What to Write? What to Right? - part 2

Here I am with enough on my mind to barely fill an update, much less create a whole post.  Where do I  go for ideas?

My favorite place is LinkedIn Groups.   Second come newspapers and blogs.    And now I state why, with no class or holding back: " There is always someone out there saying something stupid that I have an innate need to refute! (and also the expertise)"   The controversy generates ideas and arguments and brings out the best of my writing abilities, as limited as they are.  A well formed argument becomes a stand alone post for my LinkedIn Profile.  Well written and complete, it can become a stand-alone post in the LinkedIN Group from where the idea came.  Posted as a response to the original article, a well formed argument can generate views, reviews and a hearty discussion, bringing up the volume of views garnered by your profile and  Social Media sites. 

Why post in LinkedIN Groups?  The articles are far reaching.   Every group member, whether connected or not can see the post.   -- and the posts are of natural interest to the group as you are of course, choosing a topic about your professional life that you are an expert on.   Groups attract a diligent readership since the group filters topics for you and give you a starting point.    They allow for comments and an exchange of ideas.   Group discussions are by default, interesting to your connections since they are posts are about your working professional life and areas of expertise.  

.....   and a good post is no more than 300 words long -   so how hard can this be?

#SocialMedia is about useful information exchange.  #LinkedInGroups

What to Write? What to Right?

One of the biggest issues people have with #socialmedia is: What to write?  If this stumps you, not to worry, you’re not alone – at one time or another, everyone gets stumped with that!  But you don’t have to look as far as you might think to come up with some great ideas for social media and blog posts.   

Mark Twain said, “Write what you know.” Great advice! You’re an expert in your industry. But not everyone else is. Position yourself as the ‘go-to’ person in your field. And write what you know.

Let’s look at some examples of sources for inspiration:

1.     What are the 2 (or 3 or 4 or 5) key misconceptions about your industry? What are some of the most common myths surrounding what you do? Be the mythbuster! Social media is a great way to disseminate the information that will set people straight.

2.   What about your industry has changed within the past 5 years? What’s new? You’re the professional. Let people know that. Since you’re the one with your finger on the pulse, use that. Change within your industry is the important stuff that people need to know. Share it on social media.

3.   Think for a moment. What are the questions that you are most asked about your industry; about what you do; about your products and services? Elaborating on the responses to these questions can provide you with plenty of inspiration for social media and blog posts.

4.     Finally, and this is really important: What is the call to action? Make sure you include something. Once you have people’s attention, what is it that you want them to do after they absorb all of the useful information you’ve provided via social media? Well, ultimately you want them to buy your products; you want them to use your services. And how do you leverage social media to entice them to do that?  That’s your call to action. And you want the call to action to be an immediate response. It might be to call or email you to request further information about your services, or even better, to set up an appointment (don’t forget to provide contact information where it will be easily seen - and in the case of an email, link to your email address right there). Or it might be to come into your store/offices/workshop to purchase what you sell (again, a very visible address and a map to your location should be included on your social media sites – not to mention a link to your website). Or you might want people to subscribe to your newsletter or blog (and yes, you can write those, too! Piece of cake!). If that’s the case, ensure that you include a “Subscribe” button that people can click on right then and there. Easy!

Posting to social media sites isn’t rocket science, but it does take some time and thought. It’s also a necessity in business these days if you’re going to be competitive. I defy you to find one big business that doesn’t have a social media presence. I’ll bet you can’t! And there’s a very good reason for that. In today’s climate, if you don’t have a social media presence, you pretty much don’t exist. Just some food for thought…

Want more help with your foray into the realm of the social? We’ve got just the course for you! Join one of our Social Networking for Business workshops today! (See the call to action??)

It’s 2014: Is Your Business Social Yet?

If you haven’t yet begun to implement social networking as a means of brand awareness and connecting with clients and prospects, it’s gotta’ be because:  a) you’ve been doing a stint in prison; or b) you’re afraid / resistant and you still don’t get how & why social media can be your business’ greatest asset.  Well, WAKE UP!! It’s 2014, and if you haven’t implemented a solid social media strategy for your business, you pretty much don’t exist!

There are all kinds out there now: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr (and all the wonderful blogging sites), Google+, Pinterest, Instagram and, well, I could go on for a while. So, for the purpose of brevity, I’ll just give you a quick rundown on why and how Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogging, if nothing else, are essential to the well-being of your business.

Let’s start with the basics about social media as a whole.  What do social media do for you? They keep your name in front of clients and prospects – on a regular basis. They're second to nothing else in terms of community building. They provide you with platforms through which you can easily and quickly maintain regular contact with your business connections. They allow you to effortlessly share and disseminate crucial information, via both text and images (not to mention video).  And last but not least, they promote brand awareness – in real time. 

Here, briefly, are some ways that social media can work for your business:

1.  Facebook – Facebook is the perfect place for you to connect with clients & prospects on a human level – a personal level. The first rule of using Facebook for business? Don’t try to blatantly advertise or sell your business on Facebook. That’s not what it’s about. You want to make lasting connections. You want to let people know what’s in it for them. Facebook allots you a forum within which you can mix the business and the personal. Let’s, for argument’s sake, say you’re in the real estate business. What can you post on Facebook? Photos and details of your listings, changes to mortgage lending rules, home improvement & décor ideas, links to informative industry related articles and videos, helpful hints & tips (for example, on how to ease the pain of moving), getting your home holiday ready, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Facebook also allows you to do really cool things, like form Groups (a home decorating group?) and create Pages (how about a Page for your listings?) that will take your business to the next level. Try to post on a regular basis – once twice a day – or at least several times a week. Keep your posts informative, engaging and entertaining to garner tons of “Friends” and “Likes” and “Shares”. And, most importantly – have fun on Facebook. It can be a great way to engage people and communicate!

2. Twitter – Twitter functions as an effective broadcast medium – you can think of it as a ‘micro-blog’. Twitter allots your customers/ clients a forum within which quick and easy access to your business is possible.  In business, communication with your clients is key – not only do you want to reach out to them, but they want take comfort in knowing that you are accessible to them NOW. And that’s what Twitter can do. Tweet about relevant industry news and information. Tweet links to important articles and news items that you know will be of benefit to your clients. Ask for feedback about new products and services via Twitter. It’s fast, it’s easy, it’s completely interactive and it’s always there – in real time.

3. LinkedIn – LinkedIn is the business connection place within the realm of social media. A LinkedIn profile not only lends credibility to you and your business, but much like Facebook, it becomes an integral means of communication and connecting with people – with business-minded professionals. It provides a platform within which you can promote your services as well as the services of others. And others, in turn, can promote you and your business. Use LinkedIn connections to find jobs, people and business opportunities. Use it to find quality employees for your expanding business. Follow other companies within your industry on LinkedIn to keep up to date on news, important information and available offers. Research companies and people with whom you are interested in doing business and ensure that your profile is complete so that others can research you. Take advantage of features like LinkedIn Answers, LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn Direct Ads to position your brand in the forefront of people’s minds.

4. Blogging – Blogging is an innovative and creative way of giving people a glimpse into the confines of your business. Your blog is the voice of your brand.  What to blog about? That’s easy! You don’t have to be Ernest Hemingway or Mordecai Richler. As a professional with years of expertise and knowledge, you may not be aware of the depth of information that you have to offer your clients. What’s common knowledge and taken for granted by you is not necessarily available information to the average person. The blog is a place that is easily accessible to your clients, where you can disseminate this information. So go for it – showcase your knowledge – be a smartypants – and an industry leader through your blog!                                                                                   

There’s just SO much information I could share with you on how you can effectively use social networking to your business’ advantage. I could actually teach a whole day’s course on the subject. Hey, wait, I do teach a full day course on the subject. If you want to join, we’d love to see you. Here’s our link: http://escomputertraining.com/socialmedia

How to Leave an Impression with Each and Every Blog Post

There is a monumental amount of blog content swirling around out there.  Some of it memorable, and some, not so much.  The success of your business is tied to your ability to to craft a compelling message and deliver it in a way that will inspire your clients to act. How do you make your content stand out and resonate with readers?  How do you get your blog post to leave an impression?  Here are a few tips:   

1.       Don’t write for you – write for your audience.  That is, know your target audience and create content that you know will be an asset to them .  Pretend that one of your clients is sitting in front of you and write as though you’re speaking to that person.  Answer questions that are frequently asked by your clients.  Post content that is relevant and keep your audience in mind at all times when writing.  Think:  How can your posts benefit them?    

2.       Write with a “human quality”.  Although the term ‘business blogging’ sounds like the equivalent to dry and dull content, it doesn’t have to be.  Keep it informative, yes, but not boring.  Don’t be afraid to allow your humanity to seep through.  In fact, be daring and lighten it up.  Use lots of humor – use language that will strike an emotional chord and move your readers.  Make a connection with them from a human standpoint.

3.       Keep it clear and concise.  People seek out blogs (especially business blogs) to learn something – to be informed.  Stay on topic when you write.  If you start to ramble and go off on tangents, your readers will be nothing but confused and start to wonder what they were trying to get out of your post in the first place.  Oh, and they probably won’t be back to catch a second act!

4.       Mind your grammar!  Bring back shades of your fifth grade teacher?  Sorry, but proper grammar is an integral part of blogging.  No one is going to take you seriously if you can’t string a sentence together.  If you’re not sure how to spell a word or of the correct usage of a word, just “Google” it.  A thesaurus is a wonderful thing! 

And, don’t forget to proofread & edit – not just once, but twice.  If a sentence sounds a bit off to you, read it out loud.  Sometimes that can clarify things.

5.       Use images for visual stimulation, to break up the text and to drive your point(s) home.  Looking at a page with a bunch of text on it can be painful on the eyes.  Using one or two well-positioned images can be an effective way of not only breaking up the text and making your post more aesthetically pleasing, but of reinforcing & depicting what you’re writing about.  And, an image doesn’t necessarily have to be a picture.  If you’re citing statistics, include a graph, a chart or an infographic.   There’s no law against making it colorful!

6 Golden Rules to Keep In Mind When Blogging for Business

A business blog is a tool that more and more progressive companies are using as a part of their social media campaign strategies and branding tactics.  A business blog represents your company – it’s the voice of your business.  It’s essential that the tone of your blog therefore always be in keeping with your business’ overall brand message and that the content of each post be engaging and relevant to your company’s philosophies – not to mention its products and services.  There are a few important rules to keep in mind when blogging for business that will allow your blog to help, rather than hinder, your business’ online presence.  

1. Always Use Fresh, Engaging and Informative Content –  This is important because if you’re going to spend time writing blog posts on a daily, weekly or bi-weekly basis, the main idea is to attract readers and enhance your business’ reputation.  In order to do so, you have to be creative.  You have to capture people’s attention and make them want to come back to read your next post.  How do you do this?  Blog about what you know your readers will be interested in.  Think about what questions are most frequently asked about your business or your industry and answer them in blog posts.  Scour the daily online newspapers, find current articles and news that pertain to your business or industry and blog about them.  Stay current and keep your content fresh!

2. Keep Content PC and Business Oriented – Remember, there’s a substantial difference between blogging about one’s personal life, hobbies or pets, etc. and blogging for business.  In keeping with point number one above, it’s important to bear in mind that the target audience for your blog should be clients and prospective clients – people with whom you want to engage from a business perspective.  You want your audience to learn more about your business and what you can do for them.  You therefore want to keep your posts, at least for the most part, business oriented and relevant.  And, try to refrain from including anything that could be considered politically incorrect in today’s society within your posts.  People can be easily offended or put off and the last thing you want to do is alienate anyone!

3. Be Careful With What You Post – You’ve heard it before: Once you post something online, it’s out there and it’s potentially there to stay.  Sure, you can edit and delete your posts, but once you’ve hit the ‘publish’ button, always assume that someone, somewhere will potentially see what you’ve posted.  That being said, it’s imperative to ensure, before you hit the ‘publish’ button, that your post content is exactly what you want it to be.  Before publishing, proof read your material and proof read it again – for content discrepancies, typos and just to ensure that the words are exactly the words you want representing your business.

4. Never Blog About Company Strife – This one is pretty much a no-brainer, especially if you’re the business owner; however, if you’re an employee or an owner who delegates the blogging to someone else, it’s imperative to remember that company grievances are never appropriate content for blog posts.  In fact, it’s not rocket science to realize that blogging about such issues would be counter-productive!

5. Never Publish Clients’ Names or Specifics without Express Consent – Again, this one goes without saying, unless you want to be slapped with a lawsuit!   If you want to blog about specific examples pertaining to your services and do want to use someone’s name or details specific to them, always ensure that you obtain written consent first.

6. Be Inclusive with Your Audience – Within most blogging platforms, you are able to allow comments.  Do it!  What better way is there to learn about the wants and needs of your clients than to hear about them straight from the horse’s mouth. People’s comments are a valuable source of information and ideas for you and your business.  Take advantage of that.  But, keep in mind that it’s crucial to respond to comments and to do so promptly.  No one likes to be ignored and it’s not good business practice to ignore what people are saying to you.  Respond to complimentary comments with a polite “Thank you”.  Respond to negative comments with respect and diplomacy.  And, respond to all inquiries in a timely manner.

5 TIPS FOR A KILLER BLOG POST

Blogging is an effective way of keeping your name at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to  industry news and relevant information.  Others are doing it, why not you?

Here are 5 tips that will help make your blog the one people keep coming back to read:    

1. Write with Intention:  People generally look to a blog post as a source of information.  You therefore want to ensure that your posts impart crucial news and enlightening info that people are sourcing out.  Keep it fresh, current and relevant.  But, be engaging (and entertaining where warranted) as well.  You don’t want your audience reading your posts as a sleep aid!  And, whatever you do, don’t use your blog as a press release or an advertising forum – people are not going to keep coming back to read blatant self-promotion.

The takeaway:  Make sure each post offers readers the illumination they’re looking for, but try to set forth a unique tone, a sense of personality (yours, of course!) as well.

2. Maintain a Sense of Cohesiveness:  Remember your grade 7 English Composition class?  Remember the rule about every piece of work having an introduction, a body and a conclusion?  Well, that applies here.   People aren’t going to stick around if they’re trying to make sense of a jumbled, pointless mess.  You want your introduction to hook your readers’ attention.  The first line or two should create intrigue and make people want to read on.  A little drama never hurt anyone. 

Transition smoothly into the body of your post – and this should be where you become a resource – a wealth of pertinent, need-to-know and up-to-the-minute information.  Keep paragraphs relatively short and engaging and keep it focused.  Go ahead and be creative – make use of your toolbar and incorporate style elements like numbered lists, bullet points, etc.

Your conclusion should briefly summarize the body content, but must also invoke a call-to-action.  Hopefully, this will be to contact you to either acquire more information or to hire you.  But, remember, no sales pitches!

The takeaway:  In order for your posts to be informative, they need to primarily make sense and to follow (at least some of) the rules of the written English word.

3. Maintain a Sense of Decorum:  You want to be engaging and entertaining in order to maintain your readers’ attention, but you also want to invoke in them a sense of trust in you.  It’s essential to therefore maintain a sense of professionalism.  This is not to say that you must steer away entirely from being a bit cutting edge, or even informal, but just remember that it is, after all, a business blog and you are a real estate professional.  As your mom would say:  Watch your language!

The takeaway:  You can go ahead and make em’ laugh, but just bear in mind your target audience and the purpose of your blog, and write accordingly.

4. Make Use of Visuals:  Yes, your post will be engaging and enlightening, but it never hurts to add a little visual enhancement.   Insert a relevant photo or two where pertinent and this just adds to the ‘keeping - their- attention’ factor. 

The takeaway:  Photos add an element of interest and help to break up the text.  People love pictures!

5. Brevity is Key:  Even though people are sourcing you out and wanting to read what you have to say, they won’t want to be reading the second coming of War and Peace.  You will only be able to maintain people’s attention for so long, therefore you want to get all of your most important points down in a well-paced manner.  If people don’t care to stick around to finish a blog post, chances are, they won’t be returning to check out your next one.  A good rule of thumb is to try not to let any post exceed 1000 words.  If you’re blogging on a popular topic that is worthy of more than 1000 words, consider breaking the post up into Parts I & II – a great way to keep people coming back for more!

The takeaway:  Keep it brief and you won’t run the risk of boring your audience!

Ready to start blogging?  By following the above strategic moves, you should be doing it like a pro in no time at all!!