I just finished talking to a new client of mine that was interested in advertising their online business through social media and social networking. He was very excited about the whole idea, but was really hesitant to get started.

I see this as a common occurrence with the new clients I have been working with lately. They’ve heard a ton about social media marketing, but are not quite sure how to get started. Or, even why they should get started. Let me expand on that last remark.

Why Social Media Marketing?

The obvious answer is to strengthen your brand, build your network, and drive traffic to your website. That is the real reason that people are spending so much time developing their social media strategies, hiring experts, and hanging out at Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and any of the other thousands of social websites. But, is that the reason why you should think of social media marketing?

I do believe that these are all important parts of developing your brand and elevating it to the place where it is readily recognizable. But, is that the real power of social media marketing?

I am going to try and use my son as an example of what I am going to say. My son is a very energetic 11 year old. He is homeschooled and picks up things very, very quickly. For instance, he should be in 5th grade, but we are doing 7th and 8th grade work this year. He began reading at about 3 years old and by the time he was five he could read the same kind of books that I read. I am not saying this to brag. I am using this as an example of what I think social media marketing is all about.

Development

I see, and work, with a lot of people on the Internet. And I love to see what is going in their business, their relationships… in every area of their lives. They are developing. They are becoming much better through the process of social media marketing. They are developing… growing.

I see them developing on many levels. Much like my son is. One of the things that I have been teaching my son, and my other two daughters, is really two things. First, to think in a constructive, critical, and transcending level. I have been using our curriculum to develop not only their math, reading, science, writing, and other subject skills, but to also think in a way that they can get past any difficulties. For instance, my son is currently doing Pre-Algebra for math this year. He is starting to see some things that he hasn’t seen before. Instead of standing over him and teaching the lesson. I give him time to look over the examples, look over the instructions, and try to figure it out. Sometimes he does, other times he doesn’t. But, with each different problem, he is developing.

Social Media Prepares People And Develops Them

The most important part of social media marketing is not the way you can build your business. It is in the very fact that you develop through this medium. I have found that people develop in many different ways, but there are three that are the most prominent.

Communication Skills Are Highly Elevated. I still think that email marketing is a pretty powerful way to get a message out there. However, real time communication like with Facebook, Twitter, and even Google Buzz require different types of communication skills. By immersing themselves in social media and networking, I have seen a huge growth in they way many people communicate today.

People Are Seeing Answers Before They Have Questions. One of the things that my son, and especially my eldest daughter, is seeing now in their studies is that they have already answered any questions they may have about a particular subject. As a matter of fact, a lot of the times they will stop in the middle of their question and give me a big smile while saying, “I just answered my own question, didn’t I?”

What I am seeing today in my interactions, and just watching people as they interact, or I am working with them, is that they are now seeing answers to problems before they even form the question. When it comes to the point where they begin to ask… they already know it. I see a lot of the questions I use to receive are no longer there. They are figuring out these things now for themselves. They are developing.

There Is A Much Larger Acceptance Of Risk. This is something that has always been present online, but I see it taking a much larger presence in people’s lives and businesses. What use to cause a little bit of hesitancy will not be done without much thought. Partnerships, new business focus, providing a service, learning something new; all things that require risk. People have developed now, through the use of social networking and marketing, where they accept a certain amount of risk without hesitation.

Social Media Marketing As A Developer Instead Of Builder

Social media marketing is a very powerful way to build a business. However, should it just be looked at as a business builder? Should that be the main focus? I think a paradigm shift of sorts is called for here. I think that before we begin talking about how powerful social media is, we should talk about it as a developer of people.

Instead of teaching people to build their business, teach them how to develop their skills.

What do you think?

If you are not using Twitter yet, what are you waiting for?

Twitter marketing should not be your sole reason for using the service, but it does happen naturally. Here are some Twitter success tips from Twitter-Marketingonline.com.

Twitter Success Tips

Social networking is a very powerful form of advertising today. In fact, if done correctly, a social media marketing campaign can be a very powerful, effective, and inexpensive way to promote your new product, initiative, or charity. The applications for social networking is really endless.

I just saw this video about using social networking for businesses. It explains to business owners, professionals, and bloggers to get get their message out through a social media – networking strategy focusing on leveraging LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, Flickr, and Business Blogs. There is a lot of useful information. Well worth the 5 minutes.

Social Networking Strategy For Businesses

If you are a power Twitter user, you know full well the potential of this microblogging service. But, what about the future?

Here is a great video, put together by Loic LeMeur, that outlines 30 future predictions for Twitter.

Twitter Predictions

What do you think about Twitter?

Social networking on online is about connecting with two three groups of people.

First, people who you already know. These are your current friends and connections. Connecting with them on your social networks will help you keep in touch better and build stronger connections for referrals and introductions.

Second, your target audience. Your target audience is the people who will be most receptive to your message, your brand, and your products or services. Networking with your audience means that you are not only broadcasting links in your social updates, but also real information and a high level of personality, and approachability.

Third, those you want to get to know. This is a very powerful group of people to network with. These are the people who you would term as those above you in terms of success, reputation, and following. Getting to network with this group will help you solidify your networking in the other two groups.

Are You Connecting With These Groups?

Are you trying to connect with these groups? If not, then you are missing out on your entire social networking program.

Many people are being told, and taught, that they should just try to connect with everyone and anyone. This simply is not true. Just reaching out and trying to connect with everyone is not going to accomplish the goals you have for your social networking and telling your story.

Are You Networking Or Is It One Way?

The other part of networking online has to do with your interaction. You’ve probably heard it said a thousand times by now how you should be interacting online. The sad thing is, not many people are actually doing it. I am constantly bombarded with DM’s with links, status updates with links in it, and a bunch of different offers through various means. It is almost overwhelming at times.

That is the wrong way to network. The right way is to actively engage with the people in your social media streams. Talk, ask questions, give solutions, chat about life — this is how to network.

Go beyond that introduce people to others, compliment on great work you’ve seen them do, ask for opportunities to work together — this is networking also.

So, how is your social networking? Is it about networking?

A new social marketing initiative that I am putting together is really beginning to take shape. I am getting very excited about how it is coming together. In fact, while I’ve been putting it together I’ve been getting even more ideas from everywhere. But, that is another story. (Yes, pun intended.)

As a means to continue talking about this whole Story of Social Media Marketing I thought I would talk about another important aspect of it. It’s called being captivating.

Is Your Social Media Networking Captivating?

Or, the question should probably be, “Are you captivating in your social networking?”

Since you are the one that is doing the networking, you should be captivating. If your message is not something that people want to hear, or will stay around to hear, the message is not captivating.

This is something that many storytellers already know. Some of my favorite authors – Tom Clancy, Stephen King, James Clavell, and Eric Van Lustbader – all have the ability to captivate their readers and pull them into the story that they are weaving. There is an element to the story that they are telling that makes you not only want to keep reading it, but also want to run out and grab their newest book. All of these authors have a series of books that build upon the last. The same characters, progressing storyline, and new problems, excitement, solutions, and action abound to instill a desire.

For example, who doesn’t love John Patrick Ryan. The incredible character that Tom Clancy dreamed up that male over 20 wants to be. Then there is the captivating story of the Noble House and the story of families in Hong Kong all trying to grasp business supremacy in the books by James Clavell.

A Social Networking Story Example

In the world of social networking you have people like Chris Brogan, Darren Rowse, Scott Stratten, Timothy Carter, and Doug Firebaugh are also incredibly captivating story tellers. Only they do it with the power of a blog, social networking, and their message.

Being captivating means that you have a message that people want to hear, and one they will continue to want to hear.

Do you have that kind of message?

Take a good look at your social media marketing message. I mean a good long look. Is it captivating? Is it something that people want to hear? Are they continuing to listen to your message?

Yes or no?

If not, then what can you do about it?

I’m going to help you in two ways.

First, you can wait until the second installment of this post. (Subscribe to the RSS so you don’t miss it). I will give you a few ways to help make your message a little more captivating.

Second, you can wait until January when I release Story. It is going to be a very comprehensive incentive – not just a product – that will define story and give you the tools necessary to create your own.

Everyone who isn’t lucky enough to get an invitation to Google Wave is wondering just what this thing is. Unfortunately I am one of those people. So, just what is this Google Wave that has been called the greatest thing on the Internet?

What Is Google Wave?

Did that help?

In the previous post there was a video that showed you how to create a Facebook Fan page from start to finish. If you take the time to watch that video and build your fan page, you will see a huge difference in your overall return on social networking.

However, it is one thing to know how to build a fan page. It is an entirely different subject all together to know how to use your Facebook Fan Page. Guess what? There is a video for that too. Don’t you just love the Internet?

How To Use Facebook Fan Pages To Build Your Brand

If you have taken the time to create your own fan page, go ahead and list them in the comments section. I’d love to check them out and become a fan!

Facebook is the most widely used social networking site on the Internet. For good reason. Facebook provides more bang for the buck. Of course, it is free, but you know what I mean.

One of the best ways to use Facebook in your social marketing is to create a Facebook fan page. A fan page is much like a regular profile, but allows people to be your “fan” so they can get updates on your business and what you are doing. It provides a way to differentiate between your personal Facebook profile and your brand Fan Page.

This brings about a whole new set of great business building concepts. However, you need to build it first. Here is a great video on how to build your Facebook Fan Page quickly and easily.

How To Create Facebook Fan Page

It doesn’t matter if you have a corner cafe, a worldwide super brand, or are just an individual looking to build a small home business, social networking is the future of marketing. However, it is here now.

Here is a short clip from a seminar that discusses three important social networking rules.

Social Networking Rules For Business