Comments on: How to Keep from Drowning in Social Media http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/ Stop and listen, the rules are changing... Fri, 01 Jan 2010 02:27:43 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: kevinliebl http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-281 kevinliebl Sat, 08 Aug 2009 23:43:11 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-281 Jan, It sounds like you have been in business for a while, so you probably know your target markets. I would suggest that these markets are your "niche" that you should focus on. For example, if you do a lot of work with AYSO or Little League, then I would focus on those segments. I (think) your concern with adding "all sports minded people" is that it is too broad, and in this case I would agree. However, if you can zero in on AYSO or even more specifically, AYSO Coaches, then I think you would be very effective. The thing to remember is that there is no magic with Social Media. It is simply a new "media" to reach your customers. If you would previously been targeting AYSO/Little League coaches, then you should do the same. I would imagine that you don't really target "all walks of life". It is a common mistake many people make in defining their target market. This is a fundamental marketing issue, independent of social media. It is common to say, "I can sell my product to anyone". While this may be true, most businesses segment the market and focus on a few key markets. For example: 1) AYSO/Little League Coaches, 2) School teachers / coaches / art departments / drama departments, 3) Real Estate Agents, etc... Go look for LinkedIn groups that meet your criteria. Search within Twitter for similar dialog and then go "listen" first to the conversations and then join in. If I misunderstood your question, let me know... Good luck, Kevin Jan,

It sounds like you have been in business for a while, so you probably know your target markets. I would suggest that these markets are your “niche” that you should focus on. For example, if you do a lot of work with AYSO or Little League, then I would focus on those segments. I (think) your concern with adding “all sports minded people” is that it is too broad, and in this case I would agree. However, if you can zero in on AYSO or even more specifically, AYSO Coaches, then I think you would be very effective.

The thing to remember is that there is no magic with Social Media. It is simply a new “media” to reach your customers. If you would previously been targeting AYSO/Little League coaches, then you should do the same.

I would imagine that you don’t really target “all walks of life”. It is a common mistake many people make in defining their target market. This is a fundamental marketing issue, independent of social media. It is common to say, “I can sell my product to anyone”. While this may be true, most businesses segment the market and focus on a few key markets.

For example: 1) AYSO/Little League Coaches, 2) School teachers / coaches / art departments / drama departments, 3) Real Estate Agents, etc…

Go look for LinkedIn groups that meet your criteria. Search within Twitter for similar dialog and then go “listen” first to the conversations and then join in.

If I misunderstood your question, let me know…

Good luck,

Kevin

]]> By: Jan Morse http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-280 Jan Morse Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:56:17 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-280 All great advice, but I still have a very difficult time finding my chosen niche. I make banners for people from all walks of life, so what's my niche? For instance, I don't want to add all sports minded people as my followers just because i make some sports related banners. Same with schools.... How should I zero in? Jan All great advice, but I still have a very difficult time finding my chosen niche. I make banners for people from all walks of life, so what’s my niche? For instance, I don’t want to add all sports minded people as my followers just because i make some sports related banners. Same with schools….
How should I zero in?
Jan

]]> By: Jerry Smith http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-246 Jerry Smith Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:46:52 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-246 Hi Kevin - spot on advice regarding the objective for SM tools. It seems that so many folks (on Twitter especially) have come to the conclusion that getting 10000s of followers is an end in itself. Hence there is a lot of noise out there about "get x number followers in 10 days" or similar. Also the fact that you can hide behind a keyboard seems to embolden people. The result of this is they have no qualms in simply blasting out a sales message frequently and repetitively! These 2 things combined lead a lot of people to conclude SM in general, twitter in particular is just noise, spam, sales messages, banal messages which all = "waste of time". It is necessary to cut through this and decide what you want from the tool. Personally I am looking to encourage people to want to visit our site, therefore everything is geared toward that objective and its NOT just blasting a sales message, rather it is finding and engaging in our chosen niche as you mention in your post. Hi Kevin – spot on advice regarding the objective for SM tools. It seems that so many folks (on Twitter especially) have come to the conclusion that getting 10000s of followers is an end in itself. Hence there is a lot of noise out there about “get x number followers in 10 days” or similar.

Also the fact that you can hide behind a keyboard seems to embolden people. The result of this is they have no qualms in simply blasting out a sales message frequently and repetitively!

These 2 things combined lead a lot of people to conclude SM in general, twitter in particular is just noise, spam, sales messages, banal messages which all = “waste of time”.

It is necessary to cut through this and decide what you want from the tool. Personally I am looking to encourage people to want to visit our site, therefore everything is geared toward that objective and its NOT just blasting a sales message, rather it is finding and engaging in our chosen niche as you mention in your post.

]]> By: Dan Nenni http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-204 Dan Nenni Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:17:21 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-204 I did a blog on this as well, we are on the same wavelength it seems: http://danielnenni.com/2009/06/25/professional-social-media-i-get-it/ FaceBook, Twitter, etc......... More toys than tools today, unless you have a well defined goal. LinkedIn however is much more focused. Cheers, D.A.N. I did a blog on this as well, we are on the same wavelength it seems:

http://danielnenni.com/2009/06/25/professional-social-media-i-get-it/

FaceBook, Twitter, etc……… More toys than tools today, unless you have a well defined goal. LinkedIn however is much more focused.

Cheers,

D.A.N.

]]> By: Joyce http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-166 Joyce Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:13:48 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-166 Hi Kevin, Thanks for your reply and your tips! I installed Tweetdeck last week, am learning on how to use it and get the hands-on of it. :-) I am going to take a look at the "Groundwell". I follow you on twitter. my username is joycetan76. Look forward to learning from you! Cheers, Joyce Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your reply and your tips! I installed Tweetdeck last week, am learning on how to use it and get the hands-on of it. :-)

I am going to take a look at the “Groundwell”.

I follow you on twitter. my username is joycetan76. Look forward to learning from you!

Cheers,
Joyce

]]> By: kevinliebl http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-164 kevinliebl Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:39:21 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-164 All, As an example of the long list of tools (the top 10 list changes daily), take a look at the following - http://cli.gs/mhqEsy. As a disclaimer, I am not endorsing any of these tools, but wanted to pass on one of the many lists of tools available. Use at your discretion and pick the ones that work best for you. - Kevin All,

As an example of the long list of tools (the top 10 list changes daily), take a look at the following – http://cli.gs/mhqEsy. As a disclaimer, I am not endorsing any of these tools, but wanted to pass on one of the many lists of tools available. Use at your discretion and pick the ones that work best for you.

- Kevin

]]> By: kevinliebl http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-162 kevinliebl Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:23:28 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-162 Joyce, I'm sorry it took me so long to reply. Agreed - I focused on Strategy and not on Tactics. For Twitter, I am a big fan of TweetDeck, but there are many others. This is a great tool for managing the inflow of data. You can create columns and filter based on category of data. They also just released a version for the iPhone, so it will sync your data back and forth - a very nice feature. Everyone has their favorite tool and they are changing daily. Getting back to the "why" and "how", if you truly want to get a grasp on Social Media, I HIGHLY recommend you read "Groundswell". There is a link on my recommended reading on the right column. It is really an eye-opener for most marketing types. Everyone that I know that has read it said, "Wow, now I get it!" Good luck! Kevin Joyce,

I’m sorry it took me so long to reply. Agreed – I focused on Strategy and not on Tactics. For Twitter, I am a big fan of TweetDeck, but there are many others. This is a great tool for managing the inflow of data. You can create columns and filter based on category of data. They also just released a version for the iPhone, so it will sync your data back and forth – a very nice feature. Everyone has their favorite tool and they are changing daily.

Getting back to the “why” and “how”, if you truly want to get a grasp on Social Media, I HIGHLY recommend you read “Groundswell”. There is a link on my recommended reading on the right column. It is really an eye-opener for most marketing types. Everyone that I know that has read it said, “Wow, now I get it!”

Good luck!

Kevin

]]> By: Nancy Scott http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-153 Nancy Scott Sat, 27 Jun 2009 01:50:01 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-153 Gosh, Kevin, this sounds an awful lot like somebody might need a social media PLAN! :-) For marketers new to the game, I suggest reading Chris Brogan's June 22 blog post "You Still Need A Frame." Be sure, too, to check out all the great comments that follow. http://bit.ly/JLwK5 Gosh, Kevin, this sounds an awful lot like somebody might need a social media PLAN! :-) For marketers new to the game, I suggest reading Chris Brogan’s June 22 blog post “You Still Need A Frame.” Be sure, too, to check out all the great comments that follow. http://bit.ly/JLwK5

]]> By: Jim Walery http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-152 Jim Walery Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:20:22 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-152 For a company, there needs to be a process established for social media for it to be successful and not a time waster. Social media must be treated like traditional marketing and have processes in place such as how a company data sheet is updated or how the company website is modified. After the social media objective is determined and the social media process is in place the effort level should be acceptable. Social media is a wrapper that is put around the traditional marketing items. Companies should look into using outside companies to assist in creating the social media processes. Jim http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimwalery For a company, there needs to be a process established for social media for it to be successful and not a time waster. Social media must be treated like traditional marketing and have processes in place such as how a company data sheet is updated or how the company website is modified. After the social media objective is determined and the social media process is in place the effort level should be acceptable. Social media is a wrapper that is put around the traditional marketing items. Companies should look into using outside companies to assist in creating the social media processes.
Jim
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimwalery

]]> By: Doug http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/2009/06/25/drowning-in-social-media/#comment-151 Doug Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:59:08 +0000 http://kevinliebl.wordpress.com/?p=330#comment-151 You lay out an overall strategy/approach. But then there are the tactics/tools. Sorting out the noise from the valuable info is hard enough. Then tracking, organizing in a way that can be used is the next challenge facing many of us. Your posting addresses another question that came in this group by Elaine Lee: Can some one please recommend a site where I can manage all of my social networking accounts? Where I can post, upload, follow and all that. Clare Wade responded with: Check out http://ping.fm/ . It allows you to post across many different social networks. I welcome other ideas. You lay out an overall strategy/approach. But then there are the tactics/tools.

Sorting out the noise from the valuable info is hard enough. Then tracking, organizing in a way that can be used is the next challenge facing many of us.

Your posting addresses another question that came in this group by Elaine Lee:
Can some one please recommend a site where I can manage all of my social networking accounts? Where I can post, upload, follow and all that.

Clare Wade responded with: Check out http://ping.fm/ . It allows you to post across many different social networks.

I welcome other ideas.

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