Nearly every day, someone asks me, “What’s the best way to get started on LinkedIn?”
Most articles on this topic begin by spouting the ‘steps’ to connecting with others.
I’d like to begin even earlier in that process and talk about you.
Remember how Mom used to say, “Just be yourself and people will like you!” or “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”?
Mom was way ahead of her time.
The real question isn’t, “What’s the best way to get started on LinkedIn?”, but “What’s the best way to prepare myself to get started on LinkedIn?”
You’ve probably heard or read quite a bit about authenticity, transparency and integrity; three key elements to social media success. But can displaying these qualities actually make a difference?
Very simply…absolutely. For anyone looking to really connect on LinkedIn, here’s the starting point. LinkedIn (in fact, social media in general) is about people…helping, sharing and connecting. If your neighbor’s lawn mower breaks down and he or she asks to borrow yours, you’d likely say yes, because the two of you have a relationship. You also inherently recognize your neighbor will return the favor, or perhaps another type of favor, if you asked. If a total stranger were to knock on your door with the same question, you’d likely say no and immediately think, “The nerve!”
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A genuine, authentic approach to connecting with others is vital. Wrap your brain around this ‘helping’ attitude before you begin. If potential LinkedIn connections smell ‘a pitch’, you’re done before you start. No pitch should be necessary when you’re connecting on a deeper level that says, “Let me help you, just because I can.”
How can you help? Be you; be real; don’t falsify who you are. Get involved in and create stimulating, informative valuable discussions others can debate generally, or post your comments and thoughts more privately within groups you have joined.
As people begin to know and trust you, lead generation will begin. This is a two-fold process:
1) As you listen to the real needs of others, you help solve their challenges.
2) When you give help, you get help in return.
I often joke that I keep my expectations low; therefore, I’m never disappointed, but often delighted. It’s not much of a joke, because it’s true. Relationship building takes time. That connection may blow you off with a polite comment today, but may be knocking on your door tomorrow, because you’ve taken the right steps to remain top of mind.
Social media is a marathon, not a sprint. Wishing for it to move faster isn’t going to make it so. You’ve got to do the legwork required. Over time, you’ll be glad you did, as your online reputation and credibility grow.
Interact at an authentic level with everyone you meet, and watch the real magic happen.
Victoria Ipri is CEO of Modello Media, Inc., an e-marketing strategy firm based in suburban Philadelphia, PA. She welcomes your questions and comments on this forum, or contact her directly at: ModelloMedia@gmail.com
Feel free to connect with the newest members of Green Buzz Agency Marketing department on Linkedin: Jennie Nowers, Brittney Grove, Jared Lee, and Jennie Ryon. Or join the Green Buzz Agency Linkedin Group.
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The GBA Blog provides insight for Marketing Decision Makers and other fun people
by Alison Walsh
Linkedin to Facebook via Twitter . Oh my! If you have to hear another one of your junior staff talk about being “poked,” you’re going to have to call HR and schedule a workshop.
Slow down, Michael Scott. Poking is basically a Facebook alert, Dunder Mifflin can still be held in high regard among the paper industry. In fact, you may want to start awarding Social Media Dundies.
Your PR team can assist you in building a web site that is savvy, eye-appealing and keeps the look and feel of your company. Almost as important as building the the web site though, is maintaining the site, which is where all of these Social Media Sites come into play. One way to keep these sites fresh is by re-publishing editorial coverage you garner.
Basically, there is a world of fans and potential fans of your business out there. You want to reach as many of them as possible. The internet has evolved business models. The word “global” no longer attaches a negative connotation because you easily can be a “global business” while still holding the position of “locally owned and operated.”
That said, online communities are just as important as the one in your backyard. Your PR team can generate conversation and buzz throughout online communities, so you have time to chat with your neighbors over the fence.
Tweet us (”That’s what she said!” – Michael Scott) at @greenbuzzagency today!
The PR Specialist behind this post is Alison Walsh. Email Alison: alisonhope.walsh@gmail.com
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Free Yogato!!!
There are business cards in Mr. Yogato’s store (pictured above) that describe a promotion to win free Yogato.
Here is how it works:
There are 3 ways to win free Yogato. Try one, two, or all three ways.
Way 1:
Once you join the Green Buzz Agency Facebook fan page, find the discussions tab. There is a discussion called “Free Yogato.” Reply to the discussion, and you are now entered to win free Yogato. Once enough people reply to the discussion we will start randomly drawing for weekly winners. The more people that reply, the more Yogato will be given out.
Way 2:
Same setup as Way 1, except the discussion is in the Green Buzz Agency LinkedIn group. Once you are in the GBA LinkedIn group, reply to the discussion titled “Free Yogato.”
Way 3:
Follow @greenbuzzagency on Twitter.
Tweet “Check out Green Buzz Agency for Video Production, Social Media Consulting, Photography, and Graphic Design:http://bit.ly/1RvLV9” Random weekly winners will be selected.
Once the free Yogato promotion starts, we will draw weekly winners until the week of January 24th – 30th 2010. However, it can be altered at any time at the discretion of Green Buzz Agency. Please check back to this blog for updates on the status. All winners of the promotion will be contacted, as well as announced via the Green Buzz Agency Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages.
There is an additional promotion running between Green Buzz Agency and Mr. Yogato’s, but you’ll have find it on the business cards in the Mr. Yogato’s store at 1515 17th Street NW – Washington, DC. The business cards are at the back of the store, near the board games.
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Make room for social media in silo-structured organizations.
Yesterday on my Twitter stream I see Ford’s social media guy, @ScottMonty, ask a fellow Twitterer the name of a Ford dealer with whom she was having an issue.
She responded with the dealer’s name and Scott thanked her. What likely happened next is that Scott asked someone at Ford to contact the dealer to find a way to solve this customer’s problem.
That’s what social media can do for a business.
In order for that to happen, though, a company needs to realize social media is its own thing. It is not just marketing. It is not just public relations, or advertising, or customer service.
It is a communications platform allowing organizations to interact with customers, potential customers and the general public. This is the value of social media to business.
Current customers connect via social media with a company for many reasons, including to have a pipeline in case they need help or have a complaint, to hear about new discounts and ways to save money, as well as new product or service offerings. Potential customers can discover your company through social media, and you can use social media to quickly and naturally communicate with the general public.
The individual who reached out to Scott Monty was able to do so and set the wheels of resolution in motion in less than 30 minutes. That’s good customer service.
To anyone following the conversation between Scott Monty and this customer, this experience goes down as marketing. If any media, including bloggers like myself, are paying attention, this becomes a public relations story. Like it is now, thanks to this post.
That’s the beauty of social media and that is why it naturally reaches across the silo-structure that exists in many companies.
It is also why fully implementing social media in companies takes time and causes strife, because our org charts are created based on tasks, purposes, duties and expertise.
The marketer wants social media to live in their silo because they hear people using the term “social media marketing.” The PR person wants it because they’re already responsible for all outgoing messaging. You have technical people saying social media belongs with them because it’s technical in nature, and you can even have other departments wanting their own social media presence run by their own employees.
Operating in this atmosphere may still produce some Twitter accounts, a few social media press releases and a slathering of social media stuff, but it won’t allow for what social media can really do for an organization.
In the example of Ford’s Scott Monty, he was in a position to respond to that customer’s issue because he was given time to be on Twitter, he is plugged into Ford’s massive structure, he has the blessing of Ford leadership and he could interact with the customer without fear of having his hand slapped.
Keep in mind, the conversation between Scott and the customer happened in real-time on Twitter for the whole world to see. Anyone paying attention now knows the name of a Ford dealer that has treated a customer poorly. Scott could have taken the conversation with the customer behind closed doors with a private Twitter message, email or phone call.
But Scott knew the damage was already done. The customer had already told the world that she was having a problem with a Ford dealer. Had he taken the conversation private, her complaint about the dealer would stand alone, without any knowledge that Ford had resolved the issue.
Scott needed to reach a public conclusion with the customer so that the public conversation would be resolved. Whether he damages that dealer’s reputation a little by having their name aired publicly is irrelevant because of scale.
It was more important that Scott show Ford is responsive and cares about its customers than it was to protect the dealer because fewer people listening into the conversation will ever have a chance to visit the dealership anyway. All of them, though, have the chance to buy a Ford.
How many PR people or how many leaders at your company would be OK with Scott’s actions?
It’s not easy embracing and making room for the shift social media is bringing, but it is going to happen. The organizations who fully embrace the shift now are those who will have more loyal customers, a stronger brand and growing customer base.
Those that don’t are the companies that will be playing catch up to how brands and businesses communicate with the public in the 21st Century.
Social media is not a fad and it’s not a marketing or PR tool. It truly is a communication platform allowing organizations to interact with the public, and it’s here to stay.
Did you miss part one of “Social media puts on its business suit?” Read it here.
- Nick Barron, Green Buzz Agency Social Media Consultant
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Learn more about GBA and our video production prowess!
(First of two-part series looking at how social media is affecting businesses and how we work in them.)
The times aren’t changing, they have changed. At least in regard to social media serving a business purpose.
Recently I met with some people to discuss using social media for business, and I was met with some resistance and doubt. This kind of thing happened all the time way back in 2007 when I started leveraging social technology for business, but I thought we all had moved past the doubting phase and into acceptance.
Anyone who knows of JetBlue’s All You Can Jet pass has done so because of either Twitter or a press release sent on PRNewswire. And most of us know that Dell has sold $3 million worth of computers through Twitter.
Despite these success stories, though, some walking among us still doubt social media’s ability to work for business and organizations because of basically two things.
1) They don’t think their organization can pull it off. Whether it’s a lack of infrastructure, budget, time, etc., some people will acknowledge the success other businesses have enjoyed via social technology, but insist their organization wouldn’t enjoy the same success.
2) They see social media as a threat. In my experience, the people most often resistant to using social media are those who have something to lose by giving it a shot. From an experienced marketer who needs focus groups and ad buys, to a public relations person used to controlling the message and delivery vehicles for that message, those who fit this description are not just resistant to trying social media, but they often find excuses to not use social media.
Those in the first group need to live a little. Give it a shot. If you don’t think you can successfully handle social media internally, go outside. I can recommend a great agency of hard-working folks called Green Buzz Agency. (Full disclosure: I’m a consultant at Green Buzz.)
Folks in the second group cling to studies claiming Twitter is just babble and try to disprove social media’s value by applying old-school models on top of this new paradigm.
These are the people worried that Facebook doesn’t let you specifically control which demographics become fans of your brand. Or they are afraid someone will post a negative message about their organization on Twitter or LinkedIn.
In yesterday’s world, these are relevant concerns.
Today, however, they’re moot. People will always bad-mouth your business, but by participating in social communities like Twitter and LinkedIn, you can show the world all the positive things others also say about your business. You may not be able to target your Facebook page to a particular demographic, but obviously the more people who want to be a fan of your business, the better.
I understand, these are nervous days we are living. As this article in The Chicago Tribune points out, we’re all being forced to rethink what we’ve always known.
For some marketers and public relations people, the accelerated growth and popularity of social media is adding to the anxiety. It challenges what they learned in college and how they’ve worked their entire lives, and of course that’s a scary thing, especially in the middle of a recession.
The thing people clinging to their traditional model need to realize, though, is that they can’t stop what’s happening and they’re only making themselves more expendable by resisting. Recessions trim fat, and if you’re a communications or marketing person thumbing your nose to social media, you’re in danger of becoming your organization’s fat.
What social media is doing for business is not just changing the way we market and communicate. It’s changing how we work.
- Nick Barron, Green Buzz Agency Social Media Consultant
Part two of “Social media puts on its business suit” is now available. Read “Make room for social media in silo-structured organizations.”
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