Well! Sorry for the absence but I am back! After sorting through all the new stuff at E3 and becoming A+ certified, I have been really busy. But I was just want to make a quick thought today. Now take in mind that this blog is all my opinion and is based on the stuff that has worked for me in the industries that I have worked in and through the classes I have taught.
The quick thought I want to leave you with today is that Social Networking is great! I know right? That’s it, you’re probably asking yourself. Well it is but, social networking is the means to network with people in a social setting either online or offline. My suggestions for you would be to start with a greeting in person first then moving to the online aspect of it. When working on sales calls, business connections, or means to keep in touch with customers, shakes their hand first then send them a friend request.
Now if you’re trying to grow your business on facebook it is impossible to do this and that ok, but if you are managing connections you need a hand shake first. Let’s say you see Bob on facebook send him a friend request out of the blue and well you have never seen Bob in person or ever even heard of him, more than likely he will deny you. Let’s say you know Bob owns a business or is a manager for a business, go in shake his hand introduce yourself and tell him what you do and how you can benefit off each other. Then when you get back to the office send him a friend request.
I want go on about this forever but bottom line is in today’s world with online dating, meeting new friends online, and keeping up with current friends, people tend to think that everything can be done online and often leave out the real life hand shake. So next time you start to add a new customer think about shaking their hand first.
Adam Pool
The Social Guy
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
In today’s economy businesses are making drastic changes in order to save money and cut back on gas expenses. When it comes to the sales department it is going to get hard to expense fuel , so why not take advantage of social networking.
Depending on your company, your sales territories can be either large or small, a lot of customers or not a lot of customers. Either way you have to drive around and in that four door sedan with cloth seats and a V six engine, it gets decent gas mileage but depending on the size and quantity of your sales territory it could be very expensive. So let me suggest a radical change.
Instead of driving around to each company or making those follow up calls and waiting in the waiting room to see the person head of purchasing or the owner and you might not get to even see them, ask for their social network information. In today’s world most companies large or small have some kind of social net work, either Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn are the top three.
Social networks allow for people to be connected virtually and it still allows you to have your sales regions and territories. This would one save on gas and two would put to use every helpful asset to your company there is. Now I would not suggest sending a facebook message for a cold call, but as far as just checking up, then I would.
Now a lot of sales people will say “People prefer face to face contact when it comes to sales”, well that is a little old fashion. People in today’s world are much attuned with technology and it helps them as much as it helps you. It saves them time from not having to carve out meeting times with you and it allows for a quick reply and quick conversation.
So if you are looking for a new way to do sales I would suggest using social networking. This will help you and help the customer.
Adam Pool
The Social Guy
"The Social Guy Blog respects copyright law and expects our users to do the same. Unauthorized copying, distribution, modification, public display, or public performance of copyrighted works is an infringement of the copyright holders' rights. You should be aware that some image files might have been created or distributed without copyright owner authorization. As a condition to your use of the online The Social Guy Blog system, you agree that you will not use the online The Social Guy Blog service to infringe the intellectual property rights of others in any way."
Depending on your company, your sales territories can be either large or small, a lot of customers or not a lot of customers. Either way you have to drive around and in that four door sedan with cloth seats and a V six engine, it gets decent gas mileage but depending on the size and quantity of your sales territory it could be very expensive. So let me suggest a radical change.
Instead of driving around to each company or making those follow up calls and waiting in the waiting room to see the person head of purchasing or the owner and you might not get to even see them, ask for their social network information. In today’s world most companies large or small have some kind of social net work, either Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn are the top three.
Social networks allow for people to be connected virtually and it still allows you to have your sales regions and territories. This would one save on gas and two would put to use every helpful asset to your company there is. Now I would not suggest sending a facebook message for a cold call, but as far as just checking up, then I would.
Now a lot of sales people will say “People prefer face to face contact when it comes to sales”, well that is a little old fashion. People in today’s world are much attuned with technology and it helps them as much as it helps you. It saves them time from not having to carve out meeting times with you and it allows for a quick reply and quick conversation.
So if you are looking for a new way to do sales I would suggest using social networking. This will help you and help the customer.
Adam Pool
The Social Guy
"The Social Guy Blog respects copyright law and expects our users to do the same. Unauthorized copying, distribution, modification, public display, or public performance of copyrighted works is an infringement of the copyright holders' rights. You should be aware that some image files might have been created or distributed without copyright owner authorization. As a condition to your use of the online The Social Guy Blog system, you agree that you will not use the online The Social Guy Blog service to infringe the intellectual property rights of others in any way."
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
A Gateway
Social Media gives an easy and free platform for businesses to grow their web presence. Running a webpage is great but, you need to put that web page in people’s faces. Start up businesses this is a MUST! For startup companies social networks get your name out in the community that you’re in.
Remember that a social network is an extension of your current webpage; it is not meant to act as your full web presence. A social network is to act like a window into your business and a quick reference. A webpage is for detailed information about your business, your products, and employees. A social network is a quick reference with some visuals, contact information, and mission statement.
A social network page should include no more than the mission statement of your business in a paragraph, contact information, and visuals. Visuals need to be picture of your business, the people that run the business, the owners, and projects that your business does.
When a business tries to add everything on its webpage to its social network page it becomes cluttered and unorganized. People do not want to have to dig through information when looking at a social network; they are there to get a quick reference about your company. So keep it clean and easy to read and find general information.
So bottom line is that your social network is just a gateway and should be just a gateway to your web page. So think of it as a business card, you have your general information and who you are on it and that is all you have, you would not want to put everything you do and what all your business does on a two by four business card, so stream line your social network to just be a gateway to the webpage.
Remember that a social network is an extension of your current webpage; it is not meant to act as your full web presence. A social network is to act like a window into your business and a quick reference. A webpage is for detailed information about your business, your products, and employees. A social network is a quick reference with some visuals, contact information, and mission statement.
A social network page should include no more than the mission statement of your business in a paragraph, contact information, and visuals. Visuals need to be picture of your business, the people that run the business, the owners, and projects that your business does.
When a business tries to add everything on its webpage to its social network page it becomes cluttered and unorganized. People do not want to have to dig through information when looking at a social network; they are there to get a quick reference about your company. So keep it clean and easy to read and find general information.
So bottom line is that your social network is just a gateway and should be just a gateway to your web page. So think of it as a business card, you have your general information and who you are on it and that is all you have, you would not want to put everything you do and what all your business does on a two by four business card, so stream line your social network to just be a gateway to the webpage.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Proper Grammar
On a side bar, after talking with some people about this blog I want to answer a few questions first before I talk about today’s topic. The first questions I got asked was: “Why do you not grammar check and spend a lot of time proof reading and making this blog look professional like a news paper?” Well I liked this questions first of all, now it is not that I can’t type or know basic grammar skills and English skills, I worked for 3 years for a news paper doing a column about daily living, Now one of the things I HATED about that column was that it was absolutely flawless (since had to be) and it didn’t sound personal. If I am talking to people either over the internet or over the phone I want to talk to that person as if they are a friend. So you might ask: Why Adam? Well the question is simple in a one-on-one setting such as this, even though more than one person reads this but you get the idea, it acts as a customer service tool in making that person feel like he or she matters.
So should you not do this on your blog since it is a professional area? Well yes and no, I do it to prove a point about social networking. Now of course on your social network pages you do need to have your information spelled right and use proper grammar but, I will get to my main point next. So what point are you trying to prove Adam? Let me answer that now.
One of the biggest mistakes I see in social networking and I want to focus mainly on facebook today, is not putting yourself in the mix. A Business can start discussions, answer questions and messages but still not be truly in with their customers. When starting a discussion do not just sit to the side watching people chat about the topic that you have posted, jump in and talk about your opinions and feeling about that topic. Debate the customer in a friendly matter about the topic and really make that person feel like you are “Just one of the guys.”
The next big thing is when responding to messages and wall post really answer them, and by that I mean do not give a generic answer but think of how you would feel if you were the one writing the post of message and respond to that feeling. We hear all the time in business “Keep your feeling out of it” but the truth is sometimes you need feeling in order to get through to customers. Social Networking is a good place to put a little bit of feeling into your answers and thoughts.
Remember customers want to feel like they are in the board room making the decisions with you, a customer wants to be talked to like a person not someone that you just want their money. So put in some yalls and aints and make them your friend. I even see the red under scores and wow does it look nice.
Adam Pool
The Social Guy
So should you not do this on your blog since it is a professional area? Well yes and no, I do it to prove a point about social networking. Now of course on your social network pages you do need to have your information spelled right and use proper grammar but, I will get to my main point next. So what point are you trying to prove Adam? Let me answer that now.
One of the biggest mistakes I see in social networking and I want to focus mainly on facebook today, is not putting yourself in the mix. A Business can start discussions, answer questions and messages but still not be truly in with their customers. When starting a discussion do not just sit to the side watching people chat about the topic that you have posted, jump in and talk about your opinions and feeling about that topic. Debate the customer in a friendly matter about the topic and really make that person feel like you are “Just one of the guys.”
The next big thing is when responding to messages and wall post really answer them, and by that I mean do not give a generic answer but think of how you would feel if you were the one writing the post of message and respond to that feeling. We hear all the time in business “Keep your feeling out of it” but the truth is sometimes you need feeling in order to get through to customers. Social Networking is a good place to put a little bit of feeling into your answers and thoughts.
Remember customers want to feel like they are in the board room making the decisions with you, a customer wants to be talked to like a person not someone that you just want their money. So put in some yalls and aints and make them your friend. I even see the red under scores and wow does it look nice.
Adam Pool
The Social Guy
Friday, June 3, 2011
People Want to do business with people
“People want to do business with people.” This is a term that I heard in my first marketing class in college. In social Media this term is extremely important. While online resources have made it easier to do business, people still like to know they are dealing with people.
The biggest customer complaint I see on Facebook and Twitter is that people’s questions do not get responded to. It is very simple and worth the time, if someone comments on your wall or tweets to you, answer back make sure that person knows you are there and that people know you will respond to them. Responding to messages is another big step in letting people knows you are a caring company. This stuff, I know to most people seems like a waste of time, but it is completely worth it. Social Networking has created one of the best customer service tools out there, this helps PR and one-on-one connections with customers.
People now often personify companies as being people. When something goes wrong with a product and someone wants to complain they want to complain to a person, which is put in place as the company. So having a friendly, transparent, and inviting social network will create more of a personal feeling for that customer. Social Networks have created a way that companies can be extremely “Social” hence the Social Network.
So when people tweet, message, or wall post answer them back, and by answering this will help maintain good customer relations, bring in new business, and make that person feel like they have a part in your company. This is well worth the time and man power to do.
Adam Pool
“The Social Guy”
The biggest customer complaint I see on Facebook and Twitter is that people’s questions do not get responded to. It is very simple and worth the time, if someone comments on your wall or tweets to you, answer back make sure that person knows you are there and that people know you will respond to them. Responding to messages is another big step in letting people knows you are a caring company. This stuff, I know to most people seems like a waste of time, but it is completely worth it. Social Networking has created one of the best customer service tools out there, this helps PR and one-on-one connections with customers.
People now often personify companies as being people. When something goes wrong with a product and someone wants to complain they want to complain to a person, which is put in place as the company. So having a friendly, transparent, and inviting social network will create more of a personal feeling for that customer. Social Networks have created a way that companies can be extremely “Social” hence the Social Network.
So when people tweet, message, or wall post answer them back, and by answering this will help maintain good customer relations, bring in new business, and make that person feel like they have a part in your company. This is well worth the time and man power to do.
Adam Pool
“The Social Guy”
Thursday, June 2, 2011
We as People are Visual
We as people are visual, that is a statement I heard in my freshman year psychology class. That is a term that can be applied to real life and Social Media. People like to see things, not read a long list of items that takes up a lot of time. It’s like the old saying goes; “You can tell me all you want but, until I see it I will not believe it.”
Being visual on your Facebook is easy. Adding a profile picture of a colorful scene that can help tell a story is the first step. Do not just add a logo or the owners face but add a picture of something that your business has done. The problem that businesses make is that they will add mission statements, histories, and other information about their businesses all day long but not add any photo albums. People want to see projects, the people, and what your business can do in picture form. So add lots of photos and also albums so it is neat and organized.
Twitters is another story when it comes to making it pleasing to eyes. Twitter is very limited on how it can look and what a person can add. Add a logo for a picture in your profile, and then make your page colorful and use bright colors like greens and yellows. Make it pop, add lots of jazz to it, this might not be telling a story but it is fun for the person to look at.
Some common mistakes that people make are very simple to fix if explained why they are mistakes. The first mistake people make is adding to many black and white “artsy” photos. If you are running an art gallery or say even a frame shop then black and white photos would work great! If you are running a news paper and want to put in some black and white photos that your photographers have taken then that is ok but, not every photo is a work of art or needs to be in black and white. People like color and jazz, so add photos that are colorful.
When creating a profile make sure that you do not add lots of information. Add no more than sixty characters about the business, limit to the mission statement, contact information, owner’s name, and address. Keep it clean and to the point, remember that a social network profile is an extension of your web presence not your website!
Adam Pool
Being visual on your Facebook is easy. Adding a profile picture of a colorful scene that can help tell a story is the first step. Do not just add a logo or the owners face but add a picture of something that your business has done. The problem that businesses make is that they will add mission statements, histories, and other information about their businesses all day long but not add any photo albums. People want to see projects, the people, and what your business can do in picture form. So add lots of photos and also albums so it is neat and organized.
Twitters is another story when it comes to making it pleasing to eyes. Twitter is very limited on how it can look and what a person can add. Add a logo for a picture in your profile, and then make your page colorful and use bright colors like greens and yellows. Make it pop, add lots of jazz to it, this might not be telling a story but it is fun for the person to look at.
Some common mistakes that people make are very simple to fix if explained why they are mistakes. The first mistake people make is adding to many black and white “artsy” photos. If you are running an art gallery or say even a frame shop then black and white photos would work great! If you are running a news paper and want to put in some black and white photos that your photographers have taken then that is ok but, not every photo is a work of art or needs to be in black and white. People like color and jazz, so add photos that are colorful.
When creating a profile make sure that you do not add lots of information. Add no more than sixty characters about the business, limit to the mission statement, contact information, owner’s name, and address. Keep it clean and to the point, remember that a social network profile is an extension of your web presence not your website!
Adam Pool
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Time Limit on Social Media
The main problem I see with businesses and their social media department, especially in new business is that they spend too much time working on their pages. Social Media sites like facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other blog sites are suppose to be an extension of your website, a free way to get a bigger web presence.
One hour a day is all that should be spent on each social networking site a day, which leads me to my next point. Companies love to try to expand faster than they can actually figure out what they are expanding into. A company even a large one should not have more than three sources of social networking. If a hour a day is spent on three sites that is three hours of the work day, the more you have the more scattered your advertising will be and the people running the social network site will never have a chance to master the social networks.
So my suggestion would be to stick with the main three social networks, facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, now while a blog is considered social media by today’s standards it is not considered a social network, but a blog is an extension of a product or service which is being offered, but that’s a talk for another day.
Adam Pool
One hour a day is all that should be spent on each social networking site a day, which leads me to my next point. Companies love to try to expand faster than they can actually figure out what they are expanding into. A company even a large one should not have more than three sources of social networking. If a hour a day is spent on three sites that is three hours of the work day, the more you have the more scattered your advertising will be and the people running the social network site will never have a chance to master the social networks.
So my suggestion would be to stick with the main three social networks, facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, now while a blog is considered social media by today’s standards it is not considered a social network, but a blog is an extension of a product or service which is being offered, but that’s a talk for another day.
Adam Pool
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