Posts Tagged ‘small business owners’Ways to Improve, and Generate Income From, Your BlogSeptember 04th, 2010 Order This Great e-Book for Only $9.99! Hi All! Are you a small business owner or entrepreneur struggling with how to make your blog better for business building? Or, do you want to start a blog but a bit overwhelmed about how to do it…and how to do it effectively? Or, are you trying to figure out ways to generate income online with your blog? Many new clients who come to me fall into one of those categories. So if that describes you, I recommend picking up this terrific e-book (it’s only $9.99!): “A Step-by-Step Guide to a Better Blog” by Kiesha Easley, founder of WeBlogBetter.com. In this info-packed guide, she covers strategies and tips for people who already have a blog but want to improve their content, traffic, and features (like what powerful plug-ins you should add). But there is also great info for beginners who don’t have a blog and are seeking guidance about how to start one–easily and effectively. I picked-up a copy of the guide and found it to be very helpful. Heck, for only $10 bucks, why not??? Also, for those of you who have a blog already, or when you get one started, be sure to read this article: 5 Sensible Ways to Monetize Your Blog by Evelyn Parham. I’ve tweeted this link and shared it on my Fan Page. It is a GREAT article with quick and easy tips about how you can actually make some extra money from your blog. Read it!!! If you pick-up a copy of the e-book, and read the article I mentioned, you will definitely benefit from the tips you’ll learn. We bloggers, newbies or experienced, spend quite a bit of time on our blogs, so personally I find it worthwhile to learn as much as I can to improve mine. It’s an on-going process and there’s always new strategies to check out…good luck! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Ten Easy and Affordable SEO Tips for Small Business OwnersAugust 24th, 2010Hi All! Many new clients who come to me have spent a significant amount of money getting their websites designed and developed by a webmaster. Or, they have designed it themselves using many of the templates available. But regardless of “how” their website was done, one thing MOST of them have no clue about is SEO (search engine optimization). The excitement for their new website quickly fades when I have to coach them about SEO; explaining that without an optimized website (or blog) their chances of being found in online search results are greatly reduced…by a TON! Personally, I look at SEO as a science. So I outsource my SEO work to a specialist. However, if budget is an issue for you, and you handle your own SEO, or plan to, here is a great article I recently came across with 10 great tips you can easily implement without breaking the bank. The title is: “10 Quick and Affordable SEO Tips”. It was written by Karen Scharf, the Small Business Marketing Consultant, and her company, Modern Image Communications, also offers affordable SEO services. Here are the FIRST FIVE TIPS she shares: 1. Submit to Search Engines You want to make sure that your website has been submitted to search engines. SEO is all about optimizing your position in various search engines, but this is only relevant if you are actually listed in the search engines. When your website is brand new and it has no incoming links yet, it can be difficult for the spiders to find it, so it’s a good idea to hand submit your site to the search engine. 2. Clean up Your Site Make sure your website is organized and clear. It is especially important to clean up any dead links. Fix any errors that may appear on your site and double check to make sure your entire site’s html is up to par. There are online services that can help you do this. Since search engines primarily work and rank websites through the use of robots it is important to make sure all of the technical aspects of your website are in good working order. This helps ensure that the robots can quickly and freely crawl through your site and they won’t encounter any errors or roadblocks that force them to abandon your site too soon. 3. Use Good Keyphrases If you’re trying to optimize your brand new website for a single keyword, you’ll be fighting an uphill battle. Try longtail keyword phrases instead (a phrase that is four words or longer) because they are less competitive and easier to get started with. Be sure to research the phrases that your target market is actually searching for, and then do the competitive research to ensure that you actually have a chance of ranking for those phrases. 4. Create Good URLs Creating readable URLs is especially important if you’re using a content management system or otherwise generating dynamic URLs. While evidence suggests that Google’s new algorithm does not apply much weight to keyword rich URLs, other search engines do. And since it’s such an easy step to create relevant URLs, it’s worth the few seconds of extra time it might take, if only to make it easier on your human site visitors. Make sure that your URLs are indicative of the kind of information that your visitors will encounter on that page. 5. Improve your Title Tags Title tags are still an important aspect of search engine placement, and since they are so extremely easy to update this is a step that definitely needs to be included in your affordable SEO plan. Make sure that your title tags are keyword rich and appropriate to the subject matter of the particular web page. And make sure you use a unique title tag on each and every page in your site. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FINAL FIVE! You definitely need to know ALL 10 of the tips Karen suggests! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Queen of Twitter Shares Social Media Tips for Small Business OwnersAugust 01st, 2010Hi All! Are you curious to know what it takes to get 70,000 (yes, I wrote 70,000) followers on Twitter? Are you interested in knowing basic tips that can potentially generate an increase in traffic to your website of over 5000%? Then you need to know about the fabulous Jessica Northey! She is pushing 70k followers and she has helped some of her clients see an increase in their web traffic by that gigantic percentage using Twitter as the driver. Jessica recently wrote a quick-hit list of around 30 tips that can help small business owners, entrepreneurs and solopreneurs (such as: coaches, consultants, trainers, speakers and authors) have more success using Social Media in their overall Marketing Plan. And she gave me the thumbs-up to share 15 of those tips here…and, sure, you may already know some of them. But, you may not. And unless you’re totally content with the amount of followers you have, and you’re totally happy with your web traffic numbers, keep reading! But before we jump into the tips, just who IS this Queen of Twitter on the verge of hitting a mega amount of 70k followers? Well, aside from being a Social Media Expert who is contributing a chapter to my new book due out this fall, “The Promote U Guru Guide to Branding and Marketing”, Jessica has 20 years of experience in the Media industry, including Television, Radio, Internet and Print sales, as well as being an on-air personality. Now, as The SocialMediologist, she is known for being able to create complete successful marketing campaigns and bridge partnerships. Plus, she is the Associate Editor and Social Media Expert for the popular entertainment industry blog, FullThrottleCountry.com. In her weekly column, Finger Candy Friday, she offers advice and opinions on social media trends and topics. So what are 15 of the 30′ish quick tips she advises? Here you go: 1. Set a strategy for Social Media optimization and be consistent. Nothing looks worse than months without activity! 2. Take advantage of the free applications like ping.fm to streamline your Social Media efforts. 3. Don’t forget the blog! It is such a great way to control your own content & establish yourself as an authority in your industry! 4. Think of Social Media like you were scheduling radio commercials. When is your target audience listening? 5. Don’t spray and pray. Narrow your message to your target audience. 6. Connecting with other people should be your number one goal. 7. Educate yourself and understand how your target audience uses Social Media. 8. Don’t put all your “eggs” in one basket. Diversify your Social Media efforts and use multiple platforms. 9. Add Social Media Platform Participation links to Business cards, letterhead, vehicle wrap, Broadcast and Print Media. 10. On Twitter, register with wefollow.com & twellow.com and use to find people w/similar interests to get social with. 11. Define your goals and manage your own expectations. 12. Don’t get caught up in the Social Media drama & try to stay connected to positive people. 13. Budget at least half an hour a day to Social Media efforts. 14. Download Tweetdeck, Seismic or Twitterific for a better understanding of how to use Social Media platforms to their full potential. 15. Use Social Media to have discussions w/followers. Ask them for feedback and see what they want! CLICK HERE TO READ THE FINAL 15! And don’t miss the last 15 tips…she shares names and links to tools to support and improve your social media marketing efforts. Want even MORE great tips to build your personal brand or business brand awareness, increase traffic to your website, and drive your target audience to your social media communities? Then also be sure to CLICK HERE to access my YouTube Channel! View short “how to” videos loaded with marketing, PR, social media, book marketing, and branding tips. Thanks for the great info, Jessica And to all of you… Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa 2 Ways Leaving Your Computer Can Get You More Business, Faster!July 20th, 2010Hi All! One of the first things new clients ask me is, “How can I get clients faster?”. They know building a social media presence needs to be part of their branding and marketing mix, but that can take time to generate leads and sales. So here’s my short answer to them, “Start speaking and network.” Some of you may be thinking, “Duh”. But I’m here to tell you it’s not something many people think of. I know many small business owners who stay huddled in-front of their computers “hoping” they’ll generate clients through Twitter and trolling around Facebook. They forget that part of social networking means leaving their home office and actually talking to other humans, in person. Public Speaking: One of the ways I get clients quickly is by speaking. I conduct seminars and workshops, and have my target audience for consulting and coaching sitting in front of me for a few hours. Basically, think of conducting a presentation as an audition. And, yes, I charge registration fees to attend my presentations, and I pack them full of great info, but there’s always several attendees who approach me afterwards who want to hire me to help them with their branding, marketing, PR and social media strategies one-on-one. So, I can generate revenue from not only conducting the actual seminar or workshop, but also from the attendees who hire me after. As long as speaking doesn’t totally freak you out, do it. And even if it does terrify you, but you want to try it, do it! I don’t care what your profession is, you can come up with at least ONE presentation topic that people will be interested in. So, think about that, and develop a presentation your target audience will benefit from! And, just fyi, the clients who I help develop speaking topics for, and who get “out there”, benefit tremendously. So, it’s not just working for me personally. Networking: When I ask most new clients how they are currently generating business, very few of them mention “networking” in-person. That’s unreal to me! There has got to be one or more professional associations in your area that have members who are your target audience. It’s also a great way to meet people for strategic alliances, partnerships, support, and referrals. Whenever I attend a networking event, I always walk away with leads OR with contacts who can refer people to me. And this results in getting clients faster. So, I strongly encourage you to investigate networking groups in your area, grab a stack of business cards, and go to their next event or mixer! As I say often, this all may seem like common sense BUT it’s not common practice. If you choose to try one or both of these strategies, you could see an up-tick in business faster than you thought possible. Sure, I love social media, and have benefited from using it in my business building mix, but the 2 strategies I just shared typically get me more business, faster. And they can work for you, too! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Why Developing a Personal Brand as an Employee is Important for Career SuccessJuly 11th, 2010Hi All! Most people know me as a Branding Expert who works with speakers, authors, solopreneurs (ie: coaches, consultants, trainers, etc.), entertainers, and small business owners. But I also conduct workshops and seminars for employees of corporations on how and why developing a Personal (Leadership) Brand platform for themselves is important to their career growth, success and advancement. And I also discuss this quite a bit in my second book, “Millennials Into Leadership: The Ultimate Guide for Gen Y’s Aspiring to Be Effective, Respected, Young Leaders at Work”. Here is a brief overview, that I call D.A.C.C., which explains why, even if you’re an employee and not self-employed, developing your own Personal Brand in the workforce is necessary: DIFFERENTIATION:
AUTHENTICITY:
CONSISTENCY:
CLARITY:
Take some time to think about your core values, work ethic, personality, and unique attributes that you bring to a work environment, and write your own Personal Brand Positioning Statement. And then once it’s crafted to your liking, proclaim it, live it, and BE your brand! BTW: I even know some employees who have taken it a step further and added a “visual brand” element to their overall branding. What do I mean by this? One woman I know always wears striped socks at work, and she is known for that (as well as her positive personal attributes); and one young man I know is known for always wearing funny hats to work. Think of this in terms of Donald Trump and his hair…we all may laugh at it, but he is keenly aware that it’s part of his visual brand, he knows it is a topic of conversation, and he loves that the media talks about it. In the book that I wrote (mentioned above), I have a whole chapter with quotes from senior executives about the importance of personal branding, as it pertains to leadership, in the workforce. One that I love, and that really sticks with me, is: “Be aware that people are watching what you say and what you don’t say, and what you do and what you don’t do. Your next opportunities, and indeed reputation, will be impacted by the actions and decisions you make day-to-day…everyday.” By determining your personal brand at work, and living it consistently, you are building and creating a “reputation” that can foster career success – faster than the employees who choose not to. Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Do You Struggle With Having Breakdowns vs Breakthroughs?June 15th, 2010Hi All! Yes, many clients hire me as their Branding/Marketing Consultant and/or Publicist, but I’m also a Certified Business Coach. And, regardless of “what” role someone hires me for, my “coaching” hat gets put on at some point. Why? Because even some of the most successful people I work with often struggle with having breakdowns vs breakthroughs…and it affects their professional and personal success and progress. And, no, I don’t mean major emotional breakdowns requiring medication! I mean those obstacles that get thrown at you all the time in business and life, that cause you moments of feeling overwhelmed and paralyzed…typically due to self doubt. So this blog post isn’t one of my typical ones pertaining to PR, Publicity, Branding, Marketing or Social Media tips. It’s focused on YOU, and how to avoid having breakdowns vs breakthroughs. Honestly, many people suffer from self-sabotage in the form of not taking responsibility for their actions. It can be more comfortable for them to stay in the “victim role” because they can put blame on everyone else for whatever is not working in their lives. And although placing blame on others for your own “issues” can be quite seductive (it gets you off the hook for doing any self introspection and work), it can be more exhausting than simply being honest with yourself. Also, and most importantly, the “victim role” mentality can make it virtually impossible to realize significant breakthroughs for progress…yet totally possible to experience consistent breakdowns in making progress within any aspect of your life. Breakthroughs = Empowerment + Growth + Happiness Breakdowns = Disempowerment + Stagnation + Sadness To effectively breakthrough a personal, professional or emotional obstacle, the driving force behind it is taking responsibility for your actions and trusting yourself. For many, this can be easier said than done! Let’s take a moment to look at both of those drivers more closely: Responsibility: You gain significant empowerment and freedom when you choose to shift your perspective from assigning blame to accepting responsibility. And although you may feel in control when assigning blame to others for your personal obstacles, the reality is you are totally out of control. Why? You have given your power to someone else. And even though it may feel like a “relief” initially, it can manifest itself into more stress later. You simply cannot resolve personal issues, and have breakthroughs, when the power is not your own. At the point of assigning blame, and releasing all responsibility for challenges in your life, not only have you given all the power to others, your “destiny” becomes based on their next move and decisions…not yours. And, being able to shift your perspective to being someone who takes responsibility, starts with having self-trust. Self-Trust: Self-trust is the foundation to our being. If you do not have self-trust, whom can you really trust? And, suffering from lack of self-trust leads to self-doubt. Having doubt in yourself is a powerful force that can set you up for failure in anything you attempt. Why? Because you are already assuming the decisions you make, and actions you take, probably aren’t the right ones, and they won’t provide you with the results you desire. Think of this in terms of (2) real-world scenarios: Scenario One: You want to make a career change because you’re bored or very unhappy with your current occupation. If you lack self-trust, your decision of making a change could be clouded by self-defeating “doubt” questions like: Am I smart enough to do this? Can I afford to do this? What will my friends, family and peers think? What if they think I’m stupid for making this career change? By having those types of self-doubt questions running through your brain you can actually talk yourself out of making the career change before you even try! Or, even before you look at options and first steps to making the career change. And what is the result of that? Being stuck in a career you no longer enjoy and wishing you were doing something else…yet never even trying to make the change happen! Scenario Two: You don’t have enough business and you’re struggling…but have your REALLY done the work to get more business? Or do find yourself blaming the economy, the competition, the powers that be? I have clients who come to me complaining about lack of business. And when I ask them what their business development strategies have been (prior hiring me), they tell me and I don’t doubt they’ve been struggling. Posting a couple blog posts, a few tweets here and there, created a website, and occasionally go to networking events. And they truly believe the “problem” is all about the economy. They soon realize they are not doing enough, they need to take responsibility for that, and they need to stop blaming others for their lack of business success. Take some time to ask yourself:
Your personal success and business success depend on YOU…you can have the best brand platform in the world, a terrific marketing strategy, an amazing book…but none of them will get you where you want if the demons in your head constantly try to sell you garbage…and you buy it! Cheers to your happiness & success! Lisa 4 Ways to Sabotage Getting the Media Coverage You WantMay 14th, 2010Hi All! I recently wrote a blog about “How to Write a Killer Press Release & Where to Deploy It Online“. This is an impromptu follow-up to that topic, and was prompted by a consulting session I had with a client this week. My client is a (new) book author, so we wrote and distributed her first ever Press Release a few weeks ago. We deployed it online, and it was also sent to a targeted list of specific media we identified (newspapers, magazines, radio/tv shows and blogs). Fast forward to this week…she is very unhappy that her phone hasn’t been ringing off the hook with interview requests. I clearly explained that if it was “that easy” we’d all be featured in the Wall Street Journal or on The Today Show whenever we wanted. It takes effort! Here are the key tips and strategies I told her to do right after the Press Release went out…and as of this week she had NOT done any of them…hence the “not getting much coverage” issue. And, by the way, this is where most speakers, authors, small business owners and entrepreneurs drop the ball when it comes to getting media coverage through their PR efforts (so it’s not just her): 1. They Don’t Follow Up: When you send a Press Release to a targeted list of media, you have to follow up with them. And sometimes you have to follow up quite a few times. The media is bombarded daily with news, so you have to be the “squeaky wheel” to get their attention. Yes, it’s like doing sales calls, and it’s not the most fun thing to do in the world, but unless you have a Publicist to do it for you, it’s a task you must take on. It is critical!!!! 2. They Don’t Share With Their Social Media Communities: Once your Press Release is done, share the link to it on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. First of all, you don’t know who may see it and share it. Secondly, you have no idea who are all the followers your followers have. For example, on Twitter, I had someone retweet a tweet of mine about a Press Release. One of her followers is the host of a very popular BlogTalk Radio show, that reaches my target audience, and that person contacted me for an interview. I also was contacted by a reporter from the NY Times, and have been interviewed by her several times, because of a retweet. 3. They Don’t Post On Their Website: When you write a Press Release, create a page for it, optimize it with keywords and phrases, and upload it. Not only can it get found in search results for on-going traffic generation, but it’s important to share the news on your website. And even when the Press Release becomes “old” it can still drive traffic to you and attract media interviews for you. 4. They Don’t Post It On Their Blog: Use your Press Release as a blog post. It’s okay to occasionally promote news about yourself there. And if you’re on WordPress, and have added the All in One SEO Pack plug-in, this will also help get your news found online. So, there is your crash course in what to do AFTER your Press Release has been written and distributed. It takes EFFORT to get media interviews (unless you have truly earth-shattering news or you’re fairly well-known). But, the media is always looking for news, they have a lot of air time or pages to fill, so you can get your share of coverage if you’re consistent and persistent! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa I’m Conducting a Teleseminar Series in June: Branding, PR/Publicity and Social MediaMay 08th, 2010Hi All! This is a blog post for a bit of self-promotion. Hey! I gotta spread the word, right?? Here’s info about the really cool teleseminar series I’m doing in June…pulled from a Press Release I’m sending out to promote them: Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru, is conducting three teleseminars in June for small business owners, entrepreneurs, speakers, industry experts, and authors who want to build their brand awareness and increase sales. The three teleseminar topics are: Brand Building, PR & Publicity, and Social Media. Each one will provide attendees with tips, strategies and advice they can implement immediately, even on a tight budget. The Promote U Business Building Teleseminar Series will be conducted in June 2010, and the dates are: Promote U Through Brand Building, June 8th; Promote U Thru PR & Publicity, June 11th; and Promote U Thru Social Media, June 16th. Each teleseminar is from 10:00 am to 11:00 am PST. And, because these are teleseminars, attendees can attend from anywhere from their phone. Internet and computer access are not required. The event website with details of each teleseminar: PromoteUGuru.com/teleseminars “Lisa knows her stuff and so much fun to work with! I can’t believe how much she has improved my brand positioning, sales, marketing and social media strategies, and PR efforts,” shares one Orrell client, Karin Piper, Author of Charter Schools: The Ultimate Handbook for Parents. “So I can tell you the content she’ll offer in these teleseminars is going to be very helpful…no fluff!” The upcoming teleseminar series is being sponsored by: PersonalBrandingBlog.com, WeMeUs.com and 428Designs.com. And the cost to attend individual teleseminars is $29, or people can choose to attend all 3 for a special package price of $69. “Prior to launching my Promote U Guru business, I ran an award-winning ad agency in Silicon Valley for 20 years. So I have been helping larger companies with branding, marketing, PR and social media for a long time. But now I focus on working with small business owners and individuals, and my vast experience benefits them immensely,” explains Lisa Orrell, a Branding Expert, Marketing Consultant and Business Coach. “Plus, aside from being a business owner for over 20 years, I’m the author of 2 books and a professional speaker myself. So I understand the challenges of those individuals who are trying to promote their books, build a brand platform for speaking, and/or who are trying to grow their small business (in any industry).” Based on her 2 decades of business and marketing experience, Orrell has been interviewed by, or written articles for, a wide variety of media, including: ABC, MSNBC, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, NY Times, WomenEntrepreneur.com, U.S. News & World Report, The Silicon Valley Business Journal, China’s Her World magazine (for professional business women), PersonalBrandingBlog.com, BNET.com, and countless others. I hope to see you in my “virtual” classroom for 1, 2 or all 3 of my teleseminars! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa 2010 Social Media Marketing Report Answers How Companies Are Using Social Media to Increase BusinessApril 21st, 2010Hi All, An in-depth (free!) Special Report was just released by Michael A. Stelzner, Executive Editor of Social Media Examiner. It’s entitled: “2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses”. But don’t let the word “marketers” deter you! In this context it simply means ANYONE responsible for the branding and marketing of their business. So whether you’re a speaker, author, small business owner with ANY type of company, or entrepreneur, you will benefit from the info in this Special Report. AGAIN…this is NOT a document just for marketing experts seeking recent statistics and strategies! Here is a brief overview about it and why you should check out this FREE Special Report: Have any of these questions crossed your mind? “How much time do my peers invest in social media marketing? What benefits are they achieving? Where will they focus their efforts in the future?” If you’ve pondered any of these thoughts, look no further. All the answers are right here in this free report. To understand how marketers are using social media, Social Media Examiner commissioned the 2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. We set out to uncover the “who, what, where, when and why” of social media marketing with this report. A significant 1900 of your peers provided the type of valuable insight you won’t find elsewhere. In this free report you’ll discover:
If you’re in charge of marketing for your business, you’ll want to closely analyze the pages of this report and use it to persuade others. This is FREE and filled with 33-pages of great info! Enjoy! Lisa PART ONE: Your A-Z Guide of Social Media and Business CommunicationMarch 18th, 2010 GUEST POST BY: Susan Young, President of Get in Front Communications, Inc. Hi All! The following post is a Guest Article courtesy of the fabulous Susan Young! Susan works with professionals who want to supercharge their communication skills, self-confidence and success. She’s the President of Get in Front Communications, Inc., a public relations and communications training company. Susan provides presentations and coaching on sales, Reading Body Language, Emotional Intelligence, public speaking, Social media and news. Visit www.getinfrontblogging.com and www.getinfrontcommunications.com. Follow Susan on Twitter @sueyoungmedia. Here is PART ONE of her Guest Post which explains her tips A-M…Part Two will be posted SOON! The way you communicate in your business relationships is directly tied to your revenues, reputation and success. Of course Social Media and technology are forcing us to set new rules, boundaries and etiquette. Back to grade school we go! Here are the ABC’s of Outstanding Social Media and Business Communication: A is for authenticity. In the case of Social Media and online networking, the old adage “Fake it ’til you make it” doesn’t work. Genuine is in; fake is out. Be yourself; be real. B is for brand. Every message, tweet, blog and communication should reflect some hint of your brand and who you are. C is for control yourself. Be careful not to slam or insult anyone online as it can come back to bite you in ways you never imagined. D is for dialogue. Get involved in the conversations, groups and chats with meaningful contributions that reveal both your expertise and personality. Communication is a two-way street. E is for Easy Does It. Before you jump into conversations or new arena’s, take a look around. Follow chats, Tweets and groups. Find the opinion leaders, and movers and shakers. Then slowly get involved. F is for forge relationships. Pay attention to your loyal followers, ideal client targets and competition. Thank those who Retweet or share your information with others and connect with them offline. Follow what others are doing and comment on their blogs and sites. Interactive is a beautiful thing. G is for Get in Front. This is about being proactive and making things happen. It’s not about being aggressive, obnoxious or ”in your face.” It’s subtle marketing, branding and sharing value–online. H is for headlines. Catchy news-style headlines of 5-8 words (including keywords) that address people’s needs/challenges will attract readers and followers, and help your SEO efforts. I is for identify. Identify your niche. Identify your area of expertise and passion. Identify industry leaders. Identify trends in your field. Identify your ideal clients. Determine where they ”hang out” online and go there. Watch them. We are in an amazing age where we have access to CEO’s, prominent business leaders and superstars that we never could have mingled with before. And don’t forget, identify your competition and watch them too. J is for just get going. Don’t whine that blogging takes too much time, or you’ll have to learn new technology. Look at Social Media and online networking as a breakthrough opportunity that the world has never experienced. Imagine the stories you’ll tell your grandchildren! If you want to bellyache instead of learn, get back in bed and pull the covers over your head. Everyone else is going places. It would be nice if you came along. K is for knowledge. Know your followers, why they connect with you and what you provide to them. Then give them more of what they want. If you don’t know, start asking them. L is for limit your personal life when doing business. It’s great to share your personal insights or “Lessons Learned” but too much information about your private life when you are online to build your business reputation can backfire and destroy your credibility. M is for mistakes. You’re bound to send out a message with a wrong link or misspelled word. Fix it if necessary, send out a correction or apology and move on. It happens to everyone. The nice thing about Social Media, especially Twitter, is that it’s a very forgiving community Thank you, Susan! You ROCK! PART TWO of the A-Z tips will be posted soon! Lisa
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