Social Media Marketing: Time Trap or Opportunity Magnet? New Study Reveals the Answers

Report Exposes Best Tools and Benefits of
Social Media Marketing

A surprising 64 percent of marketers are spending five or more hours weekly using social media sites like Twitter, found the just-released Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses.

"Social media marketing is an engagement with online communities to generate exposure, opportunity and sales," says report author Michael A. Stelzner, founder of WhitePaperSource, "and the real shocker is that experienced folks are investing more than 20 hours each week with social media."

Businesses of all sizes are leaping into the social media pool--and many are well-known brands. Computer giant Dell recently reported a million dollars in sales by issuing coupons on Twitter. Even Ford is using social media to interact directly with its customers.

"Social media has helped Ford quickly achieve its goal of being a top social brand and has broken down the more conservative communications processes that were in place," said Scott Monty, head of social media for Ford.

However, for most marketing pros, social media marketing is a fresh new phenomenon--and it's not just for the young professional. Among the 880 marketers surveyed, 72 percent have been at it for only a few months, and the median age was 40 to 49. "This is a story nobody else is telling," explains Stelzner. "Most marketers know the future is social media, but they aren't sure how their competitors are playing the game."

The big questions marketers most want answered about social media are also revealed in the comprehensive report. Knowing where to start and if there is real money to be made were among the top questions pros want answered.

The leading benefits experienced by social media marketers included:

#1: Generated exposure for the business (81%)
#2: Increased traffic and subscribers (61%)
#3: Established new business partnerships (56%)

The report also takes a close look at the social media tools used by marketers. "It's intriguing to see which sites the pros focus on compared to the newbies," Stelzner comments. Twitter is the big winner among all marketers, with 86 percent regularly tweeting.

Packed with 30 color charts and diagrams, the report is sure to be a quick digest for any newcomer or time-starved executive.

Download a free copy of the report.

Special Alert: This report contains a promotion and information about a BIG event at the end of May called "Social Media Success Summit 2009," starring huge social media names such as Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine Library TV), Darren Rowse (co-author of Problogger), Ann Handley (MarketingProfs), Mari Smith (Queen of Facebook), Jason Alba (wrote the book on LinkedIn), Denise Wakeman (BlogSquad), Chris Garrett (author of Problogger) and Brian Clark (copyblogger).

Don't Make These 3 Big Marketing Mistakes Part 3 - "Don't Expect Me to Know How to Punctuate"

I'm wrapping up the 3rd installment of my Don't Make These Marketing Mistakes series, with exciting article #3, "Don't Expect Me to Know How to Punctuate." You may think I'm being a little hard on folks, but I have to say that in the last few months, I have seen more punctuation errors by leading marketers, as well as businesses just getting launched, then I ever have in my professional life, and guess what? It looks bad.

Why? Because when you don't know how to punctuate, it makes you look - well, not as bright as we know you are. And that doesn't help your business or your online branding. Even worse, I am seeing people basically apologize for it up front, as if to say, I know I can't write or spell, but you'll forgive me right? Wrong.

The truth is that even if your business has nothing to do with writing in an obvious way, every business has to communicate, and in these days of competitive online marketing where you have to Twitter, blog, and jump through social networking hoops to get noticed, you don't want to be noticed for the wrong thing, as this can be just as bad as not being noticed at all.

From a marketing standpoint, I am very hesitant to purchase from a blogger or internet marketer whose copy has errors, because it simply makes me not trust them. Also, what is the point in apologizing for this? If you are weak in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, study up and practice improving through exercises, or, hire a writer or consultant to review your copy and make sure everything is correct.

So, here is my gift to readers today, a list of commonly misspelled words as well as words we frequently confuse.

Accept, Except

• accept = verb meaning to receive or to agree: He accepted their praise graciously.
• except = preposition meaning all but, other than: Everyone went to the game except John.

Affect, Effect

• affect = verb meaning to influence: Will lack of sleep affect your game?
  
• effect = noun meaning result or consequence: Will lack of sleep have an effect on your game?
  
• effect = verb meaning to bring about, to accomplish: Our efforts have effected a major change in university policy.

A memory-help for affect and effect is is RAVEN: Remember, Affect is a Verb and Effect is a Noun.

Advise, Advice

• advise = verb that means to recommend, suggest, or counsel: I advise you to be cautious.
  
• advice = noun that means an opinion or recommendation about what could or should be done: I'd like to ask for your advice on this matter.

Conscious, Conscience

• conscious = adjective meaning awake, perceiving: Despite injury, the patient remained conscious.
  
• conscience = noun meaning the sense of obligation to be good: Chris wouldn't cheat because his conscience wouldn't let him.

Idea, Ideal

• idea = noun meaning a thought, belief, or conception held in the mind, or a general notion or conception formed by generalization
  
• ideal = noun meaning something or someone that embodies perfection, or an ultimate object or endeavor
• ideal = adjective meaning embodying an ultimate standard of excellence or perfection, or the best

Its, It's

• its = possessive adjective (possesive form of the pronoun it): The crab had an unusual growth on its shell.
  
• it's = contraction for it is or it has (in a verb phrase): It's still raining; it's been raining for three days. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)

Lead, Led

• lead = noun referring to a dense metallic element
  
• led = past-tense and past-participle form of the verb to lead, meaning to guide or direct:

Than, Then

Than	used in comparison statements: He is richer than I. used in statements of preference: I would rather dance than eat. used to suggest quantities beyond a specified amount: Read more than the first paragraph.
Then	a time other than now: He was younger then. She will start her new job then. next in time, space, or order: First we must study; then we can play. suggesting a logical conclusion: If you've studied hard, then the exam should be no problem.

Their, There, They're

• Their = possessive pronoun: They got their books.
  
• There = that place: My house is over there. (This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
  
• They're = contraction for they are: They're making dinner. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)

To, Too, Two

• To = preposition, or first part of the infinitive form of a verb: They went to the lake to swim.
  
• Too = very, also: I was too tired to continue. I was hungry, too.
  
• Two = the number 2: Two students scored below passing on the exam.

Two, twelve, and between are all words related to the number 2, and all contain the letters tw.
Too can mean also or can be an intensifier, and you might say that it contains an extra o ("one too many")

We're, Where, Were

• We're = contraction for we are: We're glad to help. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)
  
• Where = location: Where are you going? (This is a place word, and so it contains the word here.)
  
• Were = a past tense form of the verb be: They were walking side by side.

Your, You're

• Your = possessive pronoun: Your shoes are untied.
  
• You're = contraction for you are: You're walking around with your shoes untied. (Pronouns have apostrophes only when two words are being shortened into one.)

---

One Word or Two?

All ready/already

• all ready: used as an adjective to express complete preparedness
  
• already: an adverb expressing time
  

  At last I was all ready to go, but everyone had already left.

All right/alright

• all right: used as an adjective or adverb; older and more formal spelling, more common in scientific & academic writing: Will you be all right on your own?
  
• alright: Alternate spelling of all right; less frequent but used often in journalistic and business publications, and especially common in
  fictional dialogue: He does alright in school.
  

All together/altogether

• all together: an adverb meaning considered as a whole, summed up: All together, there were thirty-two students at the museum.
  
• altogether: an intensifying adverb meaning wholly, completely, entirely: His comment raises an altogether different problem.

Anyone/any one

• anyone: a pronoun meaning any person at all: Anyone who can solve this problem deserves an award.
  
• any one: a paired adjective and noun meaning a specific item in a group; usually used with of: Any one of those papers could serve as an example.
  

Note: There are similar distinctions in meaning for everyone and every one

Anyway/any way

• anyway: an adverb meaning in any case or nonetheless: He objected, but she went anyway.
  
• any way: a paired adjective and noun meaning any particular course, direction, or manner: Any way we chose would lead to danger.
  

Awhile/a while

• awhile: an adverb meaning for a short time; some readers consider it nonstandard; usually needs no preposition: Won't you stay awhile?
  
• a while: a paired article and noun meaning a period of time; usually used with for: We talked for a while, and then we said good night.
  

Maybe/may be

• maybe: an adverb meaning perhaps: Maybe we should wait until the rain stops.
  
• may be: a form of the verb be: This may be our only chance to win the competition.

Additional Resources
The Elements of Style, William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White
First published in 1918 by Strunk, a professor at Cornell University, it was known as “the little book” on campus. Updated in 1957 by E.B. White, the great writer and columnist for The New Yorker, this timeless, 105-page guide should be read and referred to by anyone who writes.

Don't Make These 3 Big Marketing Mistakes Part 2- The Lazy Communicator

In Part One of "Marketing Mistakes" that I wrote about last week, I highlighted the "don't bother me on e-mail" scenario, a definite no-no and a sure fire way to not get clients. Today's post is a bit of a twist on this theme, highlighting the opposite problem - getting too much e-mail from one person/company, or, e-mail that does not match the situation and just makes the sender seem - I hate to say it - lazy.

The Web Designer Search and "Cues"
A recent case in point. I recently did some research to find designers to work on my web site, as one of my goals for this year was a refreshed site which combined my blog and main web page. I can been referred to a designer through a colleague. I liked their work and thought I would go about getting a price estimate. I even went through their web site quite carefully, and found specific sites they had designed that looked great. So, I filled out an online request for proposals form they had on their Contact Us page. I described what I was looking for in a fair amount of detail, submitted my request, and all was fine except for a strange message that said that I was now part of a "cue," and that requests were taken in order of the "cue," and that I might have to wait a while. Hmmm. I was not thrilled at this message, since the word "cue" immediately reminded me of a printer cue message, which only came up when there was a problem printing, and it stirred up negative associations. Also, even if something might take a while, a business should be aware that prompt responses, not lengthy ones, will maybe get them more clients, and faster?

This Does Not Compute
I did not hear back for about 2 days, at which point I sent a 2nd request to the contact name I had. I then heard back later that day. The sender, in this case, company founder, apologized that I needed to e-mail her again, but then reminded me once more of the "cue" system. Hmmm. Not so thrilled again. Even later on, I received another e-mail asking me to clarify what I was looking for, even though I thought I had been fairly specific. So, I clarified yet again, with bullet points and specific areas I would want them to work on.

You Don't Really Need Us
The next day, I heard back again from the owner, saying that in rereading my e-mails, it did not seem that their services were what I wanted, and that I did not, in fact, need a designer! Apparently, she was trying to talk me out of wanting her business. This struck me as strange, given that most consultants want business, particularly in a tough economy. So, I e-mailed back that I did in fact want a designer, echoing the reasons I had listed previously. I also requested that we speak on the phone to clarify things, and even offered to call them myself first.

I'm Not Calling Even Though You Want Me To
What happened next was truly shocking. I received one of the longest e-mails I have ever gotten, with a lot of fancy language about customer attention, customized services, and a whopping price estimate of close to $10,000! In a form letter, no less.

Lessons Learned
So what did I do next? Delete, delete, delete. And, I made note of everything this company owner had done wrong:

1. Don't tell clients they are part of a "cue," it doesn't go over well. How about:"Your request is important to us, and we will get back to you within 2 business days..."
2. Don't continue to send e-mails to potential clients when they have requested a phone conversation. As a consultant, I will always call someone if they request it, it is common courtesy and sets a good tone for the working relationship.
3. Why talk someone out of needing you? Is that good marketing?
4. Do not include template pricing in a form letter. The more expensive it is, the worse it looks, particularly if you have already demonstrated that you are not listening to the client to begin with. At the very least, provide customized pricing that describes the stages of work the client needs done.
5. My mistake- I should have moved on to another consultant once I started seeing too many red flags, and particularly when I got the message that said "it seems like you are not looking for what we do." Next!

Can you identify other problems with this scenario, or do you have your own? Comment here and let me know.

March Newsletter is Ready!

My new e-news is out! Stories of interest include:
*Latest activities including coverage of upcoming Chocolate Salon in SF
*Social Media Update: Say Hello to hello.txt
*Client Spotlight: MB Garage
*Guest blog post on web site of Beth Bethany, writing coach

Don't Make These 3 Big Marketing Mistakes, Part #1

Online marketing can be a great tool to promote sales and branding. But just as we don't get a second chance to make a first impression in person, so it is that an online error can cost you in credibility, likeability, subscribers, and sales. Take a look at Part 1 of 3 recent scenarios I experienced and let me know what you think...
Scenario #1: The don't bother me on e-mail case.
I was recently at a networking event and met a great (or seemingly) woman who headed up a marketing firm. I asked her if she used writers, she said yes, so we exchanged cards, and I made a note to follow up with her. The next week, I sent a follow up e-mail with links to my business and activities and a restatement of what I had said when we met - that I was interested in writing projects and providing services for her, depending on her clients and needs, etc. No response the entire week. So the week after that, I sent the email again, with a "2nd request" note in the subject line. I figured if I didn't hear back, I would call, but I wanted to first set up some initial communication on e-mail. A few days later, I got a very strange e-mail from her. It looked like an autoresponder, and was not sent to me directly. It went on about how in order to have some semblance of a life, and so that she could remain less stressed and have a "balance in her life," she only returned e-mails once every few days, and we would have to be patient about her getting back to us. The tone was very offputting and remote. And that's not the end of it...another week later, I started getting voice messages from her partner urging me to contact them for a free consultation, and that I should call back right away to get "put on the books." To use an age old expression: Oy Voy. And that's still not the end of it - I never heard back from her, period.

It doesn't take a genius to see the multitude of problems with this:

1. Who wants to hear back from someone on an autoresponder, when you took the time and trouble to e-mail them personally?
   
2. We all have the challenge of juggling our personal and professional lives, but this should not be made an issue of on e-mail, and quite frankly, if you are so stressed that you have to compose such an e-mail, you really shouldn't be in business.
3. In a co-run business, should one person not know what the other is doing?
4. Never send a message that you are too busy for someone, even if it is a potential colleague, because you also create the impression that you might be too busy for potential clients, and people won't want to refer you.
5. Never say, online or otherwise, that you're going to do something you aren't. Despite the email saying that I would hear from her in the next few days, I never did, further increasing my doubts about her credibility.
   

Needless to say, I am not interested in pursuing any business with this marketing company. And if I had any doubt left in my mind, I quickly clicked onto a promotional video on their home page, where they show the company owner giving a presentation, including a series of people consistently walking out of the room. Yipes.

Stay tuned for the rest of my series this week, marketing mistakes Parts 2 & 3. They are real doozies.

Have you observed any marketing snafus you'd like to share?

Deciding Between Newsletters, Blogs, and Social Networks, and Do You Have To?

Control Your Communications Shopping List
With all the new communication technology tools out there today, and with even more coming out everyday, it's no wonder that those who need to come up with communications plans for their organizations or businesses might be a tad confused. Where do you start, and what is most important? If I can do a newsletter, should I? If I can get a video on my home page, why not? The traditional sending out of a hard copy newsletter once a month, has now gone out the new tech window, so to speak. But the fact that just because you can make a 5 course meal for dinner doesn't mean you should.

My philosophy is that you shouldn't start too many new projects at once or you'll just get frustrated, not to mention not finishing any of them. That's why most of us do things like read one book at a time, or bring a list to the supermarket so we have some parameters. There are some things one shouldn't multitask on.

Blogs vs. Newsletters
Much of the controversy is about blogs vs. e-newsletters. Even though they are each relatively low cost propositions, they still require formatting time, writing time, advertising and marketing time (if you're doing them right), and other considerations you might not realize until you get started. I recommend starting with an e-newsletter first, to develop your brand, build a community, and get used to publishing monthly. That way when it comes time for your blog, which requires at least once a week posts, you'll at least be used to writing more regularly. You can market to your newsletter readers to subscribe to your new blog when the time comes. Also, if you sell items, potential customers are more comfortable buying through your newsletter or a link to it. They know you are reliable because you are publishing regularly, and they might want to see your company overview before investing, which a newsletter can provide better then a blog. In addition, newsletters allow you to segment your readers, so they are not all necessarily getting the same information. Constant Contact has this feature and I have seen it used successfully. With blogs, you are sending the same post to all your subscribers. If they are not interested in the topic, you will lose them as readers.

Blogging Advantages
Blogs typically rate higher in search engines, so they can provide you with more online visibility. They also put you in front of your readers more frequently, so if your readers like you, you'll develop a loyal following. Blogs also are a great linking platform for everything else - your social networking widgets, your web site, links to other blogs and web sites, etc. They also provide for greater interactivity, as you can easily post comments, and further comment on the comments, etc.

What About Social Networking?
If you're really doing it right, social networks can take up as much time as blogs and newsletters. In Twitter, you need to take the time to choose who you are going to follow pretty carefully so you have a good group to tweet to. In Facebook, you need to market your brand by building a FAN page, which can take some time. And filming videos and posting them onto YouTube can be time consuming, depending on the project. So with all this in mind, the social networks are #3 on the list, only because without your e news and blog, not to mention your basic web site, there is no link to refer people to who might want to know about your businesses. So it is really the icing on the "technology cake," so to speak.

Good luck with finding the right online tools to come up with your perfect marketing recipe for success. Ideally, all 3 tools complement each other and add up to a great communications whole. Has anyone find the right balance between blogs, e-news, and social networks? I'd like to hear your success story.

Video: Creating a Cozy Home Office

I got inspired to create a video about my home office, when I realized it really took some time to "get it right," but that it's really worth it in the end to create a comfortable, efficient space. Here are some tips:

1. Keep all the office supplies you need handy, so you can easily reach for them. That means items like pens, paper, calendar, envelopes, stamps, to do list, agenda book, etc.
2. Some everyday items make great desk accessories...I use a strawberry container as a business card holder, a holder for receipts, and a container for small items like post its and gluesticks
3. Keep a small music collection handy to help your creativity...my latest picks -- "The Best of the Mamas and the Papas" and Suzanne Vega, "Beauty and Crime"
4. Don't be shy about adding objects that bring you comic relief, such as funky pens, etc.
5. Post motivational items, such as symbols of past achievements, such as awards. For me, it's writing awards I have received, and special publications, like when my short story was published in Redbook

Happy organizing!