The Social Media Kool-Aid Guzzler: For many businesses after taking their first step (sip of the Kool-Aid) in social media they tend to immediately jump all in or start guzzling.  Businesses try to drink the entire pitcher of Kool-Aid in one sitting.  They set up profiles on every possible social media network barely stopping to take a breath and not even considering how they will keep up with all these profiles.  Social media strategy is out the door but they are sure all these profiles will bring them business.  Eventually these businesses decide the Kool-Aid doesn’t taste all that great.  It could be within a few weeks or a few months but all the social media activity stops and these businesses will now tell you “I tried that social media thing and it does not work”.

The Social Media Kool-Aid Big Gulpers:  Have you seen these before?  The 44 oz, 64oz, wait that’s not big enough the 1 gallon jug people carry around with a big straw hanging out?  Picture this jug full of Social Media Kool-Aid.  These Kool-Aid Gulpers are social media super users.  They are similar to the Guzzlers typically not having a social media strategy but don’t seem to quit.  They are constantly drinking, updating too many profiles and are the types of users you always see iPhone or Droid phone in hand.  In the middle of a meeting, party, or conversation these users are trying to update Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.  They may be taking pictures and uploading to Flickr or even shooting video and trying to get it up on YouTube on the spot.

If you are one of these two users how can you possibly be losing business?  You are doing everything right… right?

For the Guzzlers they lose business by spending so much time learning and applying social media as fast as they can and then just let it all go.   A lot of businesses think they need to do social media and think they can do it themselves.  Business owners and executives step away from their primary roles and try to become social media experts.  By doing this their business actually goes down and then a few months later they stop using social media anyway.  All that time and effort goes to waste.

For the Gulpers they don’t realize they are alienating the people around them.  These could be prospects or customers who don’t understand why you have your phone out and in hand.  The perception is you don’t care about the meeting or conversation which creates a feeling of indifference.  This indifference can grow to the point of losing long standing customers or prospects that are ready to buy.

The moral of the social media Kool-Aid story is to be aware of what you can become.  You truly do not want to be a Guzzler or a Gulper in social media.  If you are a business wanting to get started in social media ask for help.  Seek out social media marketing firms within your network and find out how they work.  Create a social media strategy and implement it over time.  Social media works for all types of business but you must have a strategy and plan.

If you want to learn how you can work with Square Martini Media on your social media strategy please visit or contact us page and use the form, email, or call us today.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

What is a Google Alert?  According to our friends at Wikipedia Google Alerts is a content monitoring service or what we call in social media, a listening tool.  Google Alerts will automatically notify you of new content published online as news, in a website, blog, or video based on your key word or phrase.

Google Alerts makes a users life easy by sending the results directly to their email account or rss feed. It may seem strange to get the results sent to email when the user could in theory receive similar results from a Google search, but this tool allows you to catch up on important information as its appears online in real time. This can really be convenient for two reasons.

The first reason is competition. Most worthy business competitors are going to have online advertisements, homepages, newsletters, Facebook Pages and Twitter accounts, and many more kinds of online activity. Google Alerts delivers the news of your rival businesses in real time, in one place so you don’t have to search for hours trying to find new information. It’s like a daily newsletter that tells you exactly what you want to know without all the extra and repetitive results that a normal search would provide for a user.

The second reason your company should use Google Alerts is to listen.  You want to know what is being said about you, your business, and your brand as it happens online.  This could be a news story about your company that you were not aware of or it could be a raving fan talking up your brand.  Positive or negative you must know what is being discussed online about your business.

Lastly, it’s easy to remove a Google Alert if you don’t want them anymore- just click the delete button from within the Google Alerts email you receive and you will no longer receive them. This means you have nothing to lose!

Take a moment and think of a few keywords or phrases about your business and add them to Google Alerts today!  This is a free tool that can easily be a powerful resource for any business.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

You’ve been working hard so prepare for a relaxing break but before you go plop down in your lawn chair, there are some things you’ll need: sunglasses, flip-flops, and a Hawaiian Martini. We can’t all go to Hawaii on our holiday but we sure can treat our taste buds to an exotic drink. Sip that fruity, fun drink and mull over the things that make your vacation day perfect.  What words would you use to describe that luscious holiday?

Remember these things when you go back to work…not only as a happy memory (though we’re sure those are nice too) but because you need these words! Language is a very important part of advertisement and business.

People like buying from places that are relaxed, friendly, and funny…kind of like a vacation setting. Now, having remembered the words you used to describe your vacation, you may be able to speak in more relaxed terms to your audience.  You might get started thinking about how to revise your website and advertisements with lingo pertaining to your audiences while you sip that Hawaiian Martini we mentioned at the beginning.  Here’s a great recipe, but make note, you’ve got to get started today, four days in advance to be able to make it in time for the weekend!

Roy’s Signature Hawaiian Martini

2 ounces strained pineapple vodka (see recipe below)
1 ounce Stoli Vanil vodka
1 ounce Malibu coconut rum

Place ice in a martini shaker. Add ingredients and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Pineapple Vodka – make ahead
1 bottle Skyy vodka (750 ml)
½ fresh pineapple, skin removed, cored, and coarsely chopped

Place the pineapple in a covered, quart-sized glass jar or pitcher. Pour the vodka over, cover and refrigerate for 4 days, allowing the pineapple to steep with the vodka. Strain before use.

Enjoy and Drink Responsibly!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Twitter Names:   @JimKukral, @AlanUnderkofler.

Twitter Talk Radio is recorded live in the WSRadio studios in sunny San Diego! You can listen to the podcast by clicking on the links below and sign up for our RSS feed at the bottom of the page.

Each week on Twitter Talk Radio, we spend an hour broken up into four segments when we cover:

• Guests Offering Great Case Studies and Examples of How People and Businesses are Using Twitter for Business and Social Media
• Useful Tips for Listeners on Twitter for Business
• Twitter and Social Media Happenings in the News

ATTENTION! Small-Business Owners: Become a Content Marketing Machine

Guest host Alan Underkofler interviews Jim Kukral, author, speaker and professional consultant. As a small-business marketing expert, Jim helps clients define their brand online. Listen to his insightful take on social media and the importance of being a “content marketing machine.” With over 15 years of online experience, Jim Kukral has seen it all.

Jim Kukral Reveals His Sneaky Twitter Secret!

Guest host Alan Underkofler asks Jim Kukral about his uses of social media for his own business. Jim offers advice on how to balance the personal and professional uses of sites like Facebook. He also reveals how he uses an automated tweeting tool to gain the most exposure with minimal effort. A Helpful Hint: Reach clients how they want to be reached not how you want to reach them.

“It’s Possible to Get What You Want When You Stand Out.”

Guest host Alan Underkofler and  Jim Kukral discuss his new book Attention! This Book Will Make You Money. The book tells readers how to creatively generate sales leads and advertise without spending money. Listen to stories of how small-business owners have used innovative ideas and low budgets to make big steps in their careers. Keep your eyes open for this “fun, fast read” to be released in stores August 10, 2010.

Does Your Pitch Suck? Ask Jim!

Guest host Alan Underkofler and Jim Kukral finish the show with some last-minute tips for small-business owners. Jim shares about his next book coming out, The Ultimate Pitch, inspired by his website YourPitchSucks.com. Read this book for ideas to make your pitch worthwhile. Also, learn how important a blog post is for your online marketing strategy. Jim’s Secret: Create content that solves people’s problems and gives them what they want.

Let us know what you think of this interview and the  online marketing strategies we’ve discussed b leaving a comment below and make sure you buy Jim Kukral’s book and let him know you heard about it here!

Subscribe to Twitter Talk Radio:

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

1. With over 50 million users and the top companies and decision makers on Linkedin, why would you not be active here?
2. Profiles on Linkedin are made up with all types of people, top executives, middle management, sales people, business owners, consultants, and micro business.  Your target customer is on Linkedin!
3. Companies can complete a simple informational profile but are limited to adding information only and cannot interact with Linkedin members as the company.  This means on Linkedin you have the opportunity to engage real people.
4. You can use Linkedin to maintain top of mind awareness with your customers and prospects.  Linkedin is one of my favorite tools to achieve top of mind awareness.  Once setup it’s pretty simple, easy to update, and takes very little time.  You just have to consistently do a few actions on Linkedin to really maximize the results.  Things like status updates, updating your profile, and receiving new recommendations is all it takes.
5. Use Linkedin to find potential customers.  Chances are very good your next big customer is already on Linkedin!  Who are you trying to find, what company do you really want to land as a customer?  Are you searching for a way in?  Linkedin is the answer!  By using Linkedin correctly you can be introduced to the person you need to meet to turn a prospect into a customer.
6. Use Linkedin to find your next job.  Linkedin is often used to post jobs and openings.  You can easily search job openings and apply for the job through Linkedin.  If you are seeking a job, Linkedin is a must have tool!
7. Are you hiring?  Linkedin is fantastic place to look for new employees for the position you cannot seem to fill.  Linkedin is a powerful tool to find potential candidates for the openings at your company.  You can post jobs and attract both people actively looking for a job and people who are passively looking for a job.  Often times Linkedin job postings are forwarded by contacts because they think it might be a good fit.  This creates a viral effect for your job postings!
8. Using Linkedin to network and generate referrals.  Often times when I am speaking on Linkedin I am asked “how do I use it” or I” have a profile and don’t do anything with it, I am really not sure how it works”.  Like anything you have to engage and participate to reap the rewards.  On Linkedin the rewards are there…  One way I attract more business from Linkedin is simply sending a short welcome email to all new connections requesting a 20 minute phone conversation where we can learn more about each  other.  This step alone generates business for me every month and also increases my referral potential on Linkedin.  The more people who know about me and what I do the more referrals I attract!
9. What are your goals for Linkedin?  Having goals gives you something to reach for!  On Linkedin your goals might be to connect with more people, to recommend 5 people in your network, or to receive 5 recommendations, or simply to meet with 5 connections this month on the phone or live in person.  Having a few goals for Linkedin is essential to insure you receive what you are looking for on Linkedin
10. Are you a local business looking for local customers or are you a national or worldwide business?  Any size business can use Linkedin to effectively grow.
11. Linkedin Answers is a powerful resource for any business or professional.  What do you need help with?  Are you deciding between two software products for your business?  Are you looking for the best email service for your company or personal newsletter?  All of these questions can be asked on Linkedin and within minutes you will start receiving answers to help you make a good decision or direct you to a good solution.

Do you have suggestions on how to receive business on Linkedin or a great strategy you use on Linkedin?  Take a moment and leave your favorite Linkedin tip or suggestions by leaving a comment.

Need help maximizing Linkedin for your business?  Find out more about Linkedin and how to maximize if for your business with our 55 minute audio guide, The Roadmap to Using Linkedin to Grow Your Business.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Casual conversations – Casual conversations on twitter start by just responding to the tweets from the people you are following.  You might respond to a question or make a remark about the tweet or possibly re-tweet something you liked.  All of these actions start a conversation and raise the awareness of the person you are engaging.  Over time your relationship will progress and parts of the conversation may take place through direct messages.

Direct Messages – Through direct messages or DM’s you can engage one of your followers in a private conversation.  In order to do this the person you are following needs to be following you back and most likely this has already happened from the casual conversations.  Direct messages allow you to have a one on one private conversation with the people you are following on twitter allowing you to take the relationship one step further.  At some point these DM’s will lead to the need or desire to have an actual phone conversation to explore additional projects, possibilities, or needs.

Phone Conversations – I am assuming you know how to use this!  If you have been on twitter for a long time you may need to freshen up on your phone skills i.e. talk in full sentences beyond 140 characters!  (it will be ok)  Phone conversations allow you to explore all types of possibilities.

Meeting face to face – Eventually someone you have been tweeting for months or even years will be in the same city or the same conference you are attending.  This is a great opportunity to take your twitter relationship to an actual live in person environment!  Many people I have formed relationships with on twitter feel like best friends, great clients, or huge contributors to my business.

At any stage you may acquire a new customer, prospect, referral partner, vendor, advocate, or friend.  I have had all of these relationships happen in each of the four relationship stages on twitter.  I would like to give credit to Delores Williams who stated me thinking about the four stages of the twitter relationship by mentioning it on Twitter Talk Radio with Angie A. Swartz.

Remember twitter is similar to any network.  People do business with people they know, like, and trust.  You can create know, like, and trust on twitter just like you can at a business network, association, Chamber of Commerce, church, or club.  If I still have not convince you to start using twitter in your business read 7,11, OK How about 11 Top Reasons Twitter is a Must Have for Your Business.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

When working with our Social Media Marketing clients at Square Martini Media we often discuss all current advertising methods and create ways to pull them together.  By linking different audiences or fans across multiple media platforms you create a synergy in your marketing efforts and increase the overall impact.   This is a major part in our clients marketing and Social Media strategy and should be included in yours.

You can learn more about the Trident Ad and how they showed testimonials from Twitter by reading: Trident Gum Turns Fan Tweets into Full-Page USA Today Ad, written by Jennifer Van Grove.  Learn more about Tridents Layers and what all the fuss is about by reading Trident Green Apple Golden Pineapple Layers Gum or just pick up a pack the next time you are checking out of the grocery store.

The question you should be asking yourself is how you or your company can leverage your Social Media marketing efforts with the traditional advertising you are currently doing?

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Our first case study involves using twitter to attract new customers, engage current customers, and increase sales.

Naked Pizza Background
Naked Pizza a New Orleans pizza takeout and delivery restaurant with a mission to make an unhealthy and popular fast food healthier, more nutritious, and better tasting!

How it Started
So how does one restaurant leverage twitter to make a substantial difference?  Let’s start from the beginning…  Naked Pizza was founded in late 2006.  In March of 2009 Mark Cuban, tech billionaire, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and early investor in the company, advised Jeff Leach one of the co-founders of Naked Pizza to sign up for a twitter account.  Jeff’s idea was to create a local tribe or community around healthy eating while saving money on marketing costs with the goal of increasing sales.  In the pizza industry one of the main ways to market is through direct mail which can be very expensive with poor results.  Another option is through opt-in newsletters.  Buying a list of names is costly and the open rates are beginning to look like direct mail.  (well maybe not that bad but, but low enough to not be considered a success)

The Success Story
So what is the ROI for Naked Pizza using twitter?  Well the company’s first twitter only promotion on April 23 resulted in 15% of total sales, with 90% of those being NEW CUSTOMERS!  On May 29 twitter set a store sales record with the bulk of the traffic coming directly from twitter.  How much?  68.60% of the total sales came from customers who stated “I’m calling from twitter”!

The twitter Impact Continues

• Twitter has made such a difference for Naked Pizza that they removed the “call for delivery” billboard in front of the restaurant and changed it to “twitter – follow us for specials – www.twitter.com/nakedpizza”
• Naked Pizza also added a kiosk in the store inviting customers to sign up for a twitter account and follow them on twitter.
• Tracking twitter is so important to Naked Pizza that they have added a button in the point of sale system to make it easy for employees to track.

With these results it’s pretty easy to say: YES, Social Media and twitter can make a difference for your business!

Do you have a Social Media success story you would like featured on Square Martini Media?  Please use the contact us form and tell us all about it!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

1. Blogs Add Personality and Conversation – Let’s face it… your typical website can be pretty boring.  When you are exploring a new company to hire or buy from you are craving information.  A blog provides more information about your company and product.  This can be your best marketing tool as your potential client can read your posts and the conversations generated from these posts.
2. Blogs Help Your SEO & Google Ranking – Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines love blogs.  The main reason for this is search engines like new content.  By using a blog alone or within your website you are providing new content for search engines to explore.  This consistent added content will give you a higher authority to search engines and the content will provide many opportunities for sites to link to you therefore increasing your Google Page Rank.
3. Blogs Start a Conversation – People like to do business with people (and companies) that they know, like, and trust!  A blog gives your website visitors a platform to participate in a conversation.  It’s all about the conversation, with a blog you create conversations with your clients, prospects, and tribe.  These conversations lead to stronger relationships and stronger relationships mean more sales and referrals!  With a blog you are no longer waiting for a newspaper to spotlight your business, you can tell your own story and, you have control of the content your customers are finding about you and your company.
4. Blogs are Easily Updated – Fire your webmaster!  Ok well maybe that is not a good idea…  One of the frustrations I hear a lot with businesses of all sizes is the difficulty in making changes to their existing websites.  Making changes and adding new content is one of the most important elements of organic (non paid) search results.  With some basic training you or an employee can make simple changes to your blog and post new content with ease.  This allows retuning visitors and search engines to always have new content to explore.  In fact many businesses today don’t even have a website; their main internet presence is the blog.
5. Blogs Can be Your Social Media Hub – What is a social media hub?  It’s where all your social media efforts could link back to.  Examples of this would be the questions you answer on LinkedIn, the tweets you send out on twitter, and the posts to your facebook wall.  All of these actions will send traffic back to your blog.  This is where people go to learn more about you, your product, and your business.
6. Blogs Help You Make Friends and Create Fans – Going back to the concept of people doing business with people (and businesses) that they know, like, and trust.  A blog ignites your fan base of past customers and attracts new fans and friends to come on board.  While websites, company public relation announcements, and press releases help with this it is known that the public trusts the information from a blog more than just a website or press release.  Using blogs to attract new customers is a great strategy.  You can do this by writing on your blog consistently but you can also do this by finding blogs that may have your same ideal client.  When you find them join the conversation by leaving comments.  These comments will drive traffic back to your website and blog.
7. Blogs Allow You to Stand Out Among the Crowd – Are you in a market with lots of competition?  The reality is blogs are very popular yet many businesses have not adapted this into their marketing strategy.  The opportunity for your business to attract more clients using a blog is huge, almost endless.    Blogs can establish your company as an expert in your field or industry.  You can become the go to company for customers wanting what you are offering.  This works for all types of companies!  Blogs and Social Media are great equalizers.  If you are wanting to be an expert in wine for your town or city in Connecticut, the most well know realtor in Dallas, or the go to Social Media Company in San Diego, you can achieve this with your blog.

The bottom line?  The businesses who are blogging now, reaching out to their customers now, making an impact now, will be far ahead of their competition.  Marketing has changed!  Consumers are no longer waiting for the paper at their doorstep with your coupon inside.  Instead consumers are becoming more tech savvy and using feeds from blogs to stay current with news, trends, and businesses they are interested in.  This makes it essential for you as a business to provide information and marketing to consumers in multiple ways.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.