Introduction  

Welcome to this ebook entitled “Social Media for Small Business: How to Build an

Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy.” In this book I take readers through a high

level overview of the impact that social media is having on the world in terms of how

communications is done and devise a basic plan to assist you in getting started using

social media to grow your business.

In the first chapter, I discuss the impact of social media across the globe. Following that,

I define what is meant by the term “social media.” I also look at some global trends that

mandate its use, and then outline 10 social media marketing principles.

Once a foundational understanding of why social media is important and relevant has

been established, I get to the heart of this book and lay out a basic plan for social media

engagement, then discuss how to create content that engages your customers and keeps

them coming back. Last, I wrap up, review what was discussed and determine some next

steps.

(NOTE: This is the first of a seven part series of books that guide readers through the use

of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogs, location-based social networks such as

Foursquare, and online video for marketing purposes.)

The  Impact  of  Social  Media  Around  the  Globe  

According to comScore Media Metrix1, social networking is now the world’s most

popular activity. More than 1.2 billion people – over 82 percent of the world’s online

population – uses social media in one form or another.

In terms of time spent on key Internet activities worldwide, social networking has grown

                                                                                                               1  comScore  Media  Metrix,  October  2011  

dramatically. Now, nearly one in five minutes spent online is spent on a social network.

In every region of the world, and in many countries throughout the globe, engagement in

social network activities exceeds 90 percent of the online population.

Out of all social networks, Facebook is the most popular. Since its introduction to the

general public in 2006, it has grown to be the leading social network in almost every

region in the world. The lone exception is the Asia Pacific region, due largely to the fact

that China has banned the use of social networks like Facebook and Twitter. In fact, there

are only seven markets globally where Facebook is not the leading social network: Brazil,

Poland, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.

Here are some other interesting facts about the growth of social media around the world2:

• The global social network audience has risen 174% as compared to total Internet

usage growth of 88%

• One-third of the world’s social networkers are in Asia-Pacific countries

• Five of the most engaged social network markets are in Latin America –

Argentine, Chile, Peru, Columbia and Venezuela

• 3 out of 4 minutes on social networking sites are spent on Facebook

• 1 out of 7 of all online minutes are spent on Facebook

• Twitter reaches 1 out of 10 global online users

• Local social networks such as Foursquare are making inroads globally

As these facts attest, social media is making a tremendous impact and dramatically

changing the nature of communication on a global scale.

Social  Media  Defined  

Social media can be defined as the democratization of information, transforming people

from content readers into content publishers. What that means is, thanks to social media,                                                                                                                2  comScore  Media  Metrix,  October  2011  

people are no longer just consumers of information, but are now purveyors of it.

This conversation is not merely two-way in nature, but consists of many people talking to

many other people at the same time. Your challenge will be to cut through the clutter and

gain the attention and trust of your customers and prospects.

How people communicate has changed and that means our marketing has to change with

it. While we still need to determine who comprises our target markets in terms of

demographics there is more to it these days. We must also participate in approachable

communities of practice. We must establish a presence in social networks where our

customers and prospects are gathering. So important is this idea of participation that I

refer to it as the fifth “P” of marketing.

I want to dispel one myth about social media. It's not the technology that’s most

important. I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by the need to adapt to its use. In fact, if

you know how to send an email or use Microsoft Word, you can use most of the social

media technology tools available today.

What is most important to understand is that social media is about people, and that's

where I want to encourage you to place your focus.

Well-known public relations professional and author of a number of books on the topic of

social media, Brian Solis, put it this way: social media is more about sociology - the way

people think, their behaviors, attitudes and opinions - and less about technology. Don't be

put off by the fact that social media utilizes technology tools with which you are less

familiar. It's more about the “social” and less about the “media” (the technology

applications and tools).

Social media consists of a toolset to be sure, but it is also represented by a mindset that is

characterized by two words: authenticity and transparency. People want what's real. They

want to be told the truth and not “advertised” to. I refer to those two words the “double

helix” of social media DNA. In order to use social media most effectively, your company

will need to ingrain some of that DNA in your business and company culture.

Social media is not meant to be a panacea or replacement for other forms of marketing

such as television, radio or print advertising. Instead, it should serve to supplement those

other forms.

That being said, social media offers its own unique set of benefits. It can be used to:

• Boost brand awareness

• Improve customer service

• Increase customer loyalty and lifetime value

• Promote customer advocacy and ignites word of mouth

• Build trust with customers

• Promote the discovery of new products

• Network with peers and

• Get customer feedback

Five  Communication  Trends  That  Mandate  the  Need    for  Social  Media  

In this chapter, I discuss five communication trends that mandate the need for social

media.

Skepticism  to  Advertising  is  Growing  

The first of these trends is: consumer skepticism and resistance to advertising is growing.

That should come as a surprise to no one, but it is increasingly the case. For example,

market research firm Yankelovich3 said that 76% of consumers do not believe advertising

and marketing messages.

                                                                                                               3  Yankelovich  Marketing  Receptivity  Survey,  2005  

If that is the case, then whom do consumers trust? Each other. The following graph,

which comes from a survey conducted by Nielsen4, a research firm, says that we most

trust people we know. That makes sense, but look at who we next trust the most - people

we don't know, but who, like ourselves, have expressed their opinions online.

Interestingly, the fourth most trusted resource, according to Nielsen’s survey, is brand

websites. That suggests that it would be a good idea to create a website for your company

if you don’t already have one.

What we’re dealing with is an “insurgency” among consumers. Global public relationship

firm Edelman, in a survey entitled the Edelman Trust Barometer5, found similar results.

People trust word of mouth recommendations far more than marketing and advertising

messages. 67% of consumer goods sold today come as a result of word of mouth from

"average people like me."

The survey also found that consumers trust word of mouth recommendations far more

than they trust traditional marketing and advertising. And, that people would rather hear

about real experiences and perspectives than “marketing-speak.” In other words, people

want the real story. They want to be told the truth, not advertised to.

Media  Today  is  Fragmented  

The second trend affecting the way communication is done is: there are many more

media outlets available to consumers today, which makes it much more difficult to get

your message out across all media channels. As a result, it’s harder today to get the

consumer’s attention.

For example, in the 1960s media was very limited. Television stations broadcast through

the airwaves locally. Cable and satellite TV had yet to be invented. Similarly, radio was

terrestrial only and there were far fewer stations than today. Print media, too, was benign

                                                                                                               4  Nielsen’s  Global  Trust  in  Advertising  Survey,  2011  5  Edelman  Trust  Barometer,  2008  

by comparison. As such, it was much easier to get an advertising and marketing message

out across all channels.

Today, nothing could be further from the truth. Media is fragmented in so many ways. In

many countries the average television viewer has access to hundreds of channels. Both

television and radio are now broadcast via satellite and the Internet. As far as print media

is concerned, there is a magazine or periodical to appeal to every taste and interest.

Thanks to DVRs and devices like TiVo, much of the media we consume is done on our

own terms. We control the consumption when it fits our schedule, not the broadcasters.

Consumers  Are  in  Control    If media fragmentation is out of control, increasingly, the consumer is in control of

communication.

Advertising and marketing communication used to be broadcast in a one-way direction,

and media and advertisers had the control. Though advertising is still quite pervasive,

more and more, people are talking to each other via social networks. As a result,

communication is peer-to-peer in orientation. Often, marketers may not be a participant

in the conversation or even privy to it.

Advertising  is  More  Targeted    Media innovation has enabled more targeted advertising. Today, the pressure is on to

improve targeting and minimize waste.

There is an old adage that says, “Half my advertising dollar is wasted, I just don't know

which half.” That's where the Internet, including social media, can become an advocate.

So much of the money we spend in online marketing can be tracked, and we can gain a

better perspective on how our dollar is being spent and the return on our investment.

Companies  Are  Held  Accountable    Companies are being held to new levels of accountability. No longer are consumers

putting up with shoddy products, false advertising, indifferent customer service, etc. They

now have a voice called social media where they freely express their opinions.

Companies are being held to a new standard like never before.

In the way of a review, here are the five communication trends that mandate the need for

the use of social media:

• There is increased consumer skepticism and resistance to advertising.

• There are many more media outlets today, making it more difficult to gain

consumer attention.

• Increasingly, consumers control communication channels.

• Media innovation has enabled more targeted advertising.

• Companies are held to greater levels of accountability.

Whether you choose to engage in social media or not, you can be sure your customer is.

So, wouldn't it be better if you chose to participate as well?

10  Social  Media  Marketing  Principles  

In this chapter, I review 10 foundational principles that should guide your thinking about

how to use social media.

1.  Everyone  Has  a  Voice    The first principle – and one of the most important – is that, thanks to how prevalent the

use of social media has become, everyone has a voice and every voice matters. Even my

81-year-old mother is on Facebook! Everyone has some degree of influence these days

thanks to social media.

However, some people are more active within social networks like Facebook and Twitter

and, therefore, have an even greater degree of influence. It's those influencers that you

want to try and target, because they are the ones who can most effectively help spread

your message.

2.  Word  of  Mouth  is  More  Important  Than  Ever    Word of mouth is more important now that ever before. We discussed the importance and

impact of word of mouth earlier, so let's move on to the next principle.

3.  Listening  is  the  New  Marketing    If people have influence and they are talking to one another using social networks, then,

as marketers, we better be listening to what they have to say.

4.  Lose  Control  of  Your  Content    Make the content you produce online more freely sharable and easier to access.

Encourage people to participate with you in the spread of your marketing message, even

to the point of helping to co-create the message. Due to its viral nature, social media

makes this easy to do.

5.  Social  Media  Impacts  Product  Research    When it comes to doing product research, where do people start? Usually, it’s on search

engines, particularly Google. If you're fortunate enough for them to find your website,

that's great, but that's also where social media plays an important role.

It's at that point that people begin to rely on the influence and advice of friends, as well as

the opinions of others online when making product purchase decisions. They are also

influenced by the voices of experts and may even look at what your competitors have to

offer.

This illustration comes from the research firm Forrester and describes what is referred to

as the purchase funnel. Advertising and marketing got consumers’ attention, and

purchase decisions were made in a much more streamlined manner. At one time, it did

indeed resemble a funnel, but that is no longer the case.

Today, that funnel looks more like a “Rube Goldberg” invention. Advertising and

marketing is still getting consumer's attention, and buyers do come out the other end, but

it's in the middle where having a presence in social media is vital, because doing so can

mean the difference between customers doing business with you or with your competitor

down the street…or across the globe.

6.  Shared  Connections  Not  Information  Silos    The web today is more about “shared connections” and less about “information silos.”

Allow me to explain.

There was a time when, if all you had was a website, that was well and fine. There were

fewer of them and it was easier to rank highly in search engines. That is no longer the

case.

If you have a website, instead of thinking of it as the only place where your company

needs an online presence, think of it as a “hub,” a clearinghouse of information from

which content gets syndicated out to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.

Conversely, make sure those same social networks facilitate traffic back to your site.

One reason to have more than just a website is that it is becoming increasingly more

likely that people will first find your company or its products through social networks.

Indeed, the scale is tipping in favor of social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,

Pinterest and others.

In my estimation, you need both a website and a presence within social media. The

benefits to having a website are four-fold: you control the design and branding, you own

the data, you can provide better targeting and personalization options, and you can reach

the entirety of your target market.

There are a number of benefits to having a presence in social media, as well: it’s an

inherently interactive medium; it’s where people are gathering; it’s easy to set up; and

there is a greater likelihood your message can spread virally and reach more people.

7.  Watchwords  of  the  Social  Web    There are some key watchwords to which you need to pay attention: Global, Social,

Local and Mobile. Of course we know the web is global. It’s very likely you are

connected to people on social networks from throughout the globe. However, there is a

new type of consumer evolving called the “SoLoMo” consumer. They rely on the

influence of social network friends and, more and more, are using mobile technologies to

find local information, and locate local companies with which to do business.

8.  Facebook  is  the  Operating  System  of  the  Social  Web    As was outlined earlier, Facebook has become the predominant social network in most

regions of the globe. In fact, it is becoming the “operating system” of the social web.

And, with more than 1 billion users, it's not going away anytime soon.

9.  The  Web  is  Real-­‐Time  and  All-­‐the-­‐Time    Thanks to growing prevalence in the use of mobile technologies and devices, we are

always on, or have the capacity to be. And we expect information to be delivered to us in

the blink of an eye. As one social media expert put it, these days real-time is not fast

enough.

10.  Social  Media  Does  Not  Have  to  be  Expensive    Lastly, and this is good news especially for small business, it doesn't have to be

expensive to use social media. It costs nothing to use social networks like Facebook,

Twitter and YouTube. While I'm not suggesting it's absolutely free - the investment of

time is the greatest cost - compared to more traditional forms of marketing and

advertising, it's a bargain!

One small business, Blendtec, a maker of high quality blenders, found this to be the case.

Using a hand-held video camera and about $50 to purchase some items that would be

ground in the blender – a bag of marbles, yard rake, a roasted chicken (yes, a roasted

chicken) - the company created a series of videos, which it uploaded for viewing on

YouTube. So successful has that effort been that the initial $50 outlay has yielded an

increase in annual revenue of 700 percent! Truly, using social media does not have an

expensive proposition.

What we're talking about here is the way the web works today, and that's different that it

worked 15, 10, or even 5 years ago. You may like it or not, as the case may be, but that's

the way that it is. The more quickly you adapt to these principles and new ways of

communication, the better your chances of reaching new customers and building loyalty

among your current ones.

Building  a  Strategic  Social  Media  Marketing  Plan  

In this chapter, I get to the heart of this book and outline the steps necessary to build a

strategic social media marketing engagement plan. Please do not underestimate the

importance of approaching your use of social media strategically and with a plan. Not

doing so is akin to shooting in the dark.

Another of way to look at it is like a pinball machine. You pull the lever and the ball

bounces around all over the place. Unfortunately, that's how many small businesses

approach the use of social media. They set up a Facebook page, Twitter account, upload

videos to YouTube, etc. without any real sense of how those sites will benefit them, or

without any cohesive plan. I want to spare you from spending time in what is, very often,

an exercise in futility.

Successful social media engagement involves three aspects: strategic thinking, engaging

content, and the use of tools designed for the purpose of managing your social media

marketing efforts. Let’s start by understanding how to approach the use of social media

from a strategic vantage point.

Start  with  a  Strategy    Essentially, only three steps are needed to set up a strategic plan. The first is to identify

and determine your overall marketing communications goals and objectives.

Once you've made that determination, the second step is to focus on your customer or

target market. Typically, when we think about who our customer is, we think in terms of

demographics. But I also want you to think about where your customer maintains a

presence online. In which social networks do they participate? Knowing this information

will help you determine where you need to establish a presence to intersect them. In a

later module, we will discuss some software applications that can assist you with this

step.

After you have determined your marketing goals and objectives, and know whom it is

you want to reach and where they maintain a presence online, then you can better

determine how social media can benefit you. That's the third step.

There are some questions you need to ask and answer as it pertains to each step. Under

marketing goals and objectives ask the following:

• What do you want to accomplish?

• What are your marketing goals and objectives irrespective of channel? In other

words, don’t think of social media or any other marketing channel – television,

radio or print, for example. Focus on what it is you want to accomplish overall.

• What is the marketing message that you wish to convey? This message may vary

at different times. Sometimes, you will want to focus on specific campaigns such

as seasonal sales. At other times, you may want to focus on branding, or

emphasize a specific product line.

As it pertains to customer attitudes and opinions you should ask:

• Who is your target market?

• Where do they maintain a presence online?

• Which social networks do they use?

• What are they saying about your brand, products, services or industry?

When it comes to thinking about the ways social media can benefit you think about such

things as:

• What role can social media play in your overall marketing efforts?

• In which social networks do you need to establish a presence?

• How can you begin to engage the customer?

Social media is not a panacea, nor is it an antidote to other marketing maladies. Neither it

is designed to replace all other forms of marketing, including those that are more

traditional (TV, radio, print, outdoor). Social media is designed to supplement your

existing marketing plan, not creating an entirely new strategy.

Set  Marketing  Goals    You need to decide on up to three marketing goals you want to accomplish. Please be as

specific as possible. While we all want to increase sales and produce higher profits, those

may be too general for our purposes here. After each goal, make it even more specific by

defining a measureable objective then determine in what ways you plan to measure it.

For example, one goal might be to increase the number of visitors to your website. Your

objective could be to increase that number by 10 percent each month for six months. The

way you will measure it is by tracking the visits using an analytics platform such as

Google Analytics.

Define  Your  Customer    Next, focus on defining your customer from a demographics perspective. The better you

understand your customer, the better you can target your marketing efforts, including

social media marketing, to reach them.

As previously stated, it’s not enough just to understand who your customer is, you also

need to know where they maintain a presence online, including social networks like

Facebook and Twitter. You will want to find out such things as:

• Where your customers maintain a presence in the social web.

• What they are doing there and what types of activities they participate in.

• What topics they are discussing that are relevant to your business and the products

you sell, and who the influencers are – those who are most likely to help spread

your message.

This information is valuable, as it will guide you in determining the social networks

where you need to establish a presence. There are software applications designed

specifically for the purpose of gathering this type of information, which will be discussed

in a later chapter.

As you identify where your target market maintains a presence within social networks,

list difference audience segments, the social network used, and the types of activities in

which they participate. This data can be invaluable when making determinations about

not only who to target, but how to engage them in social media.

Choose  Social  Channels    Based on the identified marketing objectives and target market characteristics, prioritize

and choose up to three applicable social channels for your business to establish a

presence. In addition, outline the tactical steps necessary to establish a presence there.

You may also wish to identify some ways in which you will use a particular channel.

For example, perhaps you determine that Facebook is one place where you should

establish a presence. The tactical step in this case is to create a Facebook business page,

which is also known as a “fan” page. Based on what you have learned, you decide it’s in

your best interest to use it for the purpose of brand building, product promotion and fan

engagement.

Twitter may be another network where a presence is needed. In this case, the tactical step

is to set up a Twitter account and use it to announce special promotions and as a customer

service channel.

Lastly, you might decide to use Foursquare, a location-based social network, to increase

traffic into your store. The tactical step in this instance is to sign up for a Foursquare

Merchant account, which will allow you to create special “check-in” deals to increase

footfall among new customers and build loyalty among existing customers.

Learn  from  Competitors    Another step you may wish to take is to research how your competitors are using social

media. What channels are they using, and in what ways are they engaging customers?

This data may give you insight into ways you can use social media that you had not

thought of. It may also provide the necessary incentive to start engaging within social

media. Even better, you may find that your competitors aren’t using social media

significantly, which means you can get a jump-start on the competition and establish your

business as the brand of record.

Create  Engaging  Content  

As was mentioned in the last chapter, effective social media engagement mandates the

need to create engaging content for your customers, prospects, fans and followers to

consume. In this chapter, I outline a plan for creating such content.

The first order of business is to define what we mean by “content.” When it comes to

social media, content can be anything – Facebook status updates, Twitter tweets, videos,

images, or blog posts. In fact, just about anything you can think of posting to a social

network can be considered content. The key point to keep in mind is that social media is

driven by content. If you expect to gain the attention and trust of customers and

prospects, then you should think like a publisher and commit to creating great content.

Setting the content plan in motion requires four steps: determine your content focus;

determine the types of content you wish to produce; determine how often you can publish

(or post) content; and create a content calendar for the purpose of scheduling your posts.

1.  Determine  Content  Focus    The first order of business is to determine your content focus. By focus I mean the

direction in which you want to take your content, as well as its tone. For example, content

can be educational in nature with “how-to” posts, helpful tips and product-related

information.

Or, it might be entertaining using humorous videos, photos or light-hearted status updates

and tweets. Alternatively, is could promotional focusing on sales promotions, discounts

or special events you host. Better yet, it could be a combination of the three. Regardless,

your goal is to create content that stimulates engagement among fans and followers

within social media.

Some other ideas to consider: focus on content that is thought provoking or that

demonstrates your knowledge and thought leadership. Also, focus on content that is

consistent with the mission and culture of your business.

2.  Determine  Content  Types    Once you’ve determined the content focus, next think about the different types of content

you can produce. That will depend, in part, on the social media channels you are using –

blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc – but don’t limit your thinking to one specific

channel. In fact, it’s best to provide a mix of content in the form of videos, photos, blog

posts, Facebook status updates and Twitter tweets.

Each social media channel has its own unique features and benefits. No matter which

channel you choose, it's best if you understand how your customer is using them. Social

networks like Facebook can be a strong reach and high efficiency platform that serves as

a hub for all your social media engagement activities.

Video and photo sharing sites like YouTube and Flickr can serve as places to archive

content which gets distributed through other channels. And blogs can become niche-

market penetration tools to reach individual audience segments.

3.  Determine  Posting  Frequency    Next, determine your posting frequency – how often you plan to post. Part of that

determination will be made based on the amount of time you have to create content, and

there is no “one size fits all” solution. To some extent, the more content you create the

better off you are. That being said, here are some suggested guidelines:

• Blog posts should be written at least once per week.

• Facebook should be updated on a daily basis.

• Twitter posts can be more frequent, up to 3 – 5 times per day.

You will also want to post at the optimal time. Only you know will know what’s right for

your business, and that often comes as a result of trial and error. Optimal posting times

can be determined by the level of engagement you have with fans and followers, so it’s

important to pay attention to when you post, as well as the types of content you post. For

example, videos tend to receive more engagement than text-based posts.

Facebook provides an analytics component called “Insights” that can help you in

determining optimal times to post there. A tool called Edge Rank Checker can help you

determine the best times to post on Facebook.

4.  Create  a  Content  Calendar    Once you know where you want to post content, the focus and types of content you want

to produce, and have determined the posting frequency, the next step is to develop a

content calendar to schedule your posts. One person even referred to it as a

"conversation" calendar. What I’m referring to is a calendar whereby you create a series

of content entries for use on social networks.

Calendars can be created on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis and can be done using

a spreadsheet or, preferably, a social media management application designed for that

purpose.

Here is an example of a content calendar using a spreadsheet based on a monthly posting

schedule. At the top of the spreadsheet is a field to include the name of the month, along

with a field for listing the major theme for that month, should you choose to use one. This

could include such themes as holiday sales, special product promotions, marketing

campaigns, or anything else you choose to emphasize.

In the left-hand column are the social media channels that will be posted to. The

subsequent columns set forth posting schedules on a weekly basis for each week during

the month.

A better way to manage your social media engagement activities, including creating a

content calendar, is through the use of social media management applications designed

specifically for this purpose. I refer to these applications as “tools.”

These tools enable you to more effectively and efficiently manage every aspect of your

social media engagement from content creation, to content syndication, to community

management.

For example, rather than writing a blog post, then going to Facebook, Twitter or other

social networks to repost the content, these tools automate the process for you. Further,

they provide a single dashboard through which you can engage with your fans and

followers and administer each of your social media channels. In other words, let the tools

do much of the work for you and save the valuable time needed to run your business.

Some of the tools I recommend include:

• Sprout Social

• Hootsuite

• Tweetdeck

• Vertical Response

Each of these software applications is available for use in multiple languages and is

affordably priced. Some, like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck, are free to use as the base level.

One of the best and most affordable tools I have found is Sprout Social. It performs just

about every operation and function you would ever need. Using it you can:

• Publish & schedule updates across social channels with a single click.

• Monitor your brand and competition across social channels and the web. This is

especially useful when doing research on where your customers and target

audiences maintain a presence online.

• Connect with highly targeted customers through the discovery tools it provides.

• Measure the success of your social media engagement with reporting

and analytics tools.

• Collaborate with other team members, assign tasks and set permissions.

• Monitor Foursquare Check-Ins and visitor loyalty, and

• Manage it all on the go with a mobile version of the application.

Of course, there are many other such tools available, and the best way to find them is

through a keyword search on search engines using terms like “social media management

software.”

In terms of social media engagement, content is king. Engaging content can set you apart

from your competition, help establish you as a thought leader and knowledgeable expert,

keep your business top of mind with consumers, and can provide the leverage needed to

keep your customers coming back time after time.

Review,  Wrap-­‐up  and  Next  Steps  

Let's review what we've learned in this ebook. We have:

• Discussed the impact social media is having around the globe;

• Defined what we mean by the term “social media”;

• Outlined five global communication trends that mandate the need for social

media;

• Shared 10 foundational principles of social media marketing;

• Talked about the steps involved in building a strategic social media plan;

• Looked at ways to create engaging content, and;

• Showed you several tools you can use to manage social media engagement.

The question that remains is, “Where do we go from here?”

Here are some next steps to take as you begin the process of engaging consumers within

social media:

• First, be easy on yourself.

• Do one thing then add others. For example, start by setting up a Twitter account

or Facebook Page. (I will talk about how to do this in subsequent books in the

series.) Don’t feel as if you have to establish a presence in social media

everywhere at once. Gain mastery using one channel, and then add others when

it’s appropriate to do so.

• Accept that it will take time to build a fan and follower base. This doesn’t happen

overnight. Social media requires consistent effort over time.

• Use a state-of-the-art mobile device to manage social media on the go. The world

is becoming increasingly mobile. Don’t constrain yourself to waiting until you are

sitting in front of a laptop or desktop computer. A start of the art mobile device

such as an iPhone or Android will provide you with the most flexibility to engage

your consumers in real-time and at a time when it’s most convenient for you.

• Recognize that social media marketing requires a long-term commitment – stay

with it! Think of social media like you would a marriage.

• Start now! There is no time like the present to being marketing your business

through social media.