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5 Ways to Add Social Networking to Your Marketing Mix

MySpace. Facebook. YouTube. LinkedIn. Blogs. Podcasting. Unless you've spent the last couple of years living in some cave, you've probably at least heard these terms before. But what you may not know is how to harness their power for your marketing.

And frankly, a lot of that is still up in the air. But thousands of savvy marketers are taking the time to learn how to use this new technology, and are connecting to their market and each other in new, exciting ways.

So this time around, I'd like to give you a crash course in social networking.

Social Networking 101

Don't Sell. People hate advertising. And I'd say that part of the reason so many people are rushing to online social networks in the first place is to GET AWAY from advertising. Sure, these sites are free because they are paid for with online ads, but their users will happily ignore them, and continue clicking away and adding to their Friends lists.

That's because they distrust advertisers. And that's why they turn to their friends, colleagues and other people they trust to tell them what they should and shouldn't buy. So instead of trying to sell them something, offer them something cool for free that they'll want to share with all their friends while promoting your brand in the process.

For example, promoters of The Simpsons movie had a setup on MySpace that let users "Simpsonize" their user pictures, making them look as if they were drawn by Simpsons cartoonists. Nike, Chevy, and other large companies give away free wallpaper MySpacers can customize their pages with.

Now I know what you're saying. "That's fine for large corporations, but I'm a small business. What can I do?"

In short, a lot! You can create a video that showcases your product or service in some unique way, post it on YouTube, your website and blog, and watch it soar.

Are you an author with a published book? Create a MySpace or Facebook page just for your book! This is proving to be a great way to gain a readership and gather together fans of your work.

Remember that it takes time. You can't put your profile on LinkedIn and expect your phone to start ringing off the hook immediately. It takes time and effort to create valuable connections with people, both online and off.

Go where your prospects are. If you're an unsigned band, MySpace or Facebook may give you the shot you need, but if you're a consultant to high-level executives at Fortune 500 companies, Ryze or LinkedIn might do a better job of finding prospects who would be interested in your services.

Know what you want. Ask yourself, "What are my goals?" "What results to I expect?" "Do I want to sell products, increase brand awareness, or just network?" "What results can reasonably be measured?" Asking yourself these questions now can save you a lot of time and headaches later.

Just keep in mind that there's really no easy, direct way to measure your return on investment (ROI) like there is in direct marketing. You may get business six months from now because of someone you met who knows someone who knows someone who needs someone. That's why you need patience to stick with it. And don't give up on your other marketing programs.

Leverage all your usual marketing channels. To really maximize social networking's effectiveness, get the word out the way you normally would. Posting a video of your latest workshop on YouTube is great, but using that site's embedding feature to post the video on your blog or a dedicated page on your website, then announcing said postings to your list and with a press release, is even better.

Also, if you're active on Ryze, LinkedIn, or Facebook, put your profile link on your business card, on the contact page of your website, and even your letterhead. The next time you're at a flesh and blood networking function, ask the other attendees you meet if they are also on these sites. You'll grow your network even faster, and have something else in common with those you meet.

Well, that's it. 5 ways you can leverage the power of social networking for your business. I hope you find it helpful to you in yo

 

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