traveling to a meeting to get the information!

Holiday Sale!

Each workshop will be a reasonable investment of only $25! If you sign up for the entire series, you will get one free! That’s right, the entire series can be purchased for only $125! Sign up here:

Social Media Marketing Series

Intelligent Social Media $25.00 USD Establishing a Facebook Presence for Your Business $25.00 USD Facebook Your Way to Increased Profits $25.00 USD Get Found! SEO Techniques $25.00 USD LinkedIn for Professionals $25.00 USD Better Business Blogging in 2012 $25.00 USD Entire Series Bundle $125.00 USD

Historically, if you had a local business, you would invest your advertising dollars in things like television or newspaper advertisements. You’d be sure you were listed in the phone book and maybe even take out an extra ad in the yellow pages of your local phone book. You might rent a list to make phone calls to people who might be interested in your service. Another thing that you might do is attend a trade show, where you would show your product or service, collect names of attendees, and then follow up with them via phone or e-mail.

Times Are Changing

Now look at today. Every business has to determine how to get the highest return on investment for the dollars they spend on marketing. It’s a given that you must market if you want to grow. Television and radio ads can add up pretty fast in your cost, and may not have the same return on investment that you’ve seen in past years. Making phone calls, or cold calling, really isn’t effective anymore (if it ever truly was). The last thing any of your customers wants is that call during the day or at mealtime with someone trying to sell them sometime. Trade shows can still be a good place for contacts, if your customers are there.

How do Customers Find Local Businesses?

Today, nearly one-third of the total US population use the Internet daily. In that number, 63% use search engines every single day. When looking for a local business, 64% of Americans use an Internet search as the primary way of finding that local business. Interestingly, according to the US Small Business Administration, only 44% of businesses are using the web to advertise! Is that a disconnect?

As a consumer, I simply do not use a phone book anymore. If I want to find a local business, I do an internet search. If, for example, I need a place to get my dog groomed, I simply do a Google search for “pet groomers in Pueblo Colorado.” I do that for any service I’m seeking. What that means for your business is that if you’re not there, I will be finding some other business to provide those services for me. In looking at how many searches are done monthly with the words “Pueblo Colorado” in them, it was interesting to find that there are over 400,000 searches every month! That’s a lot of people looking for things in just one town.

Are You There?

When I think about the phrase “social media,” I think of websites, blogs, pages on Facebook, listings in online directories, and things like that. As a business owner, it’s exciting to find there are over 400,00 people searching for something in my local area every month. It means the customers are out there, hoping to find the things they are looking for. It should excite you as well.

What’s the Return on Investment?

It’s true that some of these tools to reach potential customers cost money. For a business owner, that means we need to evaluate the return on that investment. And of course, that will depend on how much you invest. Nevertheless, there is a return and because using social media channels can cost less than running print ads, your ROI can be increased. In addition, if you’re not there at all, none of those 400,000 people (or whatever portion are looking for YOUR business) will even be able to connect to your business.

If your business isn’t using these things, perhaps now is the time to explore it. Today is the time to be sure you have a social media strategy that works for your particular business.

A  lot has been said and written about the power of social media to make things happen. This weekend I’ve been able to watch that firsthand and thought sharing it would provide some insight into how quickly things happen when you’re using these tools.

On Sunday afternoon, the local news station where I lived post a “teaser” to an upcoming story about an Army soldier who was taking his wife to the hospital because she was in labor. He took their things to the car, moved the car closer so she wouldn’t have to walk on ice from a recent storm, and went back in the house to get something. When he came back out, his car was gone. It had been stolen. Also in the car were their car seat, their new baby’s first outfit, as well as their camera and laptop computer. The story went on to say that they hadn’t been in the area very long and had no family here. This was also their only car and they ended up having to take a taxi to the hospital.

Within minutes, the community on that Facebook page was all over this one. Posts began to pour in asking how people could help. A group of Army wives in the area created a discussion on their Facebook site and began to brainstorm things they could do to show support. In addition, within two hours, a site was set up where people could make contributions for this family. Much of this happened before the actual story ever aired on television.

Social Media Changes the Playing Field

Think for a minute how things have changed. It wasn’t that long ago that this story would have aired on the local television station. People would see it and someone may step up to help. Still, the news story aired five or six hours after the original post on Facebook. By the time the story aired, it was dinnertime, so perhaps people would be busier than they were in the middle of a Sunday afternoon. If it had been a newspaper story, it would have taken the time to write the story, wait for the printing of the paper, and then wait for it to be delivered the next morning.

It’s About Being Quick and Taking Action

Because this business has a social media presence, they were able to put the word out quickly to their community. That community then spread the word to their friends and followers. No one waited for a story to be written. It was all done with few words and lots of action on the part of several people. Because that business has a presence, they were able to use social media to really make a difference for someone in their community. I’d venture to guess they will have more viewers now because they have been so responsive.

What Does This Mean for Your Business?

There are a few takeaways from this example that I think businesses can learn. Let’s take a look.

• It’s about being social. The very nature of the phrase “social media” suggests there is a social component to it. It’s about connecting with a community of people. No doubt if that had been the first post this business ever did, the response would have been less.
• It’s important to respond. The employee who made the original post has checked in repeatedly on Facebook to respond to people’s questions, even before the story aired. It’s about communication.
• Speed. In reporting, everyone wants to be the one to “break a story.” It’s not too much different with bloggers who want to be the first one to write about some exciting happening online. The ability to publish things immediately without bureaucracy has changed how quickly you can connect with your audience.
• Connections are good for your business. Business has always been about relationships. It still is. The “how” of relationships is changing as technology allows us more ways to make those connections. It’s not always about “making the sale,” it’s about being helpful to your community. When you do that, they will reward you with loyalty.

Do you have a story of how social media has been used by a business to make a difference in their community?

Business executives often ask why they should use social media as a tool for their business. Traditional marketing efforts with the us of television, radio, and newspaper ads are giving ever smaller returns on the investment. It’s time for a new strategy and a new way of thinking. Here are four reasons why you should consider implementing a social media strategy for your business.

Establish Your Brand

Let’s say your company has an event coming up. Historically you place a few ads and hope for the best at that event. Some people will show up, yet it may not be what you had hoped. With the use of social media, you post that same event to the social media sites that you have established. Your followers then spread the word to their friends, and so on and so on. What you have in return is a greater showing for your event. It is also easier to create and talk about your brand. Social media creates a conversation, between you and your potential customers. Doing that establishes your brand in your industry and allows people to get to know you before you expect them to show up for an event.

Customer Service and Interaction

Your customers are already online. There’s a good chance they are even talking about you online, and without your presence in the social media sphere, you won’t know it. On the other hand, your presence allows you to respond faster when the customer speaks. Your presence in that space also shows that you are interested and willing to show up to discuss things or to resolve problems.

The online presence also allows for much faster interaction with your customer base. Let’s face it, being in business is about relationships. Knowing that’s the case, it’s the relationship building we should focus on.

Lead Generation

Having a strong online presence allows you to create better lead generation. Through your conversations online, you can reach a bigger audience. For example, maybe you have a short contest on Facebook. The people entering that contest are additions to your lead base. Some companies that I follow have weekly contests. While the “prize” is usually something small, it creates dialogue and that dialogue gets shared with others.

Let’s see how that might look. Suppose you create a contest for your business. If, for example, you have a pet grooming salon, you might create a contest where people can talk about the worst haircut their dog ever received. People love to talk about their animals. Let them post pictures showing how their dog looked when it came home from the salon. Here’s an opportunity for you. Perhaps you offer each person who entered the discussion a $10 off coupon for any services totaling $50 or more. Maybe that contest alone brings you ten new customers who would have their pet groomed once a month. You’ve just increased your leads as well as revenue to your business.

Goodwill

If your customers are engaged with you, they are emotionally attached to you and your business. Everyone knows of a time when they have had an awesome customer experience. When that happens to you, you tend to tell all of your friends. Engaged customers spread the word about your business because they believe in you and what you are doing.

It’s About Relationships

Business is really about building relationships. In most cases, people don’t buy from someone without first knowing them and having that relationship. The use of social media tools to build your business allows for your current and potential customers to engage with you and create that relationship. What are you waiting for

When a business steps into the world of social media as a marketing tool, it’s often difficult to know which channel to select for the best results. There are so many different new sites popping up every day it can make your head swim trying to figure out where the best return on investment can be found.

Know Your Customer Profile

You must first understand the profile of your potential customers. Knowing this will give you a start in figuring out where to invest your time and resources. If your customers are on Facebook, you want to be there too. If they are blog readers, your company will probably want to have a blog. Stop and think about who your ideal customer is and once you’ve identified this, you have the first step.

Where Do Your Customers Spend Their Time?

The next step is understanding where your customers spend their time. Do you rely on search engines, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn? This can be done with some easy research based on your customer and your industry. With some basic internet searches, using things like Google keyword research tools, and even Facebook ads, you can narrow down where your key market has a presence. Remember, if your customers are there, you want to be there as well.

Evaluating the Competition

In selecting what avenues you will use, it’s good to understand how high the competition is for those channels. Ideally you will be able to find a venue that has low competition for your business which will give you more exposure. Some channels will have less competition than others and give you a better way to reach your potential customers.

Develop a Strategy for Each Channel

Once you’ve gathered your data, it’s a good idea to develop a strategy for each area where the conversations are taking place. This allows you to participate in the discussions and connect with your customers.

It’s About Connections

Social media is really a way to use the tools available to make connections. Used wisely, it can have a positive impact on your business. Connect with people, interact, be helpful, and see how it changes things for you. Your customers ARE in this space, you should be too.

What connections have you found that work well for you?

Every business needs a marketing plan that works. In the past, that meant figuring out where to invest your marketing dollars so that you got the best return on the investment. Often, that was done with a print ad, with ads or listings in the Yellow Pages, perhaps through the use of telemarketing, or through the use of radio and television. In today’s world, all of the rules have changed.

Customers are changing how they connect to businesses. Today, it’s not uncommon to find that more people use the internet to search for businesses and services as their primary means of finding information. It’s faster, and the search engines make finding a local business easier every day. What that means for your business is you have to be visible in these spaces.

How Important is Social Media for Businesses?

If you’re on the fence and not sure if entering this new way of connecting to your customers, consider this:

* 94 million Americans use the Internet daily (nearly 1/3 of the total population)
* 63% of those access search engine sites daily
* 64% of Americans use Internet search as the primary way to search for local businesses

As an example, if I am looking for a groomer for my dog, I don’t use the phone book or the newspaper. I go to Google and enter “pet groomers in Pueblo, Colorado.” That pulls up a list for me based on my location for businesses that offer these services. Sadly, not many local businesses are taking advantage of this.

Businesses who develop an online presence will find themselves connecting to more customers.

Developing the Right Strategy

It’s important to analyze your industry to decide what the best strategy is for your business. Perhaps your customers read blogs. Even though blogs are becoming a more popular way of connecting with customers, the competition is still low. This means you may have a good opportunity. The use of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn increases daily. Customers are seeking businesses and brands to connect with using these channels. If your business isn’t there, those customers will end up connecting with someone else.

It’s About Relationships

In the end, creating a good social media strategy means creating a way for your business to have a relationship with your customer base. That relationship is perhaps the most important investment you can make to grow your business.

Does your business have a social media strategy? If not, today’s the day to get started developing one.