So, where do you find your first fans, followers or submissions for a contest?

There is no secret formula for quick growth success (and if someone tells you there is…run, fast, the other direction.) But, there is one way to start that does work to help build, regardless of who you are or what your brand is: ask for help from your friends! Even if you’re new to a platform, it’s likely you have friends who are already on it that know you personally, and would be happy to help you with that initial growth. There’s a reason we build true relationships – so we have people who can help us and that we can help in return.

Couple notes when you’re asking for help:

1. Don’t ask too often. If you request too often for help, even your closest friends will start getting bothered. Ask only when it is really important and keep that ‘really important’ to a rare occurrence. The more times you ask, the less often someone is going to want to help and the more they will feel like you’re taking advantage of the relationship.
2. Return the favor. If a friend helps you, help them and try to do so even without them asking. While you don’t have to return a favor immediately, it’s important to let people know that you appreciate what they have done for you. Quick tip: a hand written note works wonders, people rarely get them anymore!
3. Don’t take advantage of high places. We all have a few friends in our corner who have access to some serious power (the ear of someone important, VIP access, high political positions…etc). While it can seem like a great idea to ask them for help because well, they have the most power, try not to. You’re likely to get help once if they are a good friend, but they are so used to being asked for things that if you become one of those people, you have a big chance of losing them as a friend.
4. Make sure you know what you’re asking. We’ve all gotten a few requests that we were sure what to do with. Asking someone to ‘spread the word’ isn’t enough. We need to know exactly what you need from us, how we can do it, what we are sharing, etc. Give clear details and ideas for how we can help and you’re more likely to get that help.

Do you have an example of how you’ve asked for and received help? Or examples of things that didn’t work and what you learned?

Related posts:

1. Improve your social strategy by: meeting with people in real-life
2. Social media friends vs Real life friends
3. Combining Twitter and Real Life

Wearing many hats can be a great thing, it opens your perspectives and means that you are constantly striving for new knowledge in multiple areas. It has helped to create some of the most brilliant discoveries of our time, and ‘renaissance men’ are revered in our culture.

But what about specialty? Where does focus, expertise and passion for one element of creation come into play?

The many-hat wearers tend to get the most publicity because they have the most chances to stumble onto something great. But what those who spend their time honing one or two skills brilliantly? These men, while revered as well for their accomplishments, tend to be the 3rd or4th mentioned in lists of brilliance, behind the polymaths. Beethoven, Einstein (his ‘counterpart’ Newton, who was deemed more influential is a polymath), Tesla, Picasso, Hawking…these men were all focused on one area of study, and in doing so, changed our world.

Both groups are phenomenal individuals, and each group has miles of accomplishments under their belts. But, there is a big difference in the way these groups are seen to the public. Those who ‘wear hats’ are given titles like creatives and visionaries even if they haven’t quite achieved greatness…but those who dedicated their lives to only one endeavor, one industry, are often seen as less driven unless they’ve achieved something brilliant. It’s a double standard. And I am not sure our propensity to promote generalist mentalities is a good thing.

Take a tweet I received the other day from a friend in Arizona. He is a teacher, video creator…and designer.

Normally, one wouldn’t complain about having plenty of work to keep them busy – however, multi-focus isn’t right for everyone. Turning your back on projects that are paying the bills (in his case, design) can be downright painful. You are good at it, you make good money doing it, so why stop? Because you want to focus on one or two things! Because you want to be an expert…you want to specialize, and that’s perfectly okay.

Wear many hats. Wear one hat. You have the right to choose your focus, whether it’s general or specific.

Do you think generalists or specialists are more accepted in our world today? Do you agree with that or would you like to see a shift?

No related posts.

You may return to your regularly scheduled work…just keep those three words in mind.

Original image via reid on flickr

Related posts:

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3. How do you choose the words you use?

But, I know that not everyone feels the way that I do, and defining ROI for social is extremely important in many cases. So, I have combined the best explanations from brilliant minds across the social sphere, covering the core angles of ‘what is the ROI of social?’

Relationship Building: “The relationship between consumers and the brands they buy from involves more than just a single transaction or a subscription. Every touchpoint between a company and a customer is an opportunity to advance or decline the relationship. Businesses have come a long way in doing that for specific departments such as marketing, PR, sales and customer service. But with the advent of social business and social media empowerment across the organization, the threads of dialog between employees and customers becomes diverse very quickly.” – Top Rank

Market Research: “There is an incredible amount of market research. This is being generated from online analytics; the tools already exist for monitoring. Chat questions can be designed to reflect what marketers want to learn from the community. There can be surveys and with follow up via all the social media channels. Q/A continues on Facebook. Building or joining an existing community relevant to the brand, can streamline this research process into a win/win situation, and jumpstart collaboration with already trusted relationships with the established community”. – 12Most

SEO: “Our social media initiatives are a part of, not apart from, your other marketing activities. And your website is not likely to be taken dark any time soon. While it’s not a good idea to habitually kick customers from social media platforms to your web site, your social media content and activities can be used to improve your search rankings.” – Social Times

Brand Reach: “Many assume the reach is as simple as looking at the number of fans/friends/followers you have, but it’s much more complicated. The key to understanding reach is to first estimate your true organic reach from your fans. Facebook shows impressions in page analytics, which is a good way to determine reach, and on Twitter it might be 20 percent or less of your followers. The value doesn’t stop there. When others interact with your brand, they are also providing brand impressions to the people that they are connected with. This means that when someone interacts with your brand on a social network, their interaction gives you reach with their connections as well. Brand reach = number of followers x number of posts x 5 percent actually seeing posts. Social network amplification = number of interactions x average number of followers x 20 percent actually seeing posts. Value = total reach x cost per impression of other media” - Click Z

Audience Sentiment: “Text analytics has become all the rage in the media research. With the wealth of user generated content on the Internet, marketers need to utilize technology to wade through the enormity of the data. Data mining techniques, such as CHAID and regression trees, allow marketers to link certain keywords to desired outcomes. Do words like ‘love’ and ‘always’ signify consumers who are more engaged? Should you filter out mentions that use words like ‘cheap’ or ‘dangerous’? Once you develop a keyword set, you can further segment consumers based on their actual conversations. Developing a segmentation strategy based upon any or all of these criteria helps you better understand not only the value of your fans but how you can best communicate with them.” – Fast Company

Fan Affinity: “Social media provided a way to measure something fan affinity in a way a TV spot never could. Why? Social media communication is two-way. It’s a dialogue versus a monologue. Instead of promotions, it creates conversations, sometimes unprompted conversations that can be listened to, recorded, and measured. No longer did we have to say, “Trust us, our fans really like the team.” Suddenly I had data to show how fans really liked us.” - Harvard Business Review

Customer Service: One in five consumers (17%) say they’ve used social media at least once in the last year to obtain a customer service response, and this relatively small group of consumers is extremely engaged and vocal. People who have used social media for customer service at least once in the last year are willing to spend substantially more (21%) with companies they believe provide great service – in contrast with the general population (13% more) and those who have not used social media for customer service (11% more). They are also far more vocal about service experiences, both good and bad. In addition, more than 80% of these consumers say they’ve bailed on a purchase because of a poor service experience, compared to 55% overall. – Business Wire & American Express® Global Customer Service Barometer

Executed Actions:  Every social program must be associated with a call to action. Subscriptions to email lists, product purchases, signing up as a Facebook fan or downloading a free trial are all examples of calls to action. In order to measure monetary contribution to business goals, the marketer must assign value to the social program’s call to action and then track the conversions. Too often, social purists take a passive approach to program execution. The call to action need not be a sale. In fact, it could be motivating users to generate content to be added to a brand’s online community. The point here is that a defensible value for the action must be defined and tracked. – Social Media Examiner

Visits to leads: Social media helps drive traffic to your site, but traffic doesn’t bring home the bacon. Track (network by network, and as an aggregate) how many of those visitors convert into leads. Knowing exactly how much of a role social media plays in lead generation will help you meet your monthly lead goal by giving you the historical data to set an educated goal based on how much social media brings in, and what that rate of growth looks like month over month. - Hubspot

Money. Money. Money: Economic Value is the sum of Revenue plus the Business Value created by the macro- plus micro-conversions on your website. So when someone visits your site and signs up to receive email, and does not buy anything, that is not a failure. That is a micro-conversion because that first date will lead to a second, a third and a seventh (if you play your cards right!). Every micro-conversion creates economic value for your business. It engages in the awareness, consideration, comparison, purchase slow dance. It delivers higher macro-conversions (revenue!) over multiple visits by the same person by incentivizing you to behave optimally, in sync with your customers and at their speed. It gently encourages everyone in your company to obsess about the micro-conversions by saying they are of business value, to create better designs, more prominent placement of content/images/stuff customers want. Over the long term it shifts your company from the corrosive single-session, conversion obsession to a pan-session, way-beyond-a-one-night-stand experience that delivers higher Economic Value. – Occam’s Razor

To wrap up our delve into social media ROI, I want to leave you with a great quote from Erich Marx, the Director of social for Nissan North America, “There is something more important than ROI: COI, which is cost of ignoring”…”anyone not taking this seriously as a reach media is going to be left behind”.

Are you trying to define social ROI or are you just content knowing there is ROI and social is a necessity?

Related posts:

1. “Is social media still relevant?” and other silly questions that still deserve an answer.
2. 10 social media ‘facts’ we need to stop believing!
3. Do you know what to look for in a social media strategist?

Write first, edit later. I am guilty of edit-while-writing syndrome, but it is an awful habit. Every time you pause your train of thought to go back and correct grammar, formatting or layout, you lose your power. Just keep writing, come back and fix the mistakes once you are completely finished writing all the content you need. The errors will be there when you get back to them.

Find a photo that adds to the post. A great image adds dimension to a post, but it has to be the right image. Pick something that compliments one of your core points, stimulates a discussion or is just simply intriguing. Best place I find images? Creative Commons on Flickr. As long as you use the attribution license images & give credit to the original photographer, you can use it (like the one in this post).

Sleep on it. Or don’t. Sometimes, you’re best not to re-write the post over and over…sometimes it just needs to go out. Re-writing a post over and over can kill some of the power and passion in it. However, there are times (and this is usually the case if it is a touchy subject) you’re best to sleep on it before posting. The worst thing you can do is write a post in anger or frustration and not give yourself a chance to think about it. Once something has been published, it’s out there. Make sure you’re okay with that.

Wrap it up with a question. A solidly written post should draw comments, but to help start that conversation, give it a little fuel! Fuel in the form of a question. For example, this post can be concluded with:

Which of the above is the hardest for you?

*img via Foxtongue

Related posts:

1. 12 ways to make blogging easier
2. What are your blogging struggles?
3. How is office organization and blogging strategy tied together?

A fully updated profile: More often than not, profiles are missing at least one of the 5 key elements:

• An avatar that actually shows your face, and personality. Smile, people!
• Links to your websites and other social profiles. Make it easy for people to connect further!
• A well written and thought through headline. Even if you’re not looking for a career, your headline is important.
• A summary that solidly explains your experience and who you are as a person. Both are important.
• Complete work history and recommendations. (more details on recommendations later in this post)

Post status updates: Yes, LinkedIn has status updates. Click on home, and just to the right of your picture is a box where you can update your status, share a link, etc. When you do, it shows up in the news feed of the people you’re connected to. I recommend updating your status at least twice a week – just like on twitter or facebook, choose something easy to reply to or comment on. And, like other networks, you’ll get more out of updates if you comment on other people’s as well.

Participate in groups: There are groups about pretty much any topic on LinkedIn, which means no matter what you want to talk about, you’ll probably find it. LinkedIn makes it even easier once you’ve started adding groups to find new ones with the “groups you may like” search. Once you’ve joined a group, get involved. This does NOT mean promote yourself, this means reply to questions, post questions and get involved with topics you find interesting.

Ask for recommendations: Who better to talk about your work than people who you worked with or for? If you have a client who comments to you that they are so appreciative of your work, politely ask them for a recommendation on LinkedIn. Once someone creates one for you, it can be displayed on your profile. These are one of the easiest ways to display your success and expertise without having to brag yourself. Remember, recommendations go both ways though. If you have had a great experience with someone, write a recommendation for them! Receiving a recommendation without a request can make a day amazing.

Build your connections: If you’ve explored LinkedIn much, you’ll notice some users with a LION in their profile. These are LinkedIn users who are open for connections, even with people they have never met. This strategy is not right for everyone, but the concept of connecting with a wide audience IS a good idea. My recommendation? Connect with anyone that you think is interesting, or might have a connection to your industry or business futures.

Are you getting the most out of LinkedIn?

What do you find difficult about the platform?

Related posts:

1. Is it a LinkedIn discussion or a breeding ground for promotion?
2. 7 ways to actually get something out of LinkedIn for business.
3. Social Media Channels: Can linkedin work for me?

No matter how passionate you are about  something, passion doesn’t mean you’re able to do it well. Blogging requires the ability to create incredible content, structure it well and engage an audience through your writing. Therefore, blogging takes more skill than passion. 

Debate!

Related posts:

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The cover photo can’t have sales pitches, contests, or calls to action…but the application images CAN! Using the 111x74px image you can upload for an application gives you the chance to get creative, add fans and increase conversion rates. For example, Buffalo Wild wings has applications allowing fans to find a restaurant close by, purchase a gift card or participate in their Sports Illustrated Experts Corner, all activities that help BWW increase sales & keep more people on their page longer.

Basic applications are not out of reach for small businesses. When Facebook first launched applications for brand pages, they required knowledge of FBML, a custom coding language created by Facebook and difficult to learn without prior coding experience. However, as Facebook grew, so did the applications. When they launched the ability for pages to use iframes instead of FBML, the application club opened to the public. One of the best tools for simple facebook applications is static html, which can be added and modified with only basic design and coding experience. This allows small businesses to work with a designer and coder without the multi-thousand starting price point – taking simple applications to the range most small businesses can afford. Of course, for brands with a bigger budget and some serious creativity, the ability to create proprietary applications is still available. Unique apps like the Disney Fan counter and page ranking or the Ford Mustang Customizer show just a few things that can be done with a custom application.

Is your brand utilizing the Facebook Application tabs?

Looking to dig deeper into Facebook Brand Pages? Register for the Intermediate Facebook Training Class on May 24th in Orange County (2 times available!)

Related posts:

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Want to help get these myths dispelled for yourself AND learn how to use twitter, facebook, pinterest or linkedin more effectively? Check out the launch of a new Social Media Training series! I am partnering with Marie Riddle (@LivinLime) to help get you started, or take you to the next level, across all social spectrums. Our first classes are coming up in less than a month…so get registered today and Ride the Social Media Wave for Business! 

Related posts:

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Attraction

Let’s start with the whole attraction to Pinterest. I think it stems back to childhood. Remember making ‘dream boards’ as a kid? Cutting pictures of cars, clothes, homes, quotes, etc, out of magazines and pinning them to a cork board in your room? It was your special place to imagine what could be, motivate you to stay focused or plan for the future. And it’s that concept which has made pinterest just so amazing – and why I think the majority of the users are still female (68.2%).  But, just because there are so many female users doesn’t mean the site can’t be successful for men, or a male dominated brand. Men are just as visual as women, but it takes a little more convincing to draw them into a site, which until early 2012, was more about dream weddings than dream man caves.

Time

One of the most important reasons Pinterest is succeeding is that they have been able to capture time. In a battle for attention, the sites that can keep their users engaged the longest are going to win. And the average time any user spends on Pinterest is 15.8 minutes, which is 3.7 minutes longer than people spend on Facebook! Facebook is absolutely still the powerhouse site (845+ million users…) but it’s no surprise “Pinterest is now the 3rd most popular social networking site behind Facebook and Twitter” - Experian Digital Report, 2012.

Scrutiny

Of course, with any social platform, it faces scrutiny. In Pinterest’s case, it’s over the copyright of images. When you pin an image to a board, it links back to where you pinned it from. But, many users simply do a search for images they want and pin it directly from the search. The problem is, then the link is back to google images (or whichever image search is used). This means that the original creator is not getting credit (or traffic) from the image and you’re breaking copyright regulations. While this can be a huge issue, it’s an easy one to avoid and make sure you are in copyright compliance. How? When you find an image that you like, find the original source! If you find the image through a search engine, or on someone’s blog, look for the original link (or a name of the original creator). It’s not always possible to find the exact creator, but as long as you’re linking to where you discovered the image (and it’s not a search engine url), you’re doing it right. Oh, and if you find an image and pin it without the original link but find the link/creator later, you can update an image to fix the link. To do so, go to the image you want to edit on your pin board, mouse over the image and then click ‘edit’. There, you can change the link, description and even which board the image sits on (without losing any repins, likes or comments).

Personal

As a personal user, Pinterest can be whatever you want it to be. You have the power to share however and whatever you want. One warning: Pinterest is a public site, and attached to your name. While you many not think it matters what you pin, I suggest not pinning anything you’d be worried if your boss, potential employer, or mom, saw. I have seen so many people pin images that were not only rude and inappropriate, but changed my perspective of them as individuals. While some things may seem funny at first, it’s important to really think before pinning something with derogatory commentary or profane language. Know the risks associated with connecting yourself to certain images or websites, and make your decision with the future in mind.

Brand

From the brand standpoint, pinterest is an incredible platform too, but the audience base is even more fickle and less accepting of advertising than on any other site. Use it wisely, creatively, and with the focus on driving interesting content. The most successful brands using the tools pin their own images, but also have a multitude of boards dedicated to other unique content that isn’t theirs but that their audience would appreciate. Collaborative boards can also be a great tool for large companies to really feature their team and individual personalities. The important thing to remember for brands, is that just like twitter or facebook, pinterest needs a unique strategy that fits with the ettiquite of the platform and makes users want to engage.

Get Started

For those who haven’t gotten onto the platform yet, here’s your 6 step quick start guide (for those who have, skip down to the final questions):

1. Leave me a comment on this post with your email address and I will send you an invite (it’s still invite only, but users get unlimited invitations).
2. Sign up, choose your user name, upload a profile image and biography (I recommend matching it to your other social profiles so you’re easy to find).
3. Create your boards. You are given a few to start with. You can open the board and re-name the ones they give you, as well as create new ones. To change the name of a board, click on the name of the board, then click ‘edit board’ button under the name. You can also give the board a description and category so others will know what to expect from that board.
4. Visit the Goodies section and grab the ‘pin it’ button to put on your bookmarks bar. This will allow you to easily ‘pin’ an image from almost anywhere on the web. It’s easy to install on all browswers, and the instructions are fully outlined on that page.
5. Surf the web (I love using stumbleupon to find unique pages and images). Once you find an image you like, click the ‘pin it’ button you’ve already added to your browser bookmark. A small second window will open with the image, a drop down list of all your boards and a description box. Select the board you want to pin it on, add a brief description (140 characters is about the most I recommend), click pin and watch what happens.
6. Of course, one of the big pieces is re-pinning interesting content others find too (that’s the ‘social’ part). All you have to do is find an image you like, mouse over it, and click the ‘repin’ button. Again, select the board you want it to go to, either leave the description from the original pinner or change it to something you prefer and click pin.

What are your thoughts on Pinterest?

• Are you using it only on a personal level or as a brand (or both)?
• Do you think it will continue the incredible growth rate or plateau?
• What is the best/worst parts of Pinterest?
• How do you think the platform could be improved?

Related posts:

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3. Which social sites should you be utilizing?