Friday 22 October 2010

How You Can Use And Abuse Social Media

Every now and then I hear a presentation that is spot on and extremely valuable.

This week I saw Mark Lee do a talk titled “How Accountants Can Use And Abuse Social Media”. But the talk could easily have been for anyone in business.

He looked at three leading US-based worldwide systems (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter) plus Ecademy based in the UK. He made a number of excellent observations from a business standpoint:

1.  Understand where existing and potential customers, clients and partners “hang out”
  • Forums
  • LinkedIn etc

2. Social Media is about building relationships, over time
  • Firstly know,
  • Then like (preferably),
  • Then trust,
  • Only then do business

3. So social media is unlikely to provide a quick business return, but can do sooner or later if used well. It’s easy to expect too much and give up too soon.

4. Social media is a “con”
  • CONversation
  • CONtent
  • CONsistency
  • CONnecting
  • CONsideration
  • CONgratulating

5. To that end:
  • Enlighten,
  • Educate
  • Entertain
and
  • Ask questions
  • Answer questions on forums
  • Reply to what you are sent

6. Bear in mind that people:
  • “Use” LinkedIn for professional purposes
  • “Play on” Facebook principally for friendship and fun, so more suitable for marketing B2C than B2B
  • “Tweet on” Twitter for personal or business through separate accounts (though some  people are successful doing  both on one account)
  • “Belong to” eCademy, typically if they are small businesses or solopreneurs
There are a lot more in the talk, and he is giving another talk focusing on LinkedIn this next Thursday 28th near Regent’s Park, London. I'm sure it will be well worth attending.

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