Manage Social Media with One Tool

Social media is one of the best new ways to deliver your marketing message - and to show your business personality - to your target market. With so many tools like Facebook and Twitter to use though, how do you manage them all? How do you make time to do it all?

I use HootSuite, a free Twitter-related application that allows me to set up my various accounts and to write, manage and measure my marketing messages with one tool. It currently works hand-in-hand with Twitter, Facebook, Facebook pages, LinkedIn, Ping.fm and Word Press. You can even schedule messages to go out automatically - so you don't skip a beat when you're out of the office!

And what's even better, this tool is FREE! I love it - check it out and watch how easily you can transform your social media marketing plan into a manageable, measurable task.


Virtually Yourz,
Dana Neuts

Follow me on Twitter: VirtuallyYourz
Find me on Facebook, Biznik and LinkedIn

Face to Face Connections Remain Essential in Social Media World

Today I read a great article, the Meltdown Survival Handbook, in the August 2009 issue of Seattle Metropolitan (@SeattleMet for Twitter fans). This witty, refreshing article contained 20 ways to survive the recession while having a little fun. Tip #10 - Network the Smart Way - reminds us that social media networks like Biznik, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are wonderful ways to meet and connect with people, but old fashioned face-to-face connecting is still an essential tool to succeeding in the real world both, personally and professionally.

By connecting face-to-face, we are solidifying online connections, diversifying our contact base and having fun getting out of the house and away from the computer. Thanks to Dan McComb, co-founder of Biznik, for the much-needed reminder!

Virtually Yourz,
Dana Neuts

Follow me on Twitter
Find me on Facebook, Biznik and LinkedIn

Seven Free Ways to Promote Your Blog

So you've finally started that blog you've always wanted. You have the occasional reader, but not the type of traffic you'd hoped for. There's a quick fix for that - promote your blog. Here are seven free ways to do that with little or no cost to you except for, of course, your time.

1. Twitter - Tweet your latest blog posting on Twitter.

2. Facebook - Link to your latest blog posting on Facebook or, better yet, create a business page and automatically link it to Facebook so it updates whenever your blog does.

3. Linked In - If you have a profile on Linked In, you can also have your profile automatically updated with your latest blog postings.

4. Biznik.com - Add your blog address to your Biznik profile.

5. E-mail signature - Add your blog address to your e-mail signature.

6. Marketing materials - The next time you update your marketing materials (biz cards, letterhead, brochure, etc.), be sure to include your blog address.

7. Encourage comments - On one of my blogs (http://www.ilovekent.net), I offer a monthly drawing for three $10 Kent Station gift cards for qualifying posts. Winners are chosen randomly from those who post each month.


Virtually Yourz,
Dana Neuts

Follow me on Twitter: VirtuallyYourz
Find me on Facebook, Biznik and LinkedIn

Three Ways to Make Time for Marketing

What I am hearing from small business owners and other organizations who count marketing among their many tasks is that time is one of the biggest challenges. Those who wear many hats in their businesses are so inundated with customer service, inventory management, product development and administration that marketing can take a backseat. The problem is that marketing needs to be consistent to be effective.

Do you struggle to find enough time to update your blog, create or update a Facebook page, or send out your monthly e-mail newsletter? Here are three ways to make time for those necessary marketing tasks.

- Plan ahead. Take one day each month to plan your marketing tasks for the next month and do all of the necessary work in advance. For example, on March 15, plan for April. Write all of your blog postings for the month at once and schedule them to be posted throughout the month. This block of time allows you to focus on the task at hand, so you can be creative and not rushed to get the task done.

- Schedule time for social media. As sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Biznik grow in popularity, it has become almost necessary for businesses to participate. Unfortunately, active participation can take a big chunk of time out of your day, so I plan my activity in blocks. Twitter and Facebook are ever-changing, so I login to both each morning. I have my Twitter updates automatically posted to Facebook, so I only need to type status updates once. For LinkedIn and Biznik, time isn't as critical, so I set aside down time (like when I'm on hold or have idle time on the weekends) to make updates to my profile, view the community forums, etc. If I get a message or invitation to connect, it will be e-mailed to me and I can address those as they come in by logging in as needed (once a day, max.)

- Delegate marketing tasks. If you have a tech-savvy employee, or an intern with a silver tongue, consider having them help with some of your marketing tasks. A tech-savvy employee, for example, could easily create a blog or Facebook business page or event for you. A silver tongued-employee might help brainstorm ideas for blog postings, events, your April promotion or your next newsletter. If those resources aren't available, consider outsourcing some of your marketing responsibilities to a marketing professional. You can find anything from a virtual marketing expert who offers a la carte services to a full-service marketing, PR and advertising agency.

If you have other time savers to share, I welcome your comments!

Virtually Yourz,
Dana Neuts