A New Generation Marketer

Stop making excuses for not being on social media!

Yes, it means you lose control of your content. Yes, it means being in places your buyers are, not where you want to be. Yes, it means you must take a leap out of your comfort zone.

However, it is more than worth it. Why? Read on…

You don’t have anything to lose because you can always delete something that is not working out. Social media can actually be very fun and exciting for you and your company.

So why social media?

1. Tell Your Story. If you create buyer personas for your market demographics, you can then tailor your company’s story directly to an interested market. You may have different personas in or between social media sites, and every persona has different needs. You can create several different stories and promote them on social media and your interested market will pick that up. It would be great to even interview your market and find out what they want or hear their story to share on your community site.

2. Earn Attention by Publishing Your Way In. The old way of marketing was to buy advertising space, beg your way into media through PR and buy your way in by direct selling. Now, you must earn this attention by publishing your content on YouTube, a blog, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook and more.

On the web, you are what you publish.

3. Encourage Sharing. Those interested markets will willingly want to share information they find valuable. It is not word of mouth anymore, it is word of mouse. The mouse (or trackpad) helps listeners share your story with others. Consider yourself lucky to have these Internet marketing capabilities which allow interested people to share your information so quickly and to a large following. You can encourage sharing by making a link on your blog for readers to retweet, share on Facebook or Google Buzz, send in an email, or submit to delicious or other bookmarking sites. You can add the same capabilities to an email as well.

4. Lose Control of Your Content. This may sound like a scary statement, but it is the best and fastest way to gain viral attention. You must lose control of your content in order for it to be shared and spread around the Internet. You can do this by giving out free information or tools to help your market succeed and solve their problems. They will appreciate this and spread the word. Hubspot does this VERY well with all their free webinars, tools, and blogs.

5. Put Down Roots. Be in the places where your buyers are, not where you want to be. It is much easier to gain attention in spots where your market is already comfortable being instead of enticing them to join a site where you are. For example, if your market is a huge NFL following, you must be on NFL related blogs and sites to talk to them and gain attention.

6. Point the World to Your Virtual Doorstep. One you have established great content, a firm standing on social media sites, and a good following, then drive people to your site through inbound marketing. No one will visit your site if they have no idea who you are, what you do, and what you write about. That is why you must first get involved on sites where your market is, develop relationships, THEN drive them to your site and get a lead.

Although social media may seem scary to a company who is afraid of negative feedback, wants a firm hold on their content, and does not know how people will react to them on social media, it can gain you rewards two-fold. By allowing yourself to lose control of your content, share it, and manage your fear, you are taking a great leap and starting a viral rave.

You may find markets that you didn’t even know existed who want your product or service, people may love what you do and are willing to share it, and your market may need and want your free content and become very loyal to you. The possibilities are endless when it comes to social media.

Social media is actually a very natural thing for the Internet. The Internet was designed to be a collaborative, social environment and up until recently, it really was not. Finally it has come full-circle and people are using it in a social, collaborative way. So by getting on social media, you are doing exactly what the Internet was intended for.

Get out there and make those valuable connections and talk to and listen to your market!