To really start seeing results from your Facebook page first you need to know exactly what you want. This will be unique to your business, don’t worry about what other businesses are doing and what their goals are. This is the fun thing about social media, it can be and look like whatever you want it to and the results are up to you.

I’d like to share my formula for creating social media strategies to help you discover what will work for your business.

What you’re going to need:

Your business goals for the next year. This can simply be a layout of the products and/or events your launching. This is absolutely vital to ensure your business goals and social media goals are integrated and congruent.

Now let’s walk through the steps to creating a winning strategy that’s unique to you that will bring in the results you really want!

1. Action-oriented, focused goals (up to 4) that align with your business strategy. When you look at your upcoming activities think about what social actions you can take and what result(s) you would like to create from those actions. Each should be a one-line actionable and measurable goal that is focused around your business. Here’s an example of what this could look like:
   

   Create a social buzz around our June event with the help of our registered guests via social sharing features and incentives to attract 100 registrations from this single strategy.

2. Add bullets points for each goal. These will be independent actions you will take for each goal and cover the goal from beginning to end. Here’s a brief example for the goal above:
   1. Create badges for registered guests to use on their websites and social media profiles.
   2. Setup tracking links to track conversions.
   3. Make it easy to socially share.
   4. Provide bonus items for incentive to those that share the event via social media.
   5. Provide a social place for customers and prospects to connect and discuss the event.
   6. Review all strategies to measure what converted the best.
3. Task lists. Create a to do list for each bullet and assign each task to a team member. Make note of any additional tools you will need to achieve your goals. Let’s look at a to do list for one of the above bullet points:
   • Create badges for registered guests to use on their websites and social media profiles.
     1. Contact graphic designer with badge idea and request 3 different versions.
     2. Contact web designer with badge idea and request coding for social media.
     3. Approve badges.
     4. Send badges to web designer for implementation.
     5. Approve web design.
     6. Craft copy for the share page and thank you autoresponders.
     7. Approve copy.
     8. Launch social sharing campaign.

Why take the time to lay this out? Why not just jump in and see what happens?

When you take the time to actually integrate your social media with your overall business the results will be phenomenal. A client came to me when their Facebook page had 5,000 likes and it was doing ok, staidly growing and engagement was at about 5% overall. We sat down for a few hours and ran through this process to create a complete plan to improve her page and integrate it in her upcoming launches. Along with increased registrations we also increased her Likes to over 7,000 in 6 weeks.

When you create a clear plan and define what success means for you the results will follow.

This is one of my favorite topics! The unique atmosphere here makes this a great place expand your professional network. This means potential clients, joint ventures and mentors are just waiting for your pretty face to pop up!

I work with my clients on improving specific aspects of their LinkedIn profile to start seeing results. One of my client’s efforts landed her in the top 1% of profiles in 2011, which in turn drove traffic to her website and live events.

Here’s five secrets to success:

Your Profile. Make sure you have a complete profile with a memorable title and a summary that provokes curiosity. Profiles recently received an upgrade so be sure to take advantage of these new options. Increase your visibility now:

• Skills (once you add your skills your connections can start to endorse you)
• Education (you can then ask your teachers/mentors for an endorsement)
• Recommendations (kindly request recommendations from customers)
• Projects and Videos (showcase your best work)
• Courses & Certifications (standout from the crowd with your continued education dedication)
• Honors & Awards (let the world know about the amazing accomplishments you’ve earned)
• Publications (if you’re a published author be sure to add that information)

New Connections. Expanding your network should be an ongoing mission. With the recent changes it’s easier than ever to do this. Literally you can click a button and send off a request. Although is that best route to go? I recommend a more personal approach. Head over to their profile…don’t just click the buttons in various locations around the site. Once you’re on their profile you can click “Connect” and you will have the opportunity to send a message along with your request. A little personalization goes a long way.

Groups. This is one of the best ways to connect with prospects and provide great content. If you’re really looking to thrive on LinkedIn dedicate time a few days a week to pop into 2 or 3 groups (don’t spread yourself too thin). Provide a helping hand when you can, answer some questions and share helpful content.

Updates. Don’t forget to schedule regular updates for your LinkedIn profile. These are just like updates you schedule for Facebook and Twitter. Don’t miss this opportunity to provide amazing content and stay in front of your hottest prospects.

Messages. This tactic requires planning. If you’re going to send a message out to your network connections you want to be sure it has high value and avoids spamming their inbox. Just like you take care of your email subscribers, your LinkedIn messages get the same dedication. I recommend you sending with care, don’t over do it. You want to provide value, not sell.

Do you currently use LinkedIn? If you have it on your radar jump in with both feet, don’t hold back. You’ll start to see increased traffic to your website from LinkedIn and your network will start to thrive bringing you more prospects and clients.

Over the last week I spent some time thinking about all things I’ve learned and I wanted to share my 3 biggest ah-has with you. When I worked these strategies into my business I had more time to implement ideas that brought in additional revenue! We all want to be growing our businesses and support more amazing entrepreneurs or individuals, these are some of the ways I did it.

Plan for a Year
During a mastermind retreat this summer I was handed a template that just changed the way I looked at my marketing schedule. It opened a new way of thinking, it made it simple!

As you’re looking into 2013 think about the big ticket items. Fill those into your calendar first. Those launches will take up quite a bit of your marketing calendar as you’ll have a few stages; Launch, Execute, Post Launch.

Next think about your list building activities. In between your launches you still want to be building your list, so find fun and engaging ways you can deliver amazing content to your ideal clients.

Now you’ll see how much room is left on your marketing calendar. This can be used for speaking engagements, affiliate or joint venture promotions.

This made my life so much easier. Once you have these big pieces in place you can plan your content around every piece.

Spend Time on Your Business
We’re all so dedicated to taking care of our clients we somethings forget how vital it is to dedicate time to growing our business. After you have your marketing plan clearly laid out you need to spend time implementing and planning.

Talk with your support team about your plan. Be sure everyone knows what they’re responsible for. Consider creating a clear outline somewhere that everyone has access to. I personally love using Google Docs to keep everything in one place. When a team member makes an update I see it in real time, you can even receive an email when anyone updates the document.

Set deadlines. Be sure each task has a deadline and set reminders for yourself. Staying ahead of due dates is always a great thing to strive for. I often get on the phone with team members to checkin or review details. With all emails we all have flying around, sometimes a good ol’ phone call is the best way to get everyone on the same page.

Have a schedule for the things you don’t like to do
Don’t laugh! I know there are certain tasks that I really dread taking care of…and admittedly would postpone them if possible. So to avoid this, I literally put them on my calendar at a specific time with a time block. During this time I close my inbox and don’t answer the phone. This gives me focused time to take care of those not so fun tasks. To sweeten the pot a bit, after I complete the task I do a little something fun. Maybe enjoy a hot cup of tea while enjoying the mountain view, or take a break and watch short training video…something out of the normal and that you enjoy.

There we go, three ways you can start saving time and seeing results in your business. First, plan for the year ahead and really create a visual for yourself so you see what’s coming up for your business. Second, spend time on your business not just in your business. Make things happen! Third, think about all those tasks that make your roll your eyes, you know what they are already! Put them on your calendar and get them done quickly so you can move onto the fun things!

If you’d like to get 2013 mapped out clearly for you and your team here’s a handy resource I’d love share with you! I originally created this for my business and then shared it with my clients who have fallen in love with it too! Save time in planning your launches and don’t ever let the small details fall through the cracks again! Grab your complimentary copy of the Results Calendar now.

I just updated mine with some branding colors, I’ll probably play around with it some more but I wanted to get it up there and see how it would look. So let’s talk about a few of the details so you can get your up and running too! These new header images will appear on Twitter.com as well as their mobile apps.

The Image
Create an image or have your graphic designer work on one that is 1252 × 626 pixels. The final file size cannot exceed 5MB. When creating this image remember that your profile picture and bio text will be going on top of this image so I recommend staying away from text in this image.

Adding the Image to Your Profile
Once you have your image you’re ready to upload to Twitter. To get started click on the gear in the top right corner, and choose Settings from the drop down menu. Next choose Design from the left hand navigation. Once you’re here you can upload your new image in the Change header section.

Some Great Examples
You can take a peek at a few profiles that have already made the update, these are a few that I liked:
Lisa Sasevich
The Barista Bar
The Today Show

Bonus Update
Twitter made one other update, this is tied to the bigger background image on profiles. You can now align your image to the left, center or right. This will give you more control over the placement of design elements.

Would love to see your new images too! Drop me a note below or on Twitter so I can check them out.

This uncelebrated rock star is one of my favorite tools, and I use it daily! I’m going to revile the hidden power and how I save hours every week with this simple tool.

First, what is a Twitter List?
These are a group of Twitter users curated by another user. You can create a list and you can follow lists created by others.

How to create a list:

• Navigate to your Lists page on Twitter. There are two ways to reach your lists; via the profile drop-down menu in the top navigation bar or by going to your profile page and clicking the Lists tab.
• Click Create list.
• Enter the name of your list (Note: The title of your list cannot exceed 25 characters), a short description of the list, and select whether you want the list to be private (you’ll be the only person who can see and access the list) or public (anyone view and subscribe to the list).
• Click Save list.

Now to Add (and remove) People to Your List

• Click the person icon on a user’s profile. This brings up a drop-down menu.
• Select Add or remove from lists. (Note: You don’t need to be following a person to add them to a list.)
• A pop-up will appear displaying your created lists. Check the lists you would like to add the user to, or uncheck the lists you’d like to remove the user from.

How to view Tweets from a list:

• Go to your profile page.
• Click the profile drop-down menu in the top navigation bar.
• Choose which list you’d like to view.
• Right away, you’ll see a stream of Tweets from the users included in that list.

Now how can you use these to improve your Twitter activities?
Let me share a few strategies as to when and why I create a list. Here are a few ideas to get your juices flowing:

• Thought leaders in your industry – I love to share their posts and tips with my audience, they have great stuff to share that my people can use
• Joint Ventures – I like to chat with joint ventures and share their content with my followers as they have great information that compliments my business, and it keeps a great connection going between promotion times
• Clients – I have a private list of my clients so I can watch their posts and give congratulations when possible as well as provide any feedback I can to improve their Twitter marketing efforts.
• Fellow Mastermind Members – I enjoy supporting my mastermind colleges in their endeavors.
• Training Programs – Ones I create and/or ones I attend. You can create a group of attendees to stay contented.
• Networking – If I attend a seminar or networking event I like to add those peeps to a special list and keep in touch with them. I’ve found people I meet in person I often create a strong bond with and want to keep the relationship virtually…that is until we meet in person again
• Competitor Research (even though I really dislike the word competitor) – See what people in your industry are up to. I actually love see what my fellow social media peeps are up to and thinking of creative ways to work together.

Your turn, go forth…create one Twitter list and add a few people you would like to connect with more. Then check it daily and start conversions!

See you in the Twitterverse!

Let’s hear it straight from the source, HootSuite:

Google+ Pages For Brand Engagement

Google+ launched new Google+ Pages for brands to have a unique and nuanced engagement experience with audiences.

With Google+ Pages integration, marketing managers and socially strategic organizations are offered new ways of managing connections with customers within the HootSuite dashboard for lead generation, HR recruiting, support, brand awareness and social campaigns.

Targeted Publishing with Circles

Google+ Pages in the HootSuite dashboard allow brands to tailor messaging to specific audience segments and post updates to selected circles. HootSuite privacy features let Team Members select whether a post will appear public, or whether it will post to a specific circle.

Image by HootSuite

Advanced Circle Management

Brands can now collaboratively build out their Google+ Page presence using HootSuite’s advanced team workflow functionality – such as message assignments and follow ups – optimizing the unique engagement benefits of Google+ circles.

Image by HootSuite

The functionality also allows for custom searches of keywords or phrases within public posts and specific content streams for easy monitoring. By simplifying the monitoring of comments and posts from audience members, teams can streamline +Pages management easily through the HootSuite dashboard.

Google+ Pages are for anyone who wants build lasting relationships with customers, and are the centrepiece for brands, businesses and celebrities who want to build a presence on Google+.

Social media teams can now fully utilize the advanced capabilities of HootSuite’s engagement, measurement, collaboration and security tool-set to manage the unique brand-focused environment of Google+ Pages for:

• Targeted Publishing with Circles
• Advanced Circle Management

Guys this is great stuff! I have not found any other tools to schedule posts for Google+ link this one.

If you’re not using HootSuite I highly recommend them, personally use them and have all my clients use them

What is an autoresponder?

A sequence of pre-written and scheduled messages that are automatically sent to new subscribers, starting the day they opt-in.

Autoresponder Organization

Keep your autoresponder lists clearly segmented in your data base so you can follow up with select individuals as the opportunity arises.

For example, I have a Facebook autoresponder. These are people that have come onto my list from various Facebook promotions. I always share special Facebook only messages and specials with this list. Think of something similar to this that would work for your business.

Building the Relationship

I usually recommend at least two autoresponder messages for each opt-in. One they get instantly, and the second email a few days later. You want them both to have great copy and be well branded.

Once people are in your autoresponder sequence you can also send them broadcasts. A broadcast allows you to send email messages to all or some of your subscribers at any given time.

Why send broadcasts to them? You want to always stay in front of your hottest prospects, and your list in one of your business’s most valuable assets. Let’s talk about a few ways you can follow up with valuable and helpful information:

• Ezines or Newsletters
• Expert interviews
• New training videos, posts or reports
• Industry news they need to know
• An upcoming course or product
• Surveys – the best way to find exactly what they want…Ask Them!

Tools

If you don’t have an email marketing service or autoresponder system already, there are a few we like and recommend, including:

Aweber
1ShoppingCart

Next Steps

If you have opt-in forms, check to be sure you have autoresponder messages setup and they contain valuable information and are well branded.
If you don’t have opt-ins setup, get at least one opt-in setup with two autoresponder messages.

If you’d like to really optimize your opt-ins and increase your list check out my Autoresponder Worksheet for some fantastic ideas!

I shared this a few months ago on my social networks and the author was unknown. If you created this image let me know and I’ll post the credit here

Check out these 5 easy ways to start engaging now.

1. Add value – Share valuable, useful content that your target audience can use. The more value you share the more they will comment and strike up conversations.
   Another way to add value would be to help others. Visit your communities often and answer questions, provide insights as resources as you can.
2. Reply and respond to posts – When someone shares or says something great let them know it. It’s one of the easiest ways to start a conversation
3. Provide relevant and timely tips, insights, blog posts, and links – This is one of the best ways to get out, get noticed, get engaged and build relationships. Sharing other people’s content and industry news shows you’re on the ball for your speciality! These are the posts that get a ton of RTs on Twitter.
4. Be helpful (position yourself as an expert) – Share hot tips in 140 characters on Twitter. Make your content visual and share it on Pinterest. Then be sure to make it fun and interesting for Facebook, get tons of shares and loads of likes.
5. Reference an interesting update from a follower – Did one of your followers say something fun, cool or helpful? Share it with your followers and fans. The same goes for Facebook. Give recognition when you can and build a loyal following of engaged individuals.

Have fun and build amazing social relationships!