Posts Tagged social media
Let’s Talk Social Media for Small Business (Version 2) – Free 41 Page eBook
Posted by in Free Stuff For Small Business on August 11, 2010
Not long ago, social media seemed so new and different that it was treated as an appendage of sorts—a kind of marketing that should be tried only by “experts.” While that view still exists to some degree today, it’s become clear to many that social media is no longer marketing’s new thing. It’s now simply part of the way we do marketing today. Traditional marketing tactics such as advertising, referrals, and public relations are still very important, but social media tactics have now become a part of everyday marketing’s fabric and need to be considered at the strategic level of your marketing decision-making process. So, rather than asking yourself if you should or should not use Facebook or Twitter, the question is: “How can Facebook and Twitter help you achieve your marketing objectives?” It’s the same as asking how direct mail or having two more salespeople might fit into the plans. From this integrated viewpoint, social media participation can start to make more sense for each individual marketer’s needs and goals. With this free eBook you will also receive weekly marketing news, tips, and advice you can use courtesy of Duct Tape Marketing. Request Free!
How Many Small Businesses HAVE Given Up On Twitter? Some Data Coming
In a Twitter chat on customer service, I made a claim that the majority of small businesses fail badly using Twitter, and indicative of this is the number of small businesses that try Twitter, and then stop using it. Marsha Collier @marshacollier flat out objected to this, claiming this was not the case. Since I’ve [...]
42 Rules of Social Media
Posted by in Free Stuff For Small Business on April 8, 2010
Written by communications professional Jennifer Jacobson, this book is designed to help working professionals find social media that fits their business and get the most out of their social media presence. From networking communication, to social branding, ‘42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business’ addresses specific rules of engagement, as well as the fundamental approach to online, as opposed to traditional, media. As part of the 42 Rules series, this book is designed to quickly and effectively equip business professionals with the tools they need to generate an effective customer community through social media, that translates into customer loyalty, excitement for the brand, and return business that eventually generates a dedicated customer base and increased revenue. ‘42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business’ demystifies social media and teaches readers why social media is important to their business and how they can maximize their social media effectiveness. Prepared by Super Star Press; Sponsored by Super Star Press Request Free!
Bacal & Associates Plans on Drastic Curtailing of Social Media Use by End of 2010
Posted by Robert Bacal in Small Business Strategy and Decision-Making, Small Business and The Internet, Small Business and Twitter on March 29, 2010
After fairly lengthy involvement on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, I’ve decided, as many thousands of other small businesses, to abandon most of our use of social media platforms for business purposes. I haven’t decided yet what we will keep and what we will let sit there, versus what we will ultimately delete, but we should [...]
If You Want To Learn about Social Media and Small Business Don’t Do it on Social Media
Posted by Robert Bacal in No Bs Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business on March 19, 2010
If you own a small business and want to learn whether you can benefit from social media, do NOT rely on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media (including most blogs) for your information. The reason is simple. These platforms have attracted a huge active loud following of people actively involved and making their living [...]
Social Media Question (Smbiz) What is your advice on building targeted followers/friends
Posted by Robert Bacal in No Bs Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business, Small Business and The Internet, Small Business and Twitter on March 16, 2010
In the next weeks I’ll be continuing my work on two books related to customer service, which in turn relates to social media. I have my own low opinions about the value of social media as a customer service tool, one reason being the issue of building a targeted followers/friends list of sufficient size to [...]
I Failed “Going Social” On My Small Business Websites!
Posted by Robert Bacal in The Building of a Small Business Website on March 11, 2010
It won’t be the first time I’ve failed with an idea. Won’t be the last. In fact, most of my ideas don’t work, and that’s what makes the successes so satisfying. Then again, I have a lot of ideas (not good ones, mind you).
So, given all the hype about social networking, I decided to install [...]
Something Wrong At Mashable? Incompetent or Intentional Misleading Articles – Social Media
It seems every time I go to mashable to read something that purports to be research about social media, I found that the article contains reference to some numbers (it’s almost always survey numbers which are virtually useless in assessing value), and then includes one or two sentences implying positive contributions of social media that [...]
100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure Social Media – No BS Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business
David Berkowitz is billed as “Senior Director of Emerging Media & Innovation for agency 360i. A frequent speaker and media pundit, he has been published hundreds of times in MediaPost, Ad Age, eMarketer, and elsewhere.” He authored some material entitled 100 Ways to Measure Social Media, and indeed he describes some “metrics” that [...]
Claims of Brand Protection and Reputation Management On Twitter Completely False – No BS Guide To Twitter For Small Business
Posted by Robert Bacal in No Bs Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business, Small Business Strategy and Decision-Making, Small Business and Twitter on February 23, 2010
One of the “imperatives” the experts say about Twitter and other social media is that all businesses must both monitor and repair their reputations using Twitter (or other online areas). While there are certainly a number of instances where a company has done something really stupid and had it spread rapidly on Twitter, there is [...]
Tweets Have ZERO Shelf Life Limiting Use For Small Business – NO BS Guide To Twitter/SMedia For Small Business
Posted by Robert Bacal in No Bs Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business, Small Business and Twitter on February 21, 2010
There is a fairly long list of reasons why Twitter is such a poor tool for small business, and why there is little evidence of return on investment for small businesses, beyond a select few that get reported in the media. Unreported go the thousands of small businesses each month that try and fail. Let’s [...]
False Claims For Efficacy of Social Media For Small Business on ABC – NO BS Guide To Twitter For Small Business
Posted by Robert Bacal in No Bs Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business, Small Business and Twitter on February 21, 2010
Almost every article I read on small business and the use of social media draws erroneous conclusion about the data they talk about. As I was writing my previous post in the NO BS Guide To Social Media For Small Business, someone tweeted about an article entitled: Social Media Paying Off for Business Owners, published [...]
When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To Social Media For Small Business
Posted by Robert Bacal in No Bs Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business on February 21, 2010
When social media experts say :Small businesses should… or small businesses must, followed by some imperative that you have to use twitter, or facebook or any social media, they are either lying or too stupid to be credible. Seriously.
There are many things small businesses “should” do, some of them required by law, but one of [...]
Jumping Off Bridges A Boon To Businesses (How Social Media Experts BS You)
Posted by Robert Bacal in Small Business Strategy and Decision-Making, Small Business and The Internet, Small Business and Twitter, Technology on December 9, 2009
Fred Radish didn’t realize it then, but out of his despair came a business success. In November, 2008, Radish, CEO of Participles RU, was headed to bankruptcy. His business was failing, his wife left, and his children were all teenagers. Bleakly Radish stood on the Brooklyn Bridge staring into the abyss. He jumped!
Radish woke up [...]
More Bogus Claims for Social Media and Business “ROI”/Success
Posted by Robert Bacal in Small Business Strategy and Decision-Making, Small Business and The Internet, Small Business and Twitter on December 8, 2009
I’ve pretty much given up on trying to refute the garbage being passed off as proof that Social Media is valuable to business, or small business. I’m at the point that if you want to spend you time on Social Media, and you can’t find better ways to market and improve your business, you probably [...]