By: Joe Kiefer
Twitter continues to dominate conversations in both traditional media and on the web. The discussions are extremely broad, but recently on the ASM LinkedIn group I have noticed two separate posts regarding who should be handling the communication through your Twitter account.
This is a great question and I thought the posts were very beneficial for companies that are just getting into social media and Twitter specifically. The options most often presented are an agency, internal marketing department or someone from the C-Suite.
Personally, I don't think the C-Suite is going to work very well, but there are exceptions. High profile executives can draw a lot of attention and as long as long as they are able to stay within an organized strategy this could work out. There is almost no chance of this working if their messages are not targeted towards a central strategy. Tweeting to tweet may be better than not having a Twitter account at all, but just barely.
If you are going to start taking social media and Twitter seriously then you should treat it like your other marketing methods. You wouldn't send out a mail plan without a purpose or an e-mail without a strategy, so don't make that mistake in social media either. Developing a social media strategy is the most important part of your social media plan. You can exhaust all sorts of resources on social media, but if they are not all working in combination towards the same goal then you are wasting time and probably money.
Okay, so a strategy is important, now back to the initial question. Who should craft that strategy and who should communicate it. As is the case in most situations, the answer to this question can be different depending on your own situation. I believe the answer in most cases, however, is going to be a blended approach. Much like I don't think an executive should be doing your tweeting, in most cases, your marketing department probably won't have the necessary expertise in social media to be as effective as possible. More than likely they will be limited by time constraints as well, unless you make it their only or primary responsibility. On the other hand, an agency may know everything there is to know about social media, but they won't have a clue when it comes to the culture of your company, your typical communication tone or what is most important to you. Don't assume the agency knows everything there is to know about social media going in. Make sure you do your homework!
If you go with the blended approach you will bring in an agency, but they will work closely with a dedicated social media group within your organization. Again, it is important to make sure these group members are spending enough time on this initiative to make it successful. Make sure you stress the importance of this initiave and take projects away to free up time for this. By bringing in the agency your hybrid group should get up and running quickly. Your in-house social media group will gain knowledge quickly about social media best practices and tactics and your agency will gain knowledge quickly about your company, culture and communication style.
Your in-house group should be the leader in the strategy development, but the agency should be there for input and direction. The agency may want to be proprietary in the communication, but I would recommend having an in-house communicator as well. You will want someone becoming more comfortable with the tools and techniques appropriate for social media and Twitter. As long as the strategy is well crafted the communication should be seamless and the group being communicated to shouldn't notice a difference from the agency or in-house group in terms of tweets.
I believe this hybrid approach will get you going in the right direction and give your social media efforts the best chance for success. If you would like to see the initial comment and subsequent posts on LinkedIn just join the ASM group at: http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2341528.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
We Track Everything Else, Why Not Social Media?
By: Joe Kiefer
Social Media continues to emerge as a legitimate marketing technique, but companies will struggle with how to best blend social media with their current marketing for well into the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, there is not a one size fits all approach to social media. What you are selling, who you are selling to and how you are selling are just some of the questions that need to be asked to determine which social media sites you should have a presence on, who should be managing that presence and what message you are trying to convey.
Regardless of what social media strategy your company moves forward with, make sure you develop a method for tracking your efforts before you get too far along. There are just too many social media options out there to try them all at once, and if you aren't tracking your efforts you will never know which ones can be cut and which ones to double the effort on. Not only will you end with a lot of wasted time, money and effort, but you could potentially cut a strategy all together that was producing great results.
There are off the shelf options out there for tracking, but make sure you do your homework. Free tracking programs are available, but will often have bugs, not work consistently and may not improve as the social media landscape changes. The paid versions are typically more structured, more reliable and better suited for major efforts. This is not always the case, however, and if you are just getting into the social media world you may want to start with some free software first to figure out what you like and what you don't like. Don't make an expensive decision without knowing exactly what you are looking for.
A third option is developing the tools in-house. This will probably be the most costly, but will ensure you are getting what you want out of the tracking. An off the shelf program will not always track what your company views as the most important statistics. This method always comes with the most commitment as a company. Eating up IT time is always a hard decision to make and there is the possibility that your tracking needs may change by the time the tools are developed. Keep in mind how rapidly the social media world is changing.
The most important thing to remember is, no matter which solution you choose, you will be one step ahead of the game by putting some sort of tracking in place. Would you send out direct mail or e-mail without being able to track the results?
Social Media continues to emerge as a legitimate marketing technique, but companies will struggle with how to best blend social media with their current marketing for well into the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, there is not a one size fits all approach to social media. What you are selling, who you are selling to and how you are selling are just some of the questions that need to be asked to determine which social media sites you should have a presence on, who should be managing that presence and what message you are trying to convey.
Regardless of what social media strategy your company moves forward with, make sure you develop a method for tracking your efforts before you get too far along. There are just too many social media options out there to try them all at once, and if you aren't tracking your efforts you will never know which ones can be cut and which ones to double the effort on. Not only will you end with a lot of wasted time, money and effort, but you could potentially cut a strategy all together that was producing great results.
There are off the shelf options out there for tracking, but make sure you do your homework. Free tracking programs are available, but will often have bugs, not work consistently and may not improve as the social media landscape changes. The paid versions are typically more structured, more reliable and better suited for major efforts. This is not always the case, however, and if you are just getting into the social media world you may want to start with some free software first to figure out what you like and what you don't like. Don't make an expensive decision without knowing exactly what you are looking for.
A third option is developing the tools in-house. This will probably be the most costly, but will ensure you are getting what you want out of the tracking. An off the shelf program will not always track what your company views as the most important statistics. This method always comes with the most commitment as a company. Eating up IT time is always a hard decision to make and there is the possibility that your tracking needs may change by the time the tools are developed. Keep in mind how rapidly the social media world is changing.
The most important thing to remember is, no matter which solution you choose, you will be one step ahead of the game by putting some sort of tracking in place. Would you send out direct mail or e-mail without being able to track the results?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
2010 Marketing Training - Online or Bust!
I can't help but follow all of the industries that seem to be moving at an ever quickening pace towards an online only reality. Newspapers, DVDs, Magazines, Video Games, Books and Newsletters are just a few examples of the real world shift towards online. How much longer will Hollywood Video and Blockbuster be our corner video stores? This intrigues me not only because of the magnitude of this shift, but also because of the applications it has in the training industry.
Over the past 10 years the training industry has taken drastic shifts, just as many of the industries above have. The training industry was once focused almost solely on in-person training and networking events. That dynamic has shifted over the years, but as with the online trend as a whole, the last 2 years has seen the industry hit a tipping point. Webinars, teleconferences, on demand, virtual conferences and mobile applications are just a few of the options available to individuals seeking training.
As we have tried to stay ahead of the marketplace for these products, we have continued to offer our in-person seminars as well. That being said, the volume of in-person events has continued to decrease as the demand has waned. Are in-person seminars going the way of the Newspapers and the DVDs? Is 2010 the year we will see the scales tip completely towards online options?
In all reality, the interaction and networking provided by in-person training events should keep them from going the way of 8-Track Tapes, but the number of options and providers will more than likely continue to narrow in 2010. I used to get almost all of my training through conferences and seminars, but I found myself shifting to teleconferences and more and more I have been using on demand webinars. That is not to say I don't still go to conferences and seminars, because I do, but the percentage of my training dedicated to those learning formats has definitely gone down.
With all that being written, I am the Marketing Director at a training company, so I'm not so sure my viewpoint isn't biased on this particular debate. What do you think? I would love to get feedback from other marketers out there who have probably also seen and felt this training shift. You can comment on this blog or shoot me an e-mail at jkiefer@lorman.com.
Over the past 10 years the training industry has taken drastic shifts, just as many of the industries above have. The training industry was once focused almost solely on in-person training and networking events. That dynamic has shifted over the years, but as with the online trend as a whole, the last 2 years has seen the industry hit a tipping point. Webinars, teleconferences, on demand, virtual conferences and mobile applications are just a few of the options available to individuals seeking training.
As we have tried to stay ahead of the marketplace for these products, we have continued to offer our in-person seminars as well. That being said, the volume of in-person events has continued to decrease as the demand has waned. Are in-person seminars going the way of the Newspapers and the DVDs? Is 2010 the year we will see the scales tip completely towards online options?
In all reality, the interaction and networking provided by in-person training events should keep them from going the way of 8-Track Tapes, but the number of options and providers will more than likely continue to narrow in 2010. I used to get almost all of my training through conferences and seminars, but I found myself shifting to teleconferences and more and more I have been using on demand webinars. That is not to say I don't still go to conferences and seminars, because I do, but the percentage of my training dedicated to those learning formats has definitely gone down.
With all that being written, I am the Marketing Director at a training company, so I'm not so sure my viewpoint isn't biased on this particular debate. What do you think? I would love to get feedback from other marketers out there who have probably also seen and felt this training shift. You can comment on this blog or shoot me an e-mail at jkiefer@lorman.com.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Free Marketing Training - Is it Worth the Cost?
One of the main focuses of the Association of Strategic Marketing is to provide relevant, timely and affordable training options for marketers. As a marketer for the last 10 years, I have found training to be an indispensable part of my career growth and continued education. Some of this was in the form of free training, but the vast majority was in the form of paid training programs. I have gone to conferences, seminars, networking events, exhibit halls, webinars, teleconferences... and that is just the live stuff. I have also read marketing related trade publications, newsletters, whitepapers, blogs...!
The amount of marketing information out there can actually be a little overwhelming and figuring out which of it is most worthy of your time is a chore in and of itself. Let's be honest, time is a valuable commodity these days as we all try to do more marketing with less marketing dollars. Two hours spent on a poorly put together training program is a waste of the price of the program, but more importantly, it is a waste of your valuable time. Free marketing training comes with the opportunity cost of your time and often the free programs are more likely to have a higher cost in that regard. Keep in mind, that does not mean the paid programs can't be a waste of time either. I have gotten pretty good at spotting the good from the bad and without doing an ASM pitch here, I will point out a couple of rules I have found to be true over the years. This may not apply as much to a marketer new to the field, but I think they hold true the majority of the time.
Rule #1 - Does the company putting on the program have a product related to the topic of the program and the program is free? Unless you are looking for the product they will inevitably be pitching you, don't waste your time. You will always be disappointed by the content of this program.
Rule #2 - The largest providers and conferences are not always or even usually the best training options available. I stopped going to the DMA conference for training sessions years ago. Not because I knew it all, but because I got a lot more value out of the exhibit hall and vendor meetings than I did out of the training sessions. I would highly recommend the DMA Conference for continuing your marketing education, just don't do it in the training sessions.
Rule #3 - Are you listening to a program on SEO from someone who has a website that ranks poorly amongst competitors? The speaker of any program is going to be the most important variable to look at when determining how good the program will be. Is it a respected and experienced speaker or an associate being sent out for his first time to speak. Don't pay good money for a program without doing a little digging on the speaker. There is nothing worse than listening to a program and wondering whether you know more about the topic than the speaker.
I hope these help you make good decisions going forward. We all have limited training budgets, so let's make sure to use them wisely. Remember that the cost of the program is not just the price, but the cost of your lost time!
The amount of marketing information out there can actually be a little overwhelming and figuring out which of it is most worthy of your time is a chore in and of itself. Let's be honest, time is a valuable commodity these days as we all try to do more marketing with less marketing dollars. Two hours spent on a poorly put together training program is a waste of the price of the program, but more importantly, it is a waste of your valuable time. Free marketing training comes with the opportunity cost of your time and often the free programs are more likely to have a higher cost in that regard. Keep in mind, that does not mean the paid programs can't be a waste of time either. I have gotten pretty good at spotting the good from the bad and without doing an ASM pitch here, I will point out a couple of rules I have found to be true over the years. This may not apply as much to a marketer new to the field, but I think they hold true the majority of the time.
Rule #1 - Does the company putting on the program have a product related to the topic of the program and the program is free? Unless you are looking for the product they will inevitably be pitching you, don't waste your time. You will always be disappointed by the content of this program.
Rule #2 - The largest providers and conferences are not always or even usually the best training options available. I stopped going to the DMA conference for training sessions years ago. Not because I knew it all, but because I got a lot more value out of the exhibit hall and vendor meetings than I did out of the training sessions. I would highly recommend the DMA Conference for continuing your marketing education, just don't do it in the training sessions.
Rule #3 - Are you listening to a program on SEO from someone who has a website that ranks poorly amongst competitors? The speaker of any program is going to be the most important variable to look at when determining how good the program will be. Is it a respected and experienced speaker or an associate being sent out for his first time to speak. Don't pay good money for a program without doing a little digging on the speaker. There is nothing worse than listening to a program and wondering whether you know more about the topic than the speaker.
I hope these help you make good decisions going forward. We all have limited training budgets, so let's make sure to use them wisely. Remember that the cost of the program is not just the price, but the cost of your lost time!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
2009 ASM Linked In Group Summary
By: Joe Kiefer
It wasn't until late 2009 that ASM decided to start a group on LinkedIn to help facilitate communication between marketers. Not just our members, but any marketing professional that wanted to join in the discussion. It has been an interesting experience and early on I would say it is beating our expectations for both the number of members who have joined and the amount of interaction we are seeing within the group.
Based on the initial results, I am excited to see how dynamic and interactive the group can become in 2010. If you are already a member, great, if not, I think you would definitely find benefit in joining. You can join the group at http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2341528.
The ASM group was created on September 29, 2009. In just a little over 3 months we have grown to over 2,000 members. Even more encouraging, what started as a couple of lonely posts by me, has turned into over 40 posts by a variety of individuals and over one hundred comments about those posts. The posts have ranged from questions to bold predictions.
Not too surprisingly, a lot of the best posts revolve around social media, but we have had a fare share of comments on direct mail and other more time tested marketing techniques as well. For now I am looking to keep the group well rounded. My favorite post and by far the most engaging post was "Any predictions on the biggest trend of 2010?" This one post alone has had 52 comments and some very direct interaction between the members. I would recommend that everyone take a read through the comments on this post. Very good read and will probably get you thinking about some new issues that aren't currently on your radar.
I look forward to interacting with all of you in 2010 and will continue to post, comment and grow the group!
It wasn't until late 2009 that ASM decided to start a group on LinkedIn to help facilitate communication between marketers. Not just our members, but any marketing professional that wanted to join in the discussion. It has been an interesting experience and early on I would say it is beating our expectations for both the number of members who have joined and the amount of interaction we are seeing within the group.
Based on the initial results, I am excited to see how dynamic and interactive the group can become in 2010. If you are already a member, great, if not, I think you would definitely find benefit in joining. You can join the group at http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2341528.
The ASM group was created on September 29, 2009. In just a little over 3 months we have grown to over 2,000 members. Even more encouraging, what started as a couple of lonely posts by me, has turned into over 40 posts by a variety of individuals and over one hundred comments about those posts. The posts have ranged from questions to bold predictions.
Not too surprisingly, a lot of the best posts revolve around social media, but we have had a fare share of comments on direct mail and other more time tested marketing techniques as well. For now I am looking to keep the group well rounded. My favorite post and by far the most engaging post was "Any predictions on the biggest trend of 2010?" This one post alone has had 52 comments and some very direct interaction between the members. I would recommend that everyone take a read through the comments on this post. Very good read and will probably get you thinking about some new issues that aren't currently on your radar.
I look forward to interacting with all of you in 2010 and will continue to post, comment and grow the group!
Friday, January 8, 2010
2010 Marketing Resolutions
By: Joe Kiefer
Welcome to 2010. Was anyone hoping 2009 would stick around a little longer? What a year! I probably speak for many businesses and business professionals, when I say good "Good Riddance!" and bring on the new year!
I am sure there a lot of businesses that were able to survive and thrive in 2009, but thriving in that type of environment is difficult and not healthy for any business for an extended period. The good news is, the survivors are stronger, more efficient and ready to grow in 2010. Business growth could not come at a better time and should be the final push needed to get this economy fully back on track and moving in the right direction.
Has everyone made their new year resolutions? No, not the yearly self improvement mottos of exercise more, eat better, quit smoking..., but business resolutions that hopefully are observed for longer than a month... or less.
My New Year resolution is to put an increased focus on our members. As a newer association we put a lot of energy into our members, but that was a little harder last year as we focused on efficiencies and cost cutting as well. Our members have allowed us to survive and thrive during tough times and they will be what drives our growth going forward. Getting to know the members better will allow me to better address their pain points, communicate to them in their preferred setting, offer training in their preferred format and just generally have a better understanding for the situations they are facing and how we can help. This will be a company wide effort and some of the initiatives have already been started, but personally I would like to be more engaged with our members as well. I am here to help and will be looking to reach out to members more personally through e-mail, Twitter, this blog or our LinkedIn group. I look forward to the increased interaction and the knowledge I will undoubtedly gain from it.
There is not a one size fits all resolution out there, but if you put some time in you will come up with a great one for your company. What was your biggest weakness in 2009? What do you keep wanting to get done, but never get to? What have your customers been asking for? These are just a couple of questions you could ask to help you develop your marketing resolution. Don't make them too easy or there is no point in setting them. Don't make them too hard or you will give up before you get going. Either way you go, make sure you write it down and hold yourself accountable, or even better, share the goal with the company or at least the team you work with.
Good luck with all your marketing initiatives in 2010!
Welcome to 2010. Was anyone hoping 2009 would stick around a little longer? What a year! I probably speak for many businesses and business professionals, when I say good "Good Riddance!" and bring on the new year!
I am sure there a lot of businesses that were able to survive and thrive in 2009, but thriving in that type of environment is difficult and not healthy for any business for an extended period. The good news is, the survivors are stronger, more efficient and ready to grow in 2010. Business growth could not come at a better time and should be the final push needed to get this economy fully back on track and moving in the right direction.
Has everyone made their new year resolutions? No, not the yearly self improvement mottos of exercise more, eat better, quit smoking..., but business resolutions that hopefully are observed for longer than a month... or less.
My New Year resolution is to put an increased focus on our members. As a newer association we put a lot of energy into our members, but that was a little harder last year as we focused on efficiencies and cost cutting as well. Our members have allowed us to survive and thrive during tough times and they will be what drives our growth going forward. Getting to know the members better will allow me to better address their pain points, communicate to them in their preferred setting, offer training in their preferred format and just generally have a better understanding for the situations they are facing and how we can help. This will be a company wide effort and some of the initiatives have already been started, but personally I would like to be more engaged with our members as well. I am here to help and will be looking to reach out to members more personally through e-mail, Twitter, this blog or our LinkedIn group. I look forward to the increased interaction and the knowledge I will undoubtedly gain from it.
There is not a one size fits all resolution out there, but if you put some time in you will come up with a great one for your company. What was your biggest weakness in 2009? What do you keep wanting to get done, but never get to? What have your customers been asking for? These are just a couple of questions you could ask to help you develop your marketing resolution. Don't make them too easy or there is no point in setting them. Don't make them too hard or you will give up before you get going. Either way you go, make sure you write it down and hold yourself accountable, or even better, share the goal with the company or at least the team you work with.
Good luck with all your marketing initiatives in 2010!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Key is in the Delivery For B2B Catalogers
By: Justin Jackson, Donnelley Marketing
The rising costs of postage, cost of paper, and challenges to increasing response due to the slow economy put the B2B cataloger a the bottom of an uphill battle. Fortunately there are a few tried and true processes, with a little adjustment for technology, which can still produce results.
Delivery of the catalog in a timely and targeted manner must be the first criteria. Basic analysis of customer performance can create the profile for improved targeting, using SIC, employee size, sales revenue and even seasonality. While not as prevalent for B2B marketers, the holidays can still play a significant role if the product demand grows as a result of the season or less specifically during a particular time of the year. While detailed promotion history is more informational, using general trends like a surge before Christmas for packaging companies or July 4th for flag providers can work for most businesses. Timing can also be factored in based on the life of a product for reordering purposes.
Delivery also means getting the book to your customer at the lowest cost with maximum exposure. B2B catalogers have a constant battle understanding the buying triangle and the credibility of pass along effects. The buying triangle consists of the influencer, authorizer, and the person who places the order. By increasing the number of active contacts at a business the odds of owning the buying triangle in its entirety are improved. Once the buying triangle is indentified the multiple contacts at a site can be marketed to differently.
In addition, bundling contacts at a site creates significant postage savings and an ancillary benefit of "customer supplied correction" can result from the address piece on these bundles. Bundle letters generally occupy the top of a bundle and contain the address for delivery and mailroom instructions for larger corporations. These letters can be drafted with a fax back form for updating contacts or eliminating contacts no longer employed. They can also provide instructions for online access to the catalogers website for real time updates and a myriad of special offers that can be supplied once the customer logs onto the website.
As with any communication, if multiple objectives can be weaved into the message the power of the marketing dollar spent on delivering the book is enhanced. Getting more bang for each buck is as valuable a principle today as it has ever been. When that activity also benefits the company's one to one marketing strategy the added value makes the decision an easy one.
The rising costs of postage, cost of paper, and challenges to increasing response due to the slow economy put the B2B cataloger a the bottom of an uphill battle. Fortunately there are a few tried and true processes, with a little adjustment for technology, which can still produce results.
Delivery of the catalog in a timely and targeted manner must be the first criteria. Basic analysis of customer performance can create the profile for improved targeting, using SIC, employee size, sales revenue and even seasonality. While not as prevalent for B2B marketers, the holidays can still play a significant role if the product demand grows as a result of the season or less specifically during a particular time of the year. While detailed promotion history is more informational, using general trends like a surge before Christmas for packaging companies or July 4th for flag providers can work for most businesses. Timing can also be factored in based on the life of a product for reordering purposes.
Delivery also means getting the book to your customer at the lowest cost with maximum exposure. B2B catalogers have a constant battle understanding the buying triangle and the credibility of pass along effects. The buying triangle consists of the influencer, authorizer, and the person who places the order. By increasing the number of active contacts at a business the odds of owning the buying triangle in its entirety are improved. Once the buying triangle is indentified the multiple contacts at a site can be marketed to differently.
In addition, bundling contacts at a site creates significant postage savings and an ancillary benefit of "customer supplied correction" can result from the address piece on these bundles. Bundle letters generally occupy the top of a bundle and contain the address for delivery and mailroom instructions for larger corporations. These letters can be drafted with a fax back form for updating contacts or eliminating contacts no longer employed. They can also provide instructions for online access to the catalogers website for real time updates and a myriad of special offers that can be supplied once the customer logs onto the website.
As with any communication, if multiple objectives can be weaved into the message the power of the marketing dollar spent on delivering the book is enhanced. Getting more bang for each buck is as valuable a principle today as it has ever been. When that activity also benefits the company's one to one marketing strategy the added value makes the decision an easy one.
How to Weed Out Your Social Media Following
Nancy Marmolejo, Viva Visibility
Social media success is not achieved simply by adding thousands of unknown followers to your contacts. When you focus on numbers only, you invite in a fair share of unwanted spam and junk followers.
It's important to have a well matched following who is open to your comments, information, and expertise. Otherwise you're stuck in the cyber equivalent of a crowded room full of people you really have nothing in common with.
There comes a time when you need to weed out the mismatches. Don't worry- even if your numbers dip after doing this, the percentage of well matched contacts will increase as a result. That means the majority of people in your network hold potential for opportunities.
If you're afraid you might delete the wrong person, here are 6 guidelines to help you determine how to weed out your social media following.
1. No Avatar
If the person has no avatar (photo that accompanies your posts), then remove him or her.
2. Not a Real Person
If the person isn't even a person but rather a puppy, a teddy bear, a slot machine, or my personal favorite- a flashy dollar sign- then delete. I also put pin-up type pics in this category, especially ones with user names like "MakeLotsaMoney". Some businesses have social media accounts that aren't related back to an individual. As long as it's clear that there is a legitimate business behind this, then those can be the exception.
3. Uneven Follower/Following Ratio
On Twitter, the ratio between followers and following must not have a huge gap. Twitter accounts that have thousands of followers but are only following a few people need to go. Those are usually spammers.
4. Obvious Language Barrier
It's great to connect with followers out of your country or who speak another language if you can understand one another, but if not, then there's an obvious barrier. Unless you've committed to learning a new language via your Twitter friends, best to unfollow people who pose an obvious language gap.
5. People Who Don't Post
You may have someone in your following who signed up for Twitter or Facebook but never actually uses the sites or posts. Unless it's someone you know who's still learning and you have the patience, remove.
6. Haters and Mean People
When you surround yourself with agreeable people, you can forget that the occasional mean person can surface and wreck the party for everyone. Don't even waste your time with people who are using social networking as a place to bully, berate, and intimidate. You might be the next victim and it's really not worth the time or effort to keep people like this on your list of followers. Block them or report them if a hater turns on you.
You want to weed out your social media contacts for the same reason you prune a fruit tree: so your harvest gives you a bountiful, high quality yield. When you focus on quality over quantity, you have what it takes for real social media success.
Nancy Marmolejo simplifies social media for entrepreneurs so they can turn their online visibility into a steady stream of profitability. With over 100 media credits to her name, Nancy knows how to generate word of mouth buzz and free publicity using proven social media strategies. Read Nancy's tips and download her free resources by visiting The Viva Visibility Blog, http://www.vivavisibility.com/
Social media success is not achieved simply by adding thousands of unknown followers to your contacts. When you focus on numbers only, you invite in a fair share of unwanted spam and junk followers.
It's important to have a well matched following who is open to your comments, information, and expertise. Otherwise you're stuck in the cyber equivalent of a crowded room full of people you really have nothing in common with.
There comes a time when you need to weed out the mismatches. Don't worry- even if your numbers dip after doing this, the percentage of well matched contacts will increase as a result. That means the majority of people in your network hold potential for opportunities.
If you're afraid you might delete the wrong person, here are 6 guidelines to help you determine how to weed out your social media following.
1. No Avatar
If the person has no avatar (photo that accompanies your posts), then remove him or her.
2. Not a Real Person
If the person isn't even a person but rather a puppy, a teddy bear, a slot machine, or my personal favorite- a flashy dollar sign- then delete. I also put pin-up type pics in this category, especially ones with user names like "MakeLotsaMoney". Some businesses have social media accounts that aren't related back to an individual. As long as it's clear that there is a legitimate business behind this, then those can be the exception.
3. Uneven Follower/Following Ratio
On Twitter, the ratio between followers and following must not have a huge gap. Twitter accounts that have thousands of followers but are only following a few people need to go. Those are usually spammers.
4. Obvious Language Barrier
It's great to connect with followers out of your country or who speak another language if you can understand one another, but if not, then there's an obvious barrier. Unless you've committed to learning a new language via your Twitter friends, best to unfollow people who pose an obvious language gap.
5. People Who Don't Post
You may have someone in your following who signed up for Twitter or Facebook but never actually uses the sites or posts. Unless it's someone you know who's still learning and you have the patience, remove.
6. Haters and Mean People
When you surround yourself with agreeable people, you can forget that the occasional mean person can surface and wreck the party for everyone. Don't even waste your time with people who are using social networking as a place to bully, berate, and intimidate. You might be the next victim and it's really not worth the time or effort to keep people like this on your list of followers. Block them or report them if a hater turns on you.
You want to weed out your social media contacts for the same reason you prune a fruit tree: so your harvest gives you a bountiful, high quality yield. When you focus on quality over quantity, you have what it takes for real social media success.
Nancy Marmolejo simplifies social media for entrepreneurs so they can turn their online visibility into a steady stream of profitability. With over 100 media credits to her name, Nancy knows how to generate word of mouth buzz and free publicity using proven social media strategies. Read Nancy's tips and download her free resources by visiting The Viva Visibility Blog, http://www.vivavisibility.com/
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