Putting LinkedIn to WorkPlus, Intro to Twitter

Welcome

Putting LinkedIn to WorkPlus, Intro to Twitter

834 Design & MarketingKim Bode

Telly LaForestAdrienne Wallace

What is Social Media?A flexible definition

• Evolution of relationships• Familiar communication tools• Built on networking foundations (platforms)• Real time• Individualized & Transparent• 2-way communication on a massive level

What is Social Media?Flattening the Earth

Tipping point was identified by Neilson (2009):

Social media (67%) used more than email (65%)

What is Social Media?Demographics

What is Social Media?Demographics

What is Social Media?Demographics

What is Social Media?Demographics

What is Social Media?Categories

What is Social Media?LinkedIn Growth

The most represented industries on LI are hi-tech (17%), finance (14%) and manufacturing (10%), while sales (12%), academics (10%), administrative (10%) are the most common job functions.

What is Social Media?SM Growth

Not just for job seekers anymore, has become a recognized and legit B2B sales solution.

About Social Media

3 Things• Each platform has a distinct personality.• Many different platforms for different purposes.• Platforms may change, good communication does not.

About Social MediaChange in Communication

About Social MediaChange in Communication

About Social MediaChange in Communication

About Social MediaImplications for Business

Effects of Social Media• Democracy

• Transparency in the everyday• Meritocracy

• Open sourced comments posted affect performance-based outcomes

• Authentocracy• Success from true voices. Drive to be

“authentic self” is a large tenant of SM.

Tools of Social Media• Search/Audit/Strategize

• Create a policy for your firm.• Assign ambassadors or educate all

members• Find out what you do, who does it? • What do your competitors do? How?

• Track/Protect/Monitor• Google analytics.• Google alerts.

• Participate/Engage• Answer the noise.• Refer and redirect if need be.

How to engage?• Determine your strategy and your audience.• Get some headshots for goodness sake.• Find yourself – what’s your brand?• Create original content and add to the

conversation.• Publish stuff worth reading.• Engage your audience continually.

Why engage?

How?

About Social MediaImplications

• Age of radical transparency.• Lack of privacy-no one is exempt.• Longevity of practice.• Assured of change.• Flexibility required.• Evaluate and re-strategize (continually).

LinkedIn Value

Quick Stats• 20% of LinkedIn users are senior level executives• 39% of LinkedIn users have titles of Manager,

Director, CEO, COO, CFO, or VP• 60% are either decision makers, or have direct

access to decision makers• 43% of all LinkedIn users are located in the United

States• Top four professions: IT, Marketing/Advertising,

Financial Services, Computer Software (all avg incomes over $60,000.00 annually)

Souce: LinkedIn Ads

9 Common LinkedIn Mistakes

• Failing to take social seriously• Not achieving a 100% complete LinkedIn

profile• No photo, or worse, the WRONG photo• Not developing and building your network• Not using LinkedIn to protect your current

clients• Not asking or getting recommended• Failing to join LinkedIn groups• Waiting for people to come to you• Letting your staff “loose” on LinkedIn without

advice

7 Essential LinkedIn Connections• Co-Workers

• Current and past• Clients or Customers

• Be careful of conflict of interest or privacy• Classmates

• Yes, even if you haven’t seen them in a while • Fellow Volunteers

• Extracurricular connections• Members of Your Business Network

• There is power in co-marketing services• Family and Friends

• Ask these people to be your clients or to give a recommendation on your behalf

• Fellow Members of LinkedIn Groups• Yes, even if you don’t know them “in real life”

7 Essential LinkedIn Activities• Sign up AND PUT IN A PROFESSIONAL PICTURE!

• Can’t participate if you don’t join• Maintain a complete profile

• Don’t let it stagnate• Update your status regularly – maybe even daily!

• Show you are attentive• Connect: set a weekly goal.

• Build your network of primary, secondary and tertiary relationships

• Join a group; hell, join 50…that is the limit• Connect with people of similar interests, share

strategies, complain about the economy and get sympathy-it’s like support group

• Share a link or answer a question• Provide added value and items of interest

• Follow a company [start with your competitors]

7 Essential LinkedIn Settings to Modify• Profile Photo

• Everyone, network, or connections only• Public Profile

• Create your branded URL then choose which items appear in a search to others

• Manage Recommendations• Public or private

• Member Feed Visibility• Choose who sees your updates [everyone, network

or connections only]• Network Updates

• Control what updates you get on your homepage• Connections Browse

• Control who sees your connections [can your competition?]

• Authorized Applications

Essential Groups to Join• Your company’s group

• Engage members in discussion, refer people to other services and develop reciprocal relationships

• Your competitors• Isn’t it obvious? Research. Intel.

• Mergers & Acquisitions Network (over 39,000 members!)

• Association of Professional Merger & Acquisition Advisors (APMAA)

• Mergers & Acquisitions Professionals• The Middle Market• DEALGATE global alliance of M&A professionals

Essential Groups to JoinAny group located in your targeted area of interest:• Healthcare/Medical• Manufacturing• Technology• Automotive• Distribution• Transportation• Services• Construction• Investment Properties

• Follow, like, ask, reciprocate, recommend, research, offer assistance, network, solicit. LI is a powerful search tool for finding B2B solutions.

• “Blind” connects and asks are not a faux paux, they are a standard social media networking initiative. Connect before you ask. Show your value first. Solicit second…or third even.

Use LinkedIn for What Exactly?• Manage existing clients• Distribution of quality info to clients• Generate referrals through clients and referring

businesses• Secure new clients through search• Prevent attrition by offering additional services

• Share content• Give clients valuable connections and referrals

• Increase your own web visibility/SEO rank/traffic in general

• Low or no cost marketing• Recruitment of trusted referral source, buyers AND

staff• Research of trends• Get/give advice

Steps to gain a referral• Social media flattens the referral process-you are

already connected• Search for the client you want among your

contacts, networks, or groups• View your contacts and their contacts

• SM Mastery for Small Biz with 834• Use the platform to build goodwill through a

mutual connection• Message them or ask to be introduced through

your mutual contact• Did someone search you? Connect with them, use

their curiosity to get to their contacts• Lessen the “creep factor” with 834

• Prospect, search, connect, follow up• Stand Out on SM with 834

“But I don’t have the time to “play around” on Social Media”

1. It’s not playing, it’s business development stop being silly

2. Denying SM today is like saying “nah, we’ve got enough money, don’t worry about us.”

3. Try to escape it I dare you4. It’s painless…coming up 15 minutes a day to

better social media maintenance5. Make it an appointment on your calendar to

ensure follow through6. You are waiting for the coffee to brew anyway,

may as well do something to pass the time

LI in 15-minutes a day• Minutes 1–5:

• Complete a status update. • Have you just landed a new client (no names,

of course, unless your client agrees) or achieved a personal best?

• It could be sharing of info from someone else even if you are not feelin’ it• It only takes a minute, but each posting is

far-reaching thanks to ‘LinkedIn’s Weekly Updates’ broadcast.

LI in 15-minutes a day• Minutes 6-10: • Solicit one new contact a day/5 per week• Browse ‘All Updates’ on your ‘Home’ page.

• Congratulate a connection or comment on a profile update, even if it’s just to say, “Great new photo.”

• All of these comments go out to your entire network.

LI in15-minutes a day• Minutes 11–15:

• Glance through ‘People You May Know’ by clicking on ‘Add Connections’ in the upper-right corner of the ‘Profile’ screen and selecting it from the screen that appears. • These are people who are connected to

your connections. If you see someone you know, invite him or her to join your network.

• When your invitation is accepted, ‘All Updates’, shown on your ‘Home’ page, will reflect that and your new connection will be included in the ‘Weekly Updates’ broadcast.

LinkedIn Value

James Potter, Insight Marketing

“When you know how to use LinkedIn well, you’ll save yourself a ton of time. You will walk through open doors instead of making cold calls; you’ll enhance your personal reputation and the profile of your practice; you’ll access outstanding information and opportunities that would previously have missed and ultimately you will increase your revenue.”

Twitter Value

Twitter Good

• Highly flexible (create hashtags, campaigns)• Best for individuals (thought leaders, etc.)• Broadcast almost ad nauseum• Builds relationships• Simple to interact on an individual level• Scale• Succinct• Optimized for mobile• Fans can easily create copycats/spinoffs

Twitter Value

Twitter Good

• Highly flexible (create hashtags, campaigns)• Best for individuals (thought leaders, etc.)• Broadcast almost ad nauseum• Builds relationships• Simple to interact on an individual level• Scale• Succinct• Optimized for mobile• Fans can easily create copycats/spinoffs

Twitter Value

Twitter Bad

• Arcane/intimidating• Higher learning curve• Limited tools and options• Requires most monitoring — responses are

expected immediately• Messages can get lost in the stream

Twitter Value

What’s your motivation?

• Dissemination of news and info• Soliciting clients or buyers• Communicating with your community• Spreading awareness• Research and strategy• Getting feedback• Telling your story 140 at a time

Twitter Value

What’s your audience’s or target’s motivation?• Getting and giving feedback• Research, gleaning information• Presentation of self to others• Exclusivity• Meaningless chit chat• Sharing information quickly and easily

(effortless)• Feeling connected

Twitter: Build an Audience

• Build a Twitter Audience Ethically…• Don’t buy your friends; make some friends

Adopted from: Next Web

Build an Audience

1. Create Valuable ContentStrategy: Sharing content repeatedly, BufferIf you want people to follow and share what you publish, you need to publish content worth sharing. No need to belabor that point, however, less widely-understood is the value of sharing this content multiple times.Twitter is of-the-moment, but the majority of your followers will not be checking Twitter 24/7. Using a tweet-scheduling service like Buffer puts your content in front of your audience when they’re most likely to see it. Increase this likelihood by scheduling multiple posts for a particular piece of content.

Build an Audience

2. Comment on relevant news/tweetsStrategy: Live-TweetingCommenting on relevant news, trending topics, and various other happenings on Twitter injects your voice into an ongoing conversation. Pick conversations that your followers – and your brand – would care about, and join in the discussion.If you’re a social commentator, lifestyle brand or comedian, you might cultivate a following live-tweeting #downtonabbey. A more serious account may publish reasoned comments on #healthcare during a televised address. Whatever your focus, joining in on a tweetup, story or other hashtagged event is a great way to meet your ideal followers where they’re gathering.

Build an Audience

3. Retweet relevant contentStrategy: Search/rank service to identify thought-leadersAnother way to capitalize on ongoing conversations is to retweet relevant content. Using a management dashboard for Twitter like TweetDeck or HootSuite, identify thought-leaders in your industry, and retweet meaningful content they’re sharing. Their voice is amplified, and yours legitimized. Your brand stands to benefit from associating with reputable commentators, and you’re laying groundwork for potential collaboration and reciprocal sharing.Engagement – Ask. Listen. Respond.

Build an Audience

4. Events to EngageStrategy: Promoted TweetsTwitter capitalizes on the immediacy of events and can exponentially amplify the buzz of contests. Barack Obama’s 2012 Presidential re-election campaign set a new standard for the use of social media to build consensus and drive action. Throughout the campaign, well-timed tweets captured a key moment and made it easy to share messages and emotions.By paying to promote the most important messages, Obama’s campaign owned the conversation at crucial points in the election. Twitter is the medium of choice for discussing ongoing events. Steering and leading an event conversation in real-time is exceedingly valuable – and worth paying for.

Build an Audience

5. Ask for RetweetsStrategy: Ask for helpNow you have content worth sharing, and you’ve begun connecting with people whom you’d like to share it. It’s important to activate your follower base and enlist their help in growing your presence. How? Simply ask for their participation.Spelling out the word “retweet” in your request makes your followers 12 to 23X more likely to re-share your message. Using hashtags wisely and asking for help will open your tweets up to searches and people who may not yet follow you. For example geographic based # like #GRMI #Austin #DET will net followers and attention in regions that you might not yet be affiliated.

Build an Audience

6. Promote ResponsiblyStrategy: Co-promotionFollowing and retweeting content from thought leaders and companies with healthy followings certainly offers exposure.Seeking out opportunities for co-promotion, merging offline and online worlds, offers your brand even greater upside. Endorsements from brands and celebrities that connect with your audience provide invaluable credibility in addition to increased reach. As long as endorsements stay on-message and conversational in tone, your followers will appreciate this promotional content. Find a partner and practice responsible co-promotion.

Build an Audience

7. CountdownsStrategy: Teaser TweetsSuccess on Twitter is largely a matter of capturing people’s attention. In a medium predicated on distraction, refreshed every microsecond, the ability to build anticipation is invaluable. Countdowns provide a reason to tweet frequent reminders and an opportunity to construct a narrative across a series of tweets.Use countdowns leading up to a new product launch, feature unveiling, software update, behind the scenes access, or other content releases. Kick off your countdown with a couple of teaser tweets. Give your followers reason to check what you’re saying now, later today, and even further in the future.

Build an Audience

8. Twitter-Exclusive content, contests and promotionsStrategy: #twixclusive(s)While “twixclusive” may horribly bastardize the English language, Twitter-only deals are an effective tool that belong in your brand’s social media strategy. Twitter-exclusive content and promotions boost engagement with what you’re publishing on Twitter while also offering a tangible reward to your followers.Show appreciation for your followers’ attention and make it worthwhile to revisit your page. Use your Twitter account to give a behind-the-scenes look at your brand and take exclusive access a step further. Twitter democratizes conversation and affords unprecedented connection with elite brands and personalities. Loyalty and interest increases when you share content accessible only on Twitter.

Build an Audience

9. Two-sided ConversationsStrategy: treat your followers like peopleThat’s right REAL HUMANS! Talk with your audience on Twitter in ways you can’t anywhere else. What often falls under the ‘engagement’ header is really one of Twitter’s greatest potential rewards. Your brand is on Twitter to join key conversations. Your followers are on Twitter to converse with you. People invariably appreciate hearing their own name and knowing that they’re being listened to. Responding to a follower on Twitter accomplishes both. Twitter allows your brand to offer an unprecedented reward: interaction.

Build an Audience

SummaryContent, engagement, and rewards make your Twitter account a meaningful destination for potential followers. Give your audience what they want, and more followers will want to join that audience.

Twitter in 15-minutes a dayMinutes 1–5:

• Follow any new followers from the previous day provided they fit your acceptable criteria. Only you can decide what that is, but in general, follow people back unless they are vulgar or tweet about money-making schemes or things you’d prefer not to be bothered with each day. If you use a service like HootSuite or TweetDeck (which we recommend)you can see what each person is tweeting before you decide to follow them.

• What this does: This is part of intentional growth (which is discussed in The Strategist). In the beginning, when you are following fewer than 100 accounts, you will still be able to see everyone’s tweets and not feel overwhelmed. As you start to follow more accounts, you will need to use lists to sort everyone into appropriate categories. If someone (or many people) you are following are not producing valuable content, simply unfollow them.

Twitter in 15-minutes a dayMinutes 6-10:

Set up 3 to 4 retweets of things that fit your area of expertise. To make this easier, find retweets from people that you follow, or for best engagement results, specifically find things to retweet from people you have just followed in step 1. Scan your Twitter feed pick out 3 to 4 things that you believe have value, and schedule them. Note: Make it a priority to always click a link before you retweet it, first to make sure it actually works and then to quickly scan the page to make sure it’s quality. You can always read it thoroughly later (or if you are a speed reader, just read it right then).What this does: This type of activity is to keep your Twitter account active, engaged, and to stay relevant, attracting more followers and setting yourself for people to start retweeting your updates in return. It also helps you stay up-to-date with new content and new trends.

Twitter in15-minutes a dayMinutes 11–15:

Set up another 3 or 4 unique, original tweets of your own and schedule them. First, you can reply to someone else’s tweet, either in agreement or disagreement. Then, if I were you, I would set up tweets that link to recent posts on my blog, or to other content on my website. Also include a tweet or two that doesn’t contain a link (not all tweets need links).What this does: Replies engage your Twitter audience and can help you connect with someone new. Fresh, original tweets add your own content to the Twitter stream, so that you are providing something of value that is completely your own; give added value.

Connect with us!834 Design & Marketinghttp://834design.com/https://www.facebook.com/834designhttp://www.linkedin.com/company/2609249

Kim Bodekim@834design.com@834designhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbode

Telly LaForestTelly@834design.com@chantellalysewww.linkedin.com/in/chantelllaforest

Adrienne Wallaceadrienne@834design.com@adriwallhttp://www.linkedin.com/in/adriwall

Sources• Linkedin.com• InsightMarketing• Square Martini Media• Top Dog Social• LinkedUp Grand Rapids• NextWeb• Twitter.com• TwitterAds• Social Sprout• Social Media Examiner• Social Media Today• Others as indicated on slides