Starting an online Social Media marketing plan can be a bit overwhelming when you don’t know exactly what to do in order to launch.  Just as in life, you have move forward on purpose to be able to  see progress and success in the future. If you are still using traditional forms of marketing, most likely they are no longer producing the desired results that your brand or business needs in order to  be relevant in today’s online culture. It’s time to convert to a rock solid plan by tapping into the online networks that will get you known online!
Here are a few tips that are sure to work for you as you develop a Social Media Marketing Plan.
1. Engage on the right online networks for your brand or business. Check out this [Infographic] that shows: How to Choose the Right Social Media Network for Your Business. After you set up your account profiles, make sure that you fill it out completely and use keywords that are specific to your niche. Identify your online target market and tap into assisting them. Offer value using your chosen network (s), and show your credibility. You will grow your following this way!
2. Be Yourself.. Talk Like You Talk! Communicate online as if you were talking to your friends in person. People are craving authenticity today. We all want to be a part of real, genuine and straight-forward levels of conversations. Be who you are and readily, you will create a following of people who enjoy getting to know more about what you do and represent.
3. Share What You Know! People are hungry for knowledge and YOU are an expert in your niche. You can’t teach me how to golf unless you are a decent golfer yourself, so communicate what you know to capture your target online audience. Very soon the engagement will start and people will desire to know more about what you are teaching them and hire or purchase from you.
4. Don’t Stop Believing! Like a fine wine, growing your network doesn’t happen overnight. You have to be patient and let it age. It will happen. I Promise.
5. Work It! Commit to pulling some late nights, and really dive into Social Media to marketing your personal brand or business. Post often, comment and retweet,and get yourself noticed! If you say “ughh.. I just don’t have time to do this”, hire a Social Media Manager who you can partner with and come up with a specific strategy for your business and effectively put a plan into action.
We all need to share and give more of ourselves to really be an interactive part of Social Media Engagement. Social Media is like a big online party whereby we are all gathering information and sharing knowledge and expertise daily.
For further oomph reading check out some of these great articles from ‘Ninja’ Â bloggers on the Value of Social Media, while you’re there surf their sites for awesome content that will encourage YOU to Go Be Awesome!
Brian Solis- How Twitter is Changing
Social Media Examiner- Using Social Media to Grow Your Local Business
Chris Brogan- Improve Your Influence
Mari Smith- One Word Theme for 2010- Commitment
