You should know, I'm launching another blog! If you haven't already done so, subscribe now to my Social Media Marketing Tips newsletter. Of course, when you do, you'll also get access to my free eBook: Social Media Marketing Essentials Guide For Small Business Professionals.
What's Going On?
Just so ya know, when you click the video above, your browser will redirect to MelAclaro.com. That's where the rest of the "Taboo" series, will be posted moving forward. Don't worry, I'm not shunting you off to someone else. I'm the same guy at both sites. I just wanted to let you know about that before you clicked. It's a precaution in case you're like me and one of my two cats: move our food bowl and we become immobile with confusion. ;)
I'll post a follow up article soon about about the new site I'm hosting at MelAclaro.com. (a.k.a. VideoMarketingRoadmap.com)
Is BusinessCasualBlog.com Shutting Down...?
I'll explain more about what's up in a follow up article. Soon. I promise.
This video is one of the dozens of free social media marketing video training and "how to" modules on Jara University. It's packed with hours of free social media marketing training for business. It includes social media marketing tips for: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Content / eMail Marketing, professional/expert seminars, a whole videoBook, eBooks and much more. You can register now for free by downloading the (also free) Social Media Marketing Essentials Mini Course and newsletter.
social media marketing video - "what are listening posts?"
The "Day 2" Series (cont.) - What Are "Listening Posts?"
This social media marketing video picks up where we left off yesterday on the big picture of "hub and spokes."
In Part 2 of this series (this one), I basically jabber along about an overview of the role of the "little blue bubbles" in the hub-and-spokes diagram. These "listening posts" essentially represent the mortar that binds your hub-and-spokes strategy together. And, perhaps more pointedly, if there is any part of your whole social media engagement strategy that is appropriate to be "outsourced" to some kind of automation, this would be it.
To clarify: I'm not saying you should automate the responses you give to people whom you hear is saying stuff about you. Rather, it will help you be more efficient to automate the part of that whole process that informs you when someone is saying stuff about you. (Good or bad.) Then, when you find out, your responses should be personally written or created by you.
Does that make sense? In addition to the automation alert engines I point out in this video, what other automation tools do you use to keep you informed of keywords and key phrases being "spoken" in the social sphere?
This video is one of the dozens of free social media marketing video training and "how to" modules on Jara University. It's packed with hours of free social media marketing training for business. It includes social media marketing tips for: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Content / eMail Marketing, professional/expert seminars, a whole videoBook, eBooks and much more. You can register now for free by downloading the (also free) Social Media Marketing Essentials Mini Course and newsletter.
When you first start off with a new account on Twitter, the number of followers you have initially can be a bit depressing. But, it doesn't have to stay that way.
In this video, I show you 6 steps we can all take immediately to begin getting visibility with lots of others on Twitter. These tips help you NOT have to resort to spammy tactics or blind automation to attract followers. In other words, you'll be building the best kind of followership: organically.
This video is one of the dozens of free training vids I've created for Jara University. The whole site is jammed-packed with hours of free training content, including: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Content / eMail Marketing, professional/expert seminars, the whole videoBook and much more. You can register now for free by signing up for my free newsletter: Social Media Marketing Tips. AND, when you do, you can also get the 133 page / 20-video mini-course on Social Media Marketing Essentials For Small Businesses. (Um, also free.)
This is the third in the series from my videoBook on JaraUniversity's website. The videoBook is based on the Social Media Field Guide For Real Estate Professionals, which I wrote last year. The whole videoBook series is available immediately with a free registration on JaraUniversity.
In this video, I present the section from our book that walks you through the transition from "social networks" to "social media". In the second half, I talk a bit about the social web's culture of trust, openness and transparency, as well as the importance of working within that culture in order to effectively engage customers via social networks.
This is an excerpt from Section 1.2 of the videoBook I published for JaraUniversity. It's based on the Social Media Field Guide For Real Estate Professionals, which I co-wrote last year.
The video above actually follows on the heels of Section 1.1 - Social Web's Connectivity Revolution, which I posted back in November. In Section 1.2 above I pick up where I left off and continue with a whirlwind of some of the major players in "Web 2.0" (and how's that different from "Web 1.0," anyway?) as the transition in the social web was switching from broadcast type media to social media.
Of course, in some of the downstream videos (coming later?), I drill down closer to some of the tools, platforms and efficiency behaviors that have emerged as "best practices" (which seems to be a continuously moving target, huh?) that we and others in this space have found to be really helpful.
If you don't want to wait for the slow unveil, by the way, then it'll help you to know that I'm making the entire videoBook series available for free on our new new-media training and support site at JaraUniversity.com. Click here. Register for free. And let me know your thoughts about additional topics you'd like to see on the site.
If you've been following this blog for at least a couple of months, then you're already aware of my having launched MindBridj.com early last month. The idea I had for MindBridj was to set it up as an online video-based training site to augment the information in a book I co-wrote last year about social media for those who are relatively new to it. (The book, itself, was written for real estate professionals, but it could just as well apply to professionals in other industries.)
No sooner did I roll out with MindBridj.com than did other interesting opportunities begin lining up. (Life is a little funny that way.)
Well, since the MindBridj launch, I'm pleased to announce having since expanded, yet again, the people I can potentially reach with the information I developed for MindBridj. Early this month, I began laying the foundation for a partnership with a leading real estate trainer in Orange County Southern California. (Update: Changed to SoCal b/c I was just reminded that he does a lot of seminars in the Inland Empire, as well). My good friend, Jacob Swodeck, also a pretty well-followed real estate trainer and Short Sale expert in Orange County SoCal, wanted to expand his own services to help student/customers from his live workshops (also in the real estate space) leverage social media for their respective businesses. It seemed a natural fit.
So, for the past 4 to 6 weeks, I've been somewhat sequestered while we worked out details of building out a new site that merged elements of MindBridj with another venture Jacob founded early this year, formerly called LetsJara. The result is JaraUniversity.com.
Jara-U is still in its early launch stage but we've already begun taking both free registrations and paid subscriptions. You can get an overview in the short video above (also on the JaraUniversity.com home page), but the gist of Jara-U's offerings will initially include:
Full access to all chapters of the videoBook version (i.e., "vBook Online") of my book
Full access to a perpetually growing online library of social media skills training videos (i.e., "Success Library")
Full access to online coaching discussion forums
Audio seminars with business professionals who are making successful use of social media in their businesses today
Downloadable video files of all Success Library modules (MP4 format; playable on PCs, Macs, iPhone/iPods)
Downloadable audio files of all audio seminars (playable on MP3 players, iPhones, iPods)
Full text transcripts for all seminars
"Action steps" following each seminar to guide members on next steps to follow for implementing the tips discussed in the audio seminars
What Does This Mean For My Existing Subscribers on MindBridj.com??
It means that you are likely (again) getting a free upgrade to an online campus with even more features than what I currently have on MindBridj. (I'll lay out details in an email I'll be sending later today to all existing MindBridj.com members.)
A Shameless Request
But, if you're not currently a member, I'd appreciate you taking a looksee and consider registering under the FREE plan. THEN--and only if you see value in it for some of your friends--I'd love it if you saw fit to let your friends know via your own social and live networks. But, if you do pass it along, let me know. I think I can talk the bosses into a discount. ;) It's okay, I know people.
In my last post I included a web video to illustrate some points from my videoBook (vbook) about the decision funnel--or sales funnel--and how each of its stages still very much apply in the world of social media. And while some might make claims about marketing "as we know it" as being dead, it isn't really so much that the underlying framework is dead or obsolete, but rather the the nuances of communicating with prospects and contacts "in the pipe," so to speak, are different. I go into a little more detail in the short web video above.
Highlights: The Megaphone Effect In the Decision Funnel
After the point of sale, the customer lifecycle doesn't stop. It continues with customers experiencing our services, forming opinions and then broadcasting those opinions out to others
It used to be that the barriers for expressing those opinions were high. But, with the advent of social media, those barriers have been greatly reduced.
There's now a megaphone effect that affects those upstream in the decision funnel.
We're accountable for the quality and delivery of our services long before many people even decide to buy into our offerings.
Interesting sidebar: Listening activities play a big role in this cycle. If you're not clued-in to what people say, when they say it and where they choose to say it, then your ability to respond is limited. Worse, it can appear to your customers and observers that you don't pay attention to what your customers have to say.
Thoughts? Have you experienced any situations where people seemed to know more about you before you even met them?
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A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of keynoting a meeting in Anaheim Hills, CA with a great group of real estate professionals from the Orange County and Riverside areas.
My presentation was based on the "Hubs and Spokes" discussion from Chapter 3 of the vBook on MindBridj. As I was tee-ing up the discussion I touched on an objection I usually have when it comes to claims about "the death of" traditional marketing due to social media. I posted a video presentation of that section above. (The first in a series.)
Highlights: Traditional Marketing is Dead... Right?
Claims that are occasionally made by some social media advocates about "traditional marketing" being dead are a bit grandiose. In fact, much of it still applies--even in the social media generation.
While the Decision Funnel (Sales Pipeline) still applies, perhaps the "flavor" of it has changed.
As new technologies, new demographics and even cultural diversity evolve, the method for engaging others and generating awareness has (appropriately) evolved, but....
If you liked this, or any of the articles on this site, please subscribe! If your organization can use help transforming live training for online delivery, find out more here.
In yesterday's post I previewed the discussion I'm keynoting with a group of real estate professionals this week; tomorrow, as a matter of fact. The idea being the need to be deliberate about structuring an approach to social media engagement that isn't the proverbial "shotgun" marketing strategy. Or, what we used to call in my old Navy-air (P3 / ASW) days as the "Sherwin Williams tactic." (Y'know, "cover the earth"?)
It all begins, of course, with a definition of purpose. We discuss this in Chapter 2 of our book and, of course, also in the vBook. Call it a personal mission statement, vision statement, purpose statement or what have you. Folks who are new to the idea of engaging social media channels for business should take some time first to understand what it is they hope to accomplish. And, no fair saying, "to make money." Because if it were me, I'd be asking: Well what kind of money? From what demographic? Offering what services? For whom? Is it really just for dollars or is there a trust factor you're striving for?
You get the picture. Keep asking "why", "for whom" and "how" at each level and eventually you get to a point of granular reasoning that hits closest to your purpose for your social media activities. And, no matter what other things you end up discovering about your purpose, bundled in there somewhere will be the need to earn an element of trust and credibility with the folks you come in contact with.
So it is that the "hub" in the "Hub and Spokes" framework is a key part of your engagement strategy. I extracted a video element from Chapter 3 of my vBook on the MindBridj site that touches a little more on the concept of the hub. Now, keep in mind, this one suggests a blog being at the core of that "hub". But, it doesn't have to be. (Though in most cases, it probably will be.)
The summary below should especially be helpful to those of you I get to meet at tomorrow's workshop. I know many of you will find me here on this blog afterwards, as well as on MindBridj. It is for you that I'm mostly making this blog entry. Hopefully the video below will be a good recap for you. If you have more questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me a note. You can also check out, too, the chapters I'll have promised you that I would open up for you on the MindBridj site, as well.
I'm really looking forward to a keynote I'll be presenting this Wednesday to a really great group of real estate professionals in the north Orange County (California) area. I was asked to come and help kick off FirstTeam Real Estate's (Anaheim Hills office) workshop with a discussion from key segments of our book. I've chosen "Hub and Spokes," from Chapter 3.
In the last several weeks I've had the pleasure of participating in various meetups and discussions on the topic of social media and have found the "Hub and Spokes" discussion to be a great launching point for subsequently drilling-down into many other facets of online discussions, online marketing, social network protocol and group culture.
Below is the overview to Hub and Spokes from our book's vBook version on MindBridj.com. Tomorrow, I'll post a follow up video that dedicates a section to the concept of "The Hub."
If you're reading this AND are attending FirstTeam Real Estate's (Anaheim Hills) workshop on Wednesday, stay tuned. At the workshop, I'll be offering all attendees a bonus that'll get you access to the vBook and accompanying Success Modules on MindBridj.
Also, if you're an attendee, please say hi and introduce yourself. I really look forward to meeting you.
