I frequently go to several businesses just like this and I think social media could make a BIG difference for them.  Some are choosing not to use social media because they feel it isn’t intimate enough for their businesses anymore.  This seems to be because there are so many businesses using social media ineffectively like a push marketing tool.  The important thing to remember about social media is that it can be whatever you need it to be for YOU and YOUR Business.  Because social media involves creating a community and relationships, you are in control.

Let’s focus on what makes one of these businesses a prime candidate for social media marketing success.  Here are a few of the signs:

• Passion.  The owner is passionate about what she does.
• Influence.  The owner is a leader and a teacher.  She has strong influence over her customers.
• Rock Solid Brand Message.  She is a great leader with a very solid brand message.
• Solid Business Plan.  She is clear on what she does, who her target customer is, her offering and her price point.
• Great Content Already Exists.  As part of her existing operations, the business develops daily, authentic brand messages that could be easily used as social media content.
• Established Tribe.   There is already an established loyal tribe that loves and trusts the business.
• Testimonials and Feedback.  Customers provide feedback routinely about their experience with the business.
• Requests for More.  Customers want more and can’t get enough from this business.

Our society is going through a fundamental shift that’s driving many to want more authentic heartfelt connections.  Social Media can help a business that’s connecting with a small group of people, grow that connection and their very important message to thousands or more who might really need it and their service or product.

Just like everything we do.  Social Media is the art that we create and the power comes from whatever we make happen.

Photo Credit Michaela Kobyakov, Austria.

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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.

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A person can have only one personal Facebook account but unlimited business pages?

Facebook regulations require that each person have only one account that is listed in a personal name (not in the name of a business).  However, you can add Facebook “pages” for most businesses in addition to your personal page.  A facebook page functions much like your personal page.

Facebook calls this feature “pages”.

This feature is listed under “Advertising” at the bottom of all Facebook pages.

Example:

http://www.facebook.com/squaremartini

http://www.facebook.com/vw

We know you’ve seen lots of Facebook pages and “Like” buttons everywhere.  However, do you continue to see friend requests from businesses?  We do!  Those businesses that choose to use personal profiles versus business “pages” in facebook sacrifice many business benefits which facebook has built for businesses.  One of the biggest benefits is the ability to send an update to all of your fans/likers.

What are some of your favorite Facebook pages?  Have you visited our Square Martini page yet?  Join our conversation today and tell us your feedback!

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Some of you may be thinking why video and why put them on YouTube?  This could be a post in its self but to keep it simple video is HOT, it’s something we recommend to many of our Social Media clients, and if you  looked at YouTube as a search engine it would be ranked number 2 above  Yahoo!.   So what you really should be thinking is how can you implement a video and YouTube strategy in your business?

To kick of the Social Media Minute please watch the following video as we explore using Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin to follow up after speaking.  In the video I discuss using Social Media to continue the conversation, establish stronger relationships, and move prospects in an audience to customers and referral sources.

I hope you enjoyed the Social Media Minute and I look forward to your thoughts and comments.  Please subscribe to the Square Martini Media YouTube channel and if you have a question you would like covered on the Social Media Minute please let us know by giving us your Social Media Minute Question.

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So, what does an April Fool’s Martini (see recipe below) have to do with your social media strategy?
Well, that depends on how you use it.  But, if you read our Candy Cane Martini Post in December, we got you started.  Periodically, we’ll offer you additional martini recipes to help you stop, take a pause and measure your social media campaigns.  Measure? Yes, measure.  We mean estimate the ROI and effectiveness of your social media strategies.

Social Media isn’t static.  If you’ve been active with social media long, you know what I’m talking about.  You have to try new things all the time, see what your customers like, keep what’s working and discontinue what’s not.  What’s working for your company?  When was the last time you reviewed your social media metrics? (Did she say social media metrics?  Hmmm…?)

Do you have any metrics that you’re tracking?  If you don’t , that’s okay, here’s your chance to create some and start tracking them now.  So, pause, make an April Fool’s Martini and sit back, relax and review your social media strategy and it’s effectiveness.  Drop us a comment and let us know how you’re doing!

Here’s a recipe to get you started compliments of MartiniLovers.com

April Fool’s Martini

1 tsp raspberry liqueur
3 oz block raspberry vodka
Splash of Vermouth
Fresh raspberries

Add raspberry liquor and black raspberry vodka to martini shaker. Shake well. Soak raspberries in vermouth. Strain raspberry berry liquor and black raspberry vodka into a chilled, sugar rimmed, martini glass. Garnish with vermouth raspberries.

Enjoy!  and Drink Responsibly 

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1. Log on to facebook
2. Search for “extended info” in the facebook search at the top right of your facebook profile.  Extended info will be the first application listed.  Click on View Application to the right.  You will then land on the Extended Info facebook fan page.  Click on the blue Go to Application box on the top left.
3. You will now need to fill in some information in the Extended Info page.
   • Add the image url, you can create your own follow me on twitter image or you can use this one.  Just open the link in a new tab or window
   • Copy link and past into the Image url
   • Add the link url, my link url is http://www.twitter.com/alanunderkofler
   • You can add a header or caption if you want.  View my facebook profile to see how the header looks.
   • Dimensions:  You can change this if you want buy the default is set to add the follow me on twitter badge to the left sidebar on your facebook profile
4. Save the changes
5. The Extended Info application will then ask if you want to share this with your friends.  If you decide to share the news it will show up on your news feed and you may attract a few new twitter followers.
6. The next step is to add the badge to your profile.  To do this look at the top right corner of the Extended Info Facebook Application for the blue Add to Profile box.  Just click on the box, choose the Wall or Boxes tab, it will then show you where it will be placed on your facebook profile for your approval.
7. The final step is to click on the link and make sure it goes to your twitter account.

If you found these seven steps helpful please help other facebook users my sharing this post on your facebook wall, tweeting this post on twitter, or stumbling it on StumbleUpon.  You can do this with ease by using the share this button below.

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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.

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The Coffee Groundz Background
Coffee Groundz is not your typical coffee shop!  It was started to fill a niche; serve great coffee and tea, cold beverages, and spirits!  Coffee Groundz also provides free wifi and is work friendly with outlets and at every seat as well as outside on the patio.  Sounds like a great place to visit!

How it Started
How is this small independent coffee shop using twitter to attract more clients and create stronger relationships with their customers?  Like many businesses first venturing into Social Media for their business J.R. Cohen the manager of Coffee Groundz started out with listening, “I spent the first hour just looking at it wondering what to do”.  The next day J.R. started following local Houston twitter users as @coffeegroundz and engaged them in conversation.  J.R. would encourage his followers to stop by Coffee Groundz and ask for him by name.  When customers arrived from twitter J.R. would greet each them, building on the relationship.

The Success Story
The Social Media ROI (return on investment) for The Coffee Groudz is tremendous.  J.R. estimates within three months sales doubled because of twitter.  This happened by engaging the local twitter community and listening to what customers were saying.  J.R. often talks about twitter to go customer Sean Stoner @maslowbeer on twitter.  Sean requested his breakfast order on twitter hoping to get in and out of the coffee shop faster.  J.R. was listening and responded with “Wi. What do you want on it?”  This created a huge response from the Coffee Groundz twitter community.  It turns out many customers wanted to order via twitter and @coffeegroundz welcomed them!

The twitter Impact Continues
Coffee Groundz and taken twitter a few steps further by hosting live twitter events called tweetups at their location.  It’s not surprising when you have 100 twitter people at your location they do more than just tweet!  They buy coffee, drinks, and food!  And more importantly these events attract new customers to experience Coffee Groundz.

Hosting events have always been a great way to increase sales for restaurants, bars, and clubs.  By creating such an impact with twitter Coffee Groundz seems to be attracting additional events to it’s location.  Just this week Hallmark Mobile Greetings hosted a live event at Coffee Groundz to show customers how their mobile greetings application worked.  The tweet sent out buy @coffeegroundz “Free coffee and free dessert here thanks to #hallmarkmobile come by and say hi.”  This Social Media Strategy works for Coffee Groudz as it attracts new customers.  Hallmark Mobile wins by tapping into the digital and Social Media customers that frequent Coffee Groudz.  Brilliant!

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 about it!

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I don’t work for Blog World Expo…

It really did….

And if you are a business owner who wants to learn more about Social Media and you’ve been looking for a one-stop learning experience where you can immerse yourself in an environment and really understand what the Social Media industry is all about, well folks, this is the one.  Not to mention you get the bonus opportunity to learn all about podcasting because Blog World Expo merged with New Media Expo this year too (the premier conference for podcasters).

Prior to Blog World Expo ‘08, I had a very solid understanding of Social Media and I was already using many of the tools.  However, once I attended Blog World Expo, my knowledge level jettisoned and I was quite certain within hours of arriving in Las Vegas that I would be working in this industry for the rest of my life.

Social Media is such an obvious must-add to your marketing toolbox.  You may remember that I have a business background. I’m a CPA and an MBA.  I’ve been working in Business for 20 years.  At the time I attended Blog World Expo last year, my focus was business consulting and executive coaching.  It was so obvious that Social Media was such a “must-have” for all of my clients that it seemed it would be a crime not to add it to my company’s list of offerings.  I decided on the spot that I would study and drink this industry like kool aid and do my best to become a subject matter expert in Social Media Strategy.

But enough about me.  Why am I writing this post and why should YOU go to Blog World Expo?  I don’t want you to miss this terrific learning experience that only comes along once each year.

This year’s conference takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center and has over 200 speakers, over 85 sessions with many different specialty tracks to choose from.  A special 20% discount code “Tweet20″ is available through Sept 20 for early registrants.

Blog World Expo confirmed the following key points for me last year:

• Social Media is filled with smart, educated, authentic, genuine people who are passionate about what they do.
• These people are generous and excited and willing to teach you and help advance your learning.
• Nothing can replace face-to-face interaction and “making friends in the blogosphere” means making connections in person as well as virtually (i.e., leaving blog comments on other peoples blogs).
• The Social Media Industry moves fast and everyone is still learning.  Great people are and will be learning right beside you!  People like Gary Vaynerchuk, Brian Clark, Mari Smith, Dave Taylor, Tim Ferriss, Mike Shinoda, Chris Brogan, Warren Whitlock, Doyle Albee, Denise Wakeman, and SOOOO many more!
• Twitter is an amazing tool and promotes an interactive, fast paced experience at conferences like none I’d ever experienced before.
• The Power of the Tweetup is amazing and is demonstrated right before your eyes.
• There was a whole community in San Diego that I needed to embrace and meet. The Social Media San Diego landscape was an unknown one to me that I would discover because of Blog World Expo. Since last year, I’ve met hundreds of people because Blog World Expo opened my eyes to the power of social media connecting. This is true not just in San Diego but in many cities all over the world.

So, yes Blog World Expo changed my life forever. Since returning a year ago, I launched Square Martini Media, started a social network, launched 2 new blogs, started 2 new internet radio shows/podcasts, became a keynote speaker on social media, attended at least 10 other social media seminars, read countless books, read what seems like millions of blogposts and sent over 8,500 tweets, met and now love the San Diego Social Media and San Diego Twitterati scenes, formed countless relationships due to social media.  My love affair with social media grows daily and I’m oh so thankful.

How can you not attend?

I know I can’t wait to get there and see everyone I met last year at #BWE09 and make new friends this year!

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1. Networking – Clearly the more active you are on LinkedIn the more exposure you have.  This brings you more clients and referrals
2. LinkedIn Search People – Who are you looking for?  You are only one, possibly two, LinkedIn connections away from your next large customer.
3. LinkedIn Answers – With LinkedIn, you have the ability to ask questions and get answers from the entire LinkedIn Network.
4. LinkedIn Profile – Your profile is a great way for people to remember who you are as well as what you look like.  Having your picture and information current is an excellent way for people to identify with you at a future event.  Viewing someone’s profile while following up via phone gives you a great advantage since you can instantly identify ways to engage them in the conversation.
5. LinkedIn Recommendations – With LinkedIn, you can receive ongoing testimonials. When your clients and vendors give you recommendations, you gain instant credibility.
6. Google Search – We are now in a time where most people will do a Google search for your name and company before deciding on a purchase.  Your LinkedIn profile along with the recommendations from your clients and vendors will be near the top of any search on your name clearly adding to your credibility.
7. LinkedIn Groups – LinkedIn gives you the ability to create and join groups.  The ability to join groups with likeminded people or your target market gives you a great advantage as well as increases your exposure to potential clients and referrals.

So can you really make money by using LinkedIn?  Check out this great article on LinkedIn’s Blog “I’ve made millions of dollars through LinkedIn”.  You can’t afford not to be in this network!

If this 7 Top Reasons LinkedIn is a Must Have for Your Business still hasn’t convinced you that participating in LinkedIn is worth your time post a comment because we would love to hear your reasoning.  If you have a great success story with LinkedIn please share it by leaving a comment!

Although an essential element Square Martini Media considers LinkedIn just one factor in your overall social media business strategy.

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