Tag Archives: Social network

I read the above question as the title for a Forum topic, and I got excited

I’d expected some great answers to this challenge . . . but it turned out to be merely the question.

🙁

So I reasoned that I ought to spend a minute or two developing a workable strategy.

Read on for the “magical” answer.

But, first, how do YOU manage your Online/Social Media presence?

Pick one or two responses if they apply:

A. “I don’t.”

B. “Hey, that’s why I linked to this post.”

C. “I stay up late at night to go through the day’s email, RSS feeds, network friend requests, etc. etc. etc.”

D. “I go to sleep early so I can get up at 5 a.m. (or thereabouts) to do what Responder C [above] does.”

E. “I just DO IT!”

F. “I have a regular To Do List that I follow regularly.”

Basically, all of those responses could apply to me, but the last one — Response F — is the one that I suspect would work the best.

So I’m going to imagine an ideal Social Media Regimen:

1. Devote ONE HOUR in the morning. If that means going to sleep earlier, so be it.

2. Check email for action-required messages, i.e., work-related or family requests.

3. Keep jokes and noncritical email for some other time.

4. Select one or two blog posts [either because the title is intriguing or the poster him/herself typically has insightful things to say]: then READ and COMMENT.

5. If time, go to (a) Twitter/FriendFeed, followed by (b) Facebook, followed by (c) LinkedIn and WRITE AN UPDATE.

6. Finally, read through Tweets and other platform updates and COMMENT and send DMs.

Oh, only if the World were So Perfect!

Does a “plan” like what I’ve suggested work for any of you?

Do you have a different one?

What ONE TIP would you offer me and others about making the most of your Online/Social Media presence?

Next post: Guest Article from student-mom Shijia Yu, who discusses Twitter for Business

Blogging, Twitter

What to TWEET about — Part Two

June 13, 2009 Shari Weiss 15 Comments

Best Practices for Using Twitter

Since Twitter will be changing all our lives, according to Time magazine’s recent cover story, I was thinking about how my use of Twitter differs from other Tweeple — and whether anyone could really publish a Best Practices for Using Twitter.

Don’t most of us think we are right most of the time?

If I, personally, was “right” on Saturday, May 23, when I posted my first tips on What to Tweet About — a blog entry that has so far been my most popular [732 views to date] — then I’d like to re-visit one of my Tweeting suggestions, i.e. “Share an insight that you’ve gotten all on your own and are dying to share.”

Today’s post will feature a dozen of the personal ideas I tweeted since joining Twitter this past March. My hope is that readers will find at least one of these thoughts that resonates with them in a way that invites validation through a personal story.

So tell me if any of the following ring true for you:

About Business in particular:

1 – People are NOT numbers. When businesses fully understand this, their strategies and tools will adjust.

2 – Participation is today’s Marketing & tomorrow’s Loyal Customer Base

3 – To be an effective manager: Realize that you are smarter OR wiser OR more knowledgeable than your staff . . . and coach accordingly.

About Blogging in particular

4 – Quality of content wins over fitting into someone else’s box.

5 – Content-rich means both “key words” and total substance.

About Life in general:

6 – Multi-tasking is vastly over-rated.

7 – Motivation often comes after the Hard Work is done

8 – A Work in Progress: doesn’t that describe Everything?

9 – One cannot give from a depleted state

10 – We are what we think about

11 – We like doing what we do well: when we focus our efforts on our strengths, we build our reputation and loyal followers.

12 – The more I learn, the more I want to know.

Got an experience to share? Or an insight to add?

And Follow Me on Twitter @sharisax

Next post: Marketing success will depend on tapping into Today’s New Resources

Twitter

Twitter for Business: Beyond Twitter 101

May 29, 2009 Shari Weiss 6 Comments

Today’s Twitter Lesson: How Microblogging Builds Community

Social Media is all about People: Connecting, Engaging, Listening and Helping One Another. Twitter technology can do all that!

ONE: 32 million Twitter users according to WSJ article Ten Ways Twitter will Permanently Change Business. [As of Dec 2009 68 million Tweeters]

TWO: Twitter creator Jack Dorsey has told us Twitter WILL one day [probably sooner rather than later] be as ubiquitous as email.

THREE: The only question, then, is HOW to use this amazing and “simple” technology to ReShape and ReVive Business in America [and all over the Globe]?

The BEST ANSWER is by Reading, Listening, Talking, Thinking, and DOING!

(A) Try search.twitter.com — put in “twitter for business” and VOILA! real-time URL’s to check out

(B) Study the Tweet Streams of progressive companies like @wholefoods, @jetblue, @homedepot, @SouthwestAir and “team” members at places like Dell, e.g. @ChrisBatDell

Twitter will help marketers get measureable results

Because Twitter updates in real time, you can reach an audience on the spot. It’s a great platform for asking for assistance, getting opinions, and answering questions. Much less expensive than a focus group — and so much more personal.

Twitter builds communities, and this will be especially fruitful for retailers — both local and global — as companies have the opportunity to tell customers about attractive sales and new products.

Use Twitter to engage with customers and create advocates. It really is all about People Helping People.

Sharisax Is Out There

Wise up on social media: recommended reading

May 11, 2009 Shari Weiss 1 Comment

To Be or Not to Be . . . ahead of the social media curve

Sharing is the Name of the Game

. . . that’s a Big Reason why “we” blog AND why books get written and read.

Several people recently have asked What I’m reading, and I have to smile . . . laugh, in fact.

The answer is EVERYTHING! Everything I can find to help me “catch up.”

Sometimes it is hard to realize that MOST OF THE WORLD is still in the dark about the power and value of Social Media – especially when I see online, in traditional media, and from the speakers we’ve brought to class that there are so many Experts out there.

Answers:

#1: I check Twitter for blog and article suggestions, and I read them and copy for future reference. In fact, I plan to review some of the best ones for future posts.

#2: Every day my email box is filled with articles from the blogs I’ve subscribed to — as well as group discussions — and I read as many of them as I can.

#3: I go to my local library and look at all the books cataloged 006.7. To name a few of the memorable ones I’ve read: The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging, Blogging for Dummies, Corporate Blogging by John Cass, and What No One Ever Tells you about Blogging and Podcasting edited by Ted Demopoulos.

#4: Open books around me now that I’m taking turns with: (a) Putting the Public Back in Public Relations by Brian Solis, (b) Naked Conversations by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, (c) The Google Story by David Vise, (d) WordPress for Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson, and (e) Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff.

All of that is why I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. and some of my SM friends/colleagues are getting up even earlier.

NOTE TO STUDENTS: We’re not even being tested on this . . . or are we?

[Update from Sept: I’ve finished Brian’s book PPBPR and have reviewed it in this blog AND on a Squidoo lens.

Read about Making News in the Digital Era and Twitterville.]

Next post: Blogging as a New World Path

If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment or sharing it with your followers on Twitter! You can also subscribe by email for more cool interviews and articles from Sharisax is Out There.

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Sharisax Is Out There

Social Media Strategies Work in Everyday Life, too

May 10, 2009 Shari Weiss 7 Comments

Writer’s Block? Rather, so many things to say —

How do you pick one post for the day?

This reminds me of one of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever received . . . decades ago, and I am still often sharing it with stressed-out students and friends:

Whenever Life bombards you with more challenges than a human being should have to handle, you pick ONE to focus on, and all the rest will magically and mysteriously fall into place.

Eeeeny meeny miny mo. I picked this topic:

Do’s and Don’ts I learned through my social media “research” this week:

DO’S

1. LISTEN very, very, very carefully. You never will learn if you don’t. And you will learn so much more than you ever thought if you do.

2. ENGAGE with an open mind. If you are going “out there” — whether on the Web, in the classroom, at a meeting, or in a gym — expect to give and take, which means you may actually change your mind about something.

3. THINK things through. Knee Jerk reactions are for “jerks” — be deliberate and responsible and know that if someone is really listening to you, he or she will appreciate words that are carefully considered.

4. SINCERITY can never be overrated. Genuine passion wins friends and influences all sorts of people.

5. LOVE what you do and do what you love, and as my mom always said: “The money will come” =D

DON’TS

1. This one is easier than I thought it would be: Do NOT do unto others as you would not have them do unto you.

PS Now I’m thinking of dozens and dozens more DO’s [and maybe a few DON’TS] but I’d rather share the stage: What social media strategies work in your day-to-day lives?

Next post: Social Media Reading List

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Facebook, Guest Post, LinkedIn

Marketing student compares Facebook & LinkedIn for class back in 2009

May 8, 2009 Shari Weiss 2 Comments

**GUEST POST** San Francisco State University senior Roxanne Cobbs has been an active member of this semester’s public relations class — and has functioned as a very responsible leader for two small groups, the 2nd of which investigated the topic of “Facebook for Business.”

Roxanne’s group put together an excellent power point presentation, and she agreed to write a Guest Post for my blog. She told me she’s having fun observing the social media craze and hopes to play a role in changing the world of advertising.

Facebook is COOL, but it has a way to go to reach the polish and professionalism of LinkedIn

As the world of SM keeps growing, so does my desire to obtain more knowledge about it. Every day I learn something new, enforcing the message that I need SM in my life if I want to be cutting-edge in the business world.

Having just completed a group project advocating the use of Facebook for business, I’ve gathered some interesting tidbits to add to my ever-growing list of SM need-to-knows.

So why use Facebook for business?

One key reason is its viral nature. Facebook can further assist companies in finding their target market by browsing or searching personal profiles through keyword usage. It’s also great for advertising because of its amazing reach — 276 million members and growing daily.

Facebook has a huge assortment of business applications like the demographic filtering which allows extreme precision in targeting your desired market. Of the more than 15 apps we researched, I chose my top three to help you and your business:

RSS Connect

Promote your blog — with RSS feed you can add your blog or any RSS feeds to your wall, with feeds being updated automatically and easily shared.

IEndorse

Use this app to help build relationships and your personal reputation by sending and collecting endorsements, and then post them on your Facebook Professional Profile.

My LinkedIn Profile

Keep the networking system flowing with the use of this cross-promotion app. Input your LinkedIn url or profile name and a LinkedIn badge will appear on your Facebook profile.

Though my research taught me that Facebook can be a good SNS for business purposes, I remain by my opinion that LinkedIn is much superior. LinkedIn is a polished site that resonates professionalism. It lacks the clutter and distractions of Facebook, focusing solely on professional connections — and the experts available on the site. It is not a personal, social site with information about your friends and families, but rather a site where you can network with other professionals who can aid you in your business endeavors.

by Roxanne Cobbs

Click link for an upclose and personal view of the team’s research on Facebook for Business.

Next post: Social Media Strategy works in everyday life, too.