There are a lot of strategies out there for your FB pages.

One of the handiest and simplest way to increase your page metrics is to create (post in your status update box or create an event for the page as: “Live” event or “Meet Me On The Wall” or “Special Appearance On Our Wall Today With ______” (Enter persons name in the blank) or just “Live Event – (add your topic here)” and simply add the time and date to that status update.

4 Simple Steps

1. Post it 24 hours before  the scheduled event, then 1 hour prior to the event, remind people 15 minutes before the event then start your event with a simple “Welcome, we are here live to answer your questions” or “Welcome, today we are discussing _______” (fill in the blank with your topic), or if your having someone “appear” on your page, introduce them – ex “Welcome _________ today, they are here to answer your questions about _________.  (fill in the blanks with your guest speaker and topic.
2. During this session, have a second person help you behind the scenes to make sure you answer as many questions as possible as they appear on the “wall” (be sure to refresh your page to keep it fresh and see all the new questions/comments).
3. Stick to the time allotted for the discussion or event.
4. Thank people for their comments and time and END the discussion with a hearty “Goodbye!”.  This will keep you from going over.

Keeping it simple – Create an engaging environment.

Share your success stories below!

Today’s digital demand for video advertising and video content is outpacing the rate marketers can supply it

Specialized crowdsourcing networks such as Stroome(join for free)and Poptent(pay) offer crowdsourcing solutions for low cost, high-quality video production. Wooshii has budgets for all types of buisnesses looking for simple ways to get video made. These type of networks are starting to fill the gap in the video production supply chain.  Poptent has just opened shop in Brasil due to high demand. Stroome is looking at the education field as this is a LARGE untapped arena.

These types of networks are focusing on this:  Saving the client $$$. With the average cost of a 30 second TV commercial being at $350000. Who wouldn’t want to save money! At its best, crowdsourcing can be used to research potential ideas and/or concepts and help companies to get the information they need to make intelligent decisions without breaking the bank.

Other important areas to consider:  Good video platform places like Kaltura and Brightcove, and video news sources like Streamingmedia.

What will happen? Not sure, but supply and demand will continue to grow, and end users will drive the evolution.

Yes, Facebook is at it again.  Keeping on top of technology, keeping things moving, changing things and keeping us guessing.  I just had Facebook change my profile without me asking!  How’s that for unasked service?

I found this great “How To” article about the new groups changes by Thoughtpick.com.

A few months ago, I heard that Facebook released their new groups feature and, to be honest, I was confused about this announcement. People have always been able to create groups to share their interests and obsessions, so how is this a new feature? Actually, for a while now it seemed that the group feature is on its deathbed being pushed out in favor of the fanpage.

Digital word of mouth is continuing to grow and is now moving rapidly into the mobile arena. The company’s userbase for its mobile apps increased 700% to 1.4 million in 2010.

Read More: http://thenextweb.com/us/2011/01/07/wordpress-com-growing-fast-over-6-million-new-blogs-in-2010-pageviews-up-53/

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via WordPress.com News

The eve of 2011 brings the awarness of rising fuel costs. As 2011 celebrations slowly disolve in the early morning hours, newspapers start thier echoing chorus “gasoline soon to be $4″.

Businesses who have Social Media in place, are ready for this looming cloud coming. They have prepared, and have the ability to get the word out in many places at once.

They are very aware that the consumer is now a well informed, bargain shopper, that can use the internet at their fingertips, find the best deal, know what their friends are buying, see if it interests them or not and see what kind of likes, or ratings it has received.

You see with geo-tagging apps like foursquare, along with twitter and facebook, you can stay on top of the tastiest most frequented places, best discounts offered in sales, choice hotels to visit – with the most courtesous help, best deals on rental cars – with helpful associates, or just hot spots to have fun in. They even have the ability to know if your receptionist is cranky or not!

What sounds silly like “find me here” or “I left a tip at” means a whole new thing to consumers so businesses need to be ready.

Remember the old saying “last one in is a rotten egg”?

Businesses who have not set themselves up with Social Media should do so within these next few months because as these newspapers where echoing this morning “Gasoline soon to be $4″ Summer will be quite different especially when it comes to consumers spending their money wisely because they have done their homework.

Are you geared up with Social Media Strategies?

When gas prices force the consumer to look for better bargains close to home, are you ready?

Mobile goes with you everywhere.  It’s on subways, planes, trains, automobiles, restaurants, schools, church…you get the idea.  Available online tools, apps, services are also available.  Lets look at one of those, namely Foursquare.

Let’s say you check in at Macy’s, via Foursquare, see a sale, tweet about it, Macy’s has a special: Whoever checkins at their store thru Foursquare saves 10%, so you tweet about that also, you end up saving 10%, Macy’s advertised for free via your checkin and your tweet (or facebook places). Was Macy online at the moment?  No, but their special “anyone who checks in via Foursquare” was in place.

So even if they are offline, a place like Foursquare or Facebook Places continues to work for them.

The consumer saves money, Macy’s get’s advertising even when they’re offline and your behavior is shaped and changed before you the consumer actually buy something.

Retailers cannot ignore mobile strategies anymore! With the emergence of newer apps rising sharply, shoppers using their mobile is also rising rapidly.  They are seeking deals, checking reviews, becoming informed and making purchases!

The projected sales via mobile for this holiday season is approximately two-thirds of the consumers will use their device to purchase an item.

Over half of the smartphone owners will check and compare prices via their handheld, around 40% will check reviews, while others look for coupons or deals.  These informed decisions will prompt the consumer to share their decision via Social Media – Facebook – Twitter – Foursquare – Facebook Places, which in turn is free advertising.

Mobile is here to stay.  Are you ready?

These past two years have been pretty brutal for most businesses.

As a new year approaches, the year 2011 will be a major year of change for 3 out of 4 CEOs. Why?  These CEOs are planning to revamp their business/organization for the digital age.  Traditional marketing has given way to digital marketing and so businesses must adapt.

Five important steps for you as a CEO:

1.  Accept change. The market has changed and you need to adapt or your business will perish.

2. Dare the status quo. Dare to be different, try new things, research the trends, know where the people are.

3.  Act continuously. As a CEO your always learning, always looking for innovative ways to present your business and reach clients and consumers.  Stay on top of the trends, but be consistent in your search.  So much in life is about learning and continuous improvement. What is the risk of boldly thinking we have actualized our goal?

4.  Participate personally. When you participate personally, you put a part of you into anything you do.  You also understand the mechanics of your business (fundamental knowledge) and you can also transfer knowledge that could be beneficial.  Consumers also respond better when they know they are heard and mean something to you.

5.  Tear down boundaries. Leaders of adaptive marketing organizations can and will grow their business rapidly.  They will also build stronger brands and create a competitive advantage.  Read how Starbucks handled change in 2009.

Are you preparing for the digital age?  If so, then how are you preparing?

How much should I expect to pay to outsource social media.

It was interesting reading all of 127 comments from within the group.  The answers varied in size and $$numbers.  From realistic to outrageous!  Some had great thoughts, some were interested in the same question.  Others felt the question was incorrectly structured!   Others also just commented to push for business.  What a diverse group!

All this is a part of who we are as people, we see things differently, feel things differently and choose to handle things differently.  Some people can be taught, some will listen, others will continue doing what they want.  Is that bad? NO..it’s just a part of who we are in this vast world that we live in.

My comment in this intriguing discussion was this:

“Having stepped into this conversation in the latter part, I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments and thoughts.

Social Media is an ever changing landscape that needs some important key factors:

#1 being ‘listening’

#2 feeling the heartbeat

#3 watching the changing landscape and working with it

As I’ve monitored this changing landscape, here’s my 2 cents…

Outsource your ‘TRAINING’ in Social Media, but KEEP it REAL and in-house!

An outside Company is not really going to feel the “heartbeat” of your business. But Training your company in listening skills, time management, and networking your social channels along with creating strategies will most definitely help your bottom line, because it’s you speaking and who else knows your business better than you?

Sometimes businesses don’t really have a ‘fit’ for SM and best course of action is an updated SEO friendly website with new business cards and an easy to manage content system. Realize though that – Training and Consulting does create new jobs.  Self helps in Social Media is a cost cutter comparing it to traditional marketing channels. Also the said company/business can hire an associate inhouse to complete their marketing landscape with Social Media, this way the associate can feel the heartbeat and understand it.”

What are your thoughts?

For Social Media Training and Consulting for your business please use the form below:

This all points back to ‘word of mouth’ Marketing.  With this digital age, handhelds, smart-phones and increased online presences, consumer’s have taken matters into their own hands relying on customer experience, reviews, ratings and interaction.

Businesses are now scrambling to gain online presence, interaction and consumer accessibility. According to PriceWaterhouseCoopers “The ongoing migration to digital media is damaging traditional media categories more than expected.” Print media, on the whole, continued to lag the overall ad market in Q1 2010, according to recent data from Kantar Media. Consumer Magazine spending fell 3.9% from a year ago, while Local Newspapers dropped 5.6%.

What’s all this saying?  It means that the strategic landscape for businesses has changed sharply/rapidly over a very short time period and will continue to change.  The question being asked is this:

What steps are you, and your competitors, taking to cut costs, improve performance interact with consumers/businesses and position yourselves for the future?

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