The single most important rule is:

“Understand your goals.”

A multitude of Social Media Experts, self-proclaimed Gurus, Queens, Kings and Prophets are ready, willing, and able to take your money in exchange for sharing their experience but the reality is… it’s just that, their experience. Your experience may be something else entirely.

How is that possible?

How you choose to interact on Twitter depends on your individual goals! It depends on whether your tweets represent a person, product or company. It depends on whether you have the personality and/or resources to participate proactively. It depends on your expectations for results. It depends on your time and budget.

Any combination of the above items will result in different goals and a variety of results. Determining your goals is the first step in finding your twitter voice. Just as every person has a unique personality and every company marketing campaign is built to elicit a need for their product or service; your twitter stream will be distinct to your goals.

Here are some questions to help you begin to establish your Twitter goals:

1. Is this a personal or business account?
2. Will this account be managed by several people or just one?
3. Will the account manager(s) be consistent for the life of the account?
4. Will this account be used for any one or combination of: interaction, education, motivation, branding, advertising, lead generation, sales, traffic funneling, dispensing or cultivating of information?
5. Does your budget allow for twitter stream content creation?
6. Are there existing sources of content you’ve established that can be tapped?
7. Is this something you’ll enjoy naturally or are you participating begrudgingly?
8. How does Twitter support or enhance your overall marketing plan?

Depending upon the answers, the follow up questions can go in a multitude of directions. With thorough questions centered around your business, personality, behavior and budget, you can find the most effective – and realistic – plan for your twitter stream.

If I had titled this blog post the “Two Most Important Rules for Using Twitter Effectively” the second rule would be, “After the first rule, there are no rules.”

CyberCletch guides our clients towards their Twitter focus. We’ll help you determine what can realistically be accomplished with your budget, personality and goals. If necessary, we can help you carry out that plan with content creation and management. Let us know how we can virtually assist you!

Photo Credit

Consider the following when creating your online biography:

Who are YOU?

Business cards are no longer enough. The tech savvy consumer wants to know more about you before they chance picking up the phone to call. Not only do they want to research homes online, they want to research service providers too. Even those who are new to the internet will follow a link to investigate you before deciding to make contact. Make research easy for them by having your information readily available.

Where are you?

In the past, when businesses advertised, they always offered a way for consumers to reach them by including a brick and mortar address. An online page serves the same purpose, except people don’t have to leave the comfort of their homes. Whether it’s a web site or blog bio, Google profile, or facebook fan page, the people you connect with need somewhere to learn about your services. Where this page resides will depend upon your online marketing strategy. (You do have an online strategy, don’t you?)

If your only online presence is a company sponsored template web site, use the bio page there. You’d be surprised how many websites serve blank or default profile pages! If you blog, pay special attention to the ‘about’ page. For advanced users who have multiple online portals to content, consider pointing a domain or sub domain name directly to a profile page with all your contact info consolidated. Include phone numbers and addresses for your physical office, email, web sites and active social media platforms. Increase your potential customer comfort levels by allowing them to choose how to contact you.

What are you?

Once you evaluate where the majority of your online efforts reside, turn your attention to creating a bio that represents YOUR personality. Consumers want to learn about you and the skills you bring to the negotiating table; this is your opportunity to set yourself apart. So many biographies are professional – but boring. You are more memorable if you explain why you’ve developed a love of cars and how that hobby has enhanced your career over the years.

Why you?

Make the profile compelling. Do it in a way that reflects your personality. Humor or story telling can be used to engage the reader. If you’re not a great writer, hire one! A well written bio can make the difference between a casual consumer using your services – or not. Allow potential clients to find a common interest, at the very least they will remember you! It’s your opportunity to stand out in a sea of sameness.

How are you different?

Whatever you do, don’t plagiarize someone else. Understand there are many who perform the same job, but we are all unique with a different combination of strengths and skills. Capitalize on those differences. By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard you should choose a marketing niche, the same can be said for your bio. Understand what makes your skills and services different and you will attract the clients who are looking for YOU.

When to contact?

Make it easy for consumers to get to know you by adding your online address to all your literature, emails, and your social media profiles. Provide opportunities for them to give you their contact information. If you’ve done a good job making your information available, they’ll approach you when in need of your services.

This video offeres more interesting facts about companies that have used social media to increase sales:

You can also view his Social Media Revolution video here.

Social Networking in Plain English Video:

I assumed I was observing, everyone else assumed I was joining. So I now find myself part of the Tech committee. That role quickly expanded into also writing a monthly technology and social media article for the board newsletter. Funny how things snowball, isn’t it?

Social networking is like that too. It starts small and grows into more than you ever expected.

Here is my first submission to NOCBOR’s newsletter. Members will receive it in print, or you can read it online this month at NOCBOR’s web site.

The Social Media Revolution

“Social Media is not a fad.”
“Social Media is a game-changer.”
“Some say it may even be the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution.”

So starts the preface to the newly released Swanepoel Social Media Report 2010. By now I’m sure you’ve heard of Social Media. You may even have a FaceBook page, or a profile on LinkedIn but if you’re like most people, you still may not “get it.”

“How does knowing what someone had for lunch help me get more business?”

When I decided to get my real estate license, I was new to Michigan. My entire sphere of influence consisted of 3 neighbors. I’ve put my efforts into learning about social media and the people who use it. Two of my last three contracts are a result of social media contacts. The incubation period with social media may be longer than traditional forms of marketing but if you work it along with your existing business the opportunity to keep your sales funnel filled is tremendous.

When Swanepoel refers to the “biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution, he is referring to the way in which we do business. The Industrial Revolution changed the manner in which products were produced, and created faster, more efficient ways of getting those products to market.

In the decades since, our marketing efforts were unidirectional. Realtors sent out postcards, newsletters, placed ads on benches and in grocery stores in the hopes someone looking for a home would see their information and call. We had complete control over the advertising persona we chose to show our customers.

What customers found is that the promises marketed were not always what they got. Referrals became important. We know if a past client refers us, it’s much easier to “make the sale” because we’re already a trusted advisor. The limitation is we are restricted by the number of people we know or know of us. That’s where networking groups came in. It expanded our reach to local people we may not have met otherwise.

Social Media changes marketing completely. It’s no longer unidirectional, you must be an active participant. Every day is a networking event. Participating with online platforms such as Facebook or Twitter is far easier and much more fun than walking cold into a face to face networking event. By using the tools Social Media provides us, we expand our marketing reach so when we do finally meet face to face, it’s as though we’re meeting an old friend. And old friends are the best source of referrals. Social Media interaction has the potential to be the referral process on steroids.

Are you ready for the next revolution?

Footnote: Swanepoel Social Media Report 2010 is available at www.REtrends.com

Photo Credit

I first saw this a while ago, but when @biggbybob of BIGGBY COFFEE posted it during BrandCamp University, he reminded me that I wanted to share it here. Thanks Bob! Be sure to head over to Twitter and let @equalman know what you thought of the video.