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YouSocial Marketing & Consulting offers FREE course for Realtors!

Both YouSocial Marketing & Consulting and Keller Williams Southern Arizona would like to invite ALL Realtors to a special class on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin. Learn how to use social sites and how to develop leads from places like Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter. If you would like to earn more money to close out 2013, contact either YouSocial Marketing & Consulting or Keller Williams Southern Arizona for details on how to attend the course ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!

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Is your social media marketing not preforming up to standard? Read this article and your business needs help with social media marketing, contact YouSocial Marketing Today!

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Does Your Business Facebook Page Need A Tune-Up?

Contact YouSocial Today! Website: http://www.yousocialmarketing.com/ Phone: 520-240-5736

You do not want Facebook to pull your page, right? YouSocial offers a 10 point plan to review your business’ Facebook page. We look top to bottom to find any aspect that your business may be missing. We look at all photos on your Facebook page, including cover photo and profile photo. YouSocial ensures that your business is maximizing its effort within the guidelines of Facebook. We then review the use of your tabs and evaluate if they are being used effectively. After all of this we look deep into the About section, the short description, and other areas for maximum Search Engine Optimization (SEO) results. 

What It Will Take To Target Your Social Media Audience: 3 Simple Steps

There are a few things that one can do to have a successful campaign with social media communications, one is to target your audience. There are three critical elements that must be in place for a company to be able to target an audience and have an effective target marketing strategy.

1. Placement:
2. Patience  
3. Practice

Placement 

Placement is simply having a social media site from which to post from. Social media marketing content is about building relationship, the same way that traditional customer service is. When a customer comes in with questions, the relationship has a chance to grow. Online, through social media, the very same interaction occurs. A firm must have the social media outlet such as Facebook, where customers can ask these questions. So build a Facebook Fan page, a Twitter Business account, or a YouTube channel for business. Customers are on these social media outlets and businesses should be too. 

Patience

Patience is the other extreme of the above example. In the brick and mortar location a customer will ask a question and walk away without a sale. Typically another customer will walk through the doors and the business has a chance to engage them. The business representative effectively layers the sales presentation through conversation and then closing. Online businesses typically have two different locations for the interaction listed above. Social media outlets for conversations and a business ecommerce website for closing; if a business has a website, all the social media activity drives to the site. This divides the natural progression of the sales conversation. At the brick and mortar location the social conversation of the clerk or salesperson builds the relationship and lays the foundation for trust which leads to a closed sale. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter act as this relationship building and trust laying foundation, then the customer goes to the website to purchase the product. Ecommerce essentially severs the two layers of the sale into different locations. The patience comes is over the aggregate of the campaign. As a social media manager, one must constantly provide a voice for the firm even when it may seem as if it is not directly related to sales.  The sales conversation is driven by the trust building and then the close, not the other way around. 

Practice

Practice is the breakfast of achievers. All great achievers have practice under their belt. If a company wants to achieve greatness on Facebook or Twitter, they must simply block some time out and post several times a day. Once customers respond, they must address them thoroughly and thoughtfully.  If it is not in the marketing plan and marketing objectives to improve your conversation, then the social media development of the firm is in need of change. Companies ask “how are businesses using social networking.” Effective companies are using it the ways prescribe above.  

Target Acquired

A business's best source for what their target audience is online is their current customers who are looking online. Following these three steps will enable a firm to target the social media channels and demographics that will effectively lead to success in social media marketing. 

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Why is Google Plus important for small business?

As I research Google Plus i am really beginning to see the possibilities for Small Businesses. The Social Layer of Google; Google Plus is quickly becoming my social outlet of choice. There are so many ways that Google Plus can help Businesses, three of which I will go over here.

1. Google Plus is tied to SEO. With the advancements of Search plus your world, Google Plus is playing a greater role in search for prospective buyers. If someone within your sphere of influence know someone who is searching for your product, your results will come up with a little tag next to it. The tag is a shaded head and shoulders symbol like this  . (For more information on this see the video)
2. As a business, you will gain authority quickly in your area of expertise. With the addition of authorship, knowledge in your industry will be noted and it this will also affect your SEO.
3. Google plus is for Grown Ups. Of Google Plus users, 26.9% of users earn $30,000- $59,999 and 27.7% earn $60,000-$99,999 per year. Google Plus is where all the household decision makers are.

These three reason are why Small businesses should definitely be on Google Plus. If you could use some organic SEO, want to build authority, and want to communicate with higher earners, Google Plus is the place to be. 

 If you need any help creating a Google plus Page or generating a great marketing campaign, please feel free to contact us at www.yousocialmarketing.com and please follow us on Google Plus here 

What is your dashboard telling you?

As the first quarter of the year comes to a close, it is time for you to check your numbers. What were your goals and how are you doing? Are you right on track, or are you a little behind? In order to reach your goals you first must plan and then track your progress against your plan. Think about it like your car. They plan for a certain lifespan for an automobile and this is similar to your business and personal goals. If you are a little overweight and your goal is to lose five pounds this year eventually this goal’s lifespan will pass. A new goal such as maintaining a certain weight may replace it.

In this sense your business is like an automobile. You have a fuel gauge, a speedometer, an odometer, a heat sensor, and other gauges. In order for your automobile to reach its lifespan these gauges must be checked because it reads what is happening under the hood. The fuel tank is your cash. The speed limit is the rules and regulations that you must abide by in order to keep your business. The odometer is your equipment and skills. The heat sensor is the stress level that one is under when they open a business. There are good days and there are bad days, sometimes we overheat and we need to cool down. Each of these gauges can be measured and have a direct correlation with success in goal achievement.

When we look at cars and your business goals, we need to look at this through three primary vehicles. First there is the entry level of starter car. We have all had these, they teach us what to do, what not to do, where and how to drive, and for some of us we even learn about the law. Second we will look at the midsize economy cars. These are the cars we need when our responsibility increases such as having a baby, or a long commute. The last car that we will explore is the sports car. This car is the one that we all dream of having and often times when we get it we do not know what to do with it. These cars can be viewed through the small business prism. Let me explain.

Entry level

An entry level car is comparable to an entrepreneur opening their first business. These businesses are lean, like having the fuel gauge read a 1/4 tank. They are the place that the entrepreneur spends all their time just like we all did when we got our first car. They are also were we learn about the intricacies of car ownership.  We learn about maintenance, and for some of us we learn how to deal with a flat tire. As small businesses when you take that first step to open and sell your product or service to the outside world there is so much to learn. Your fuel gauge is typically under a half of a tank, usually a quarter or below. The speed in this car can go from fast to slow, similar to when a young person is learning to drive. Small business owners must get a feel for the speed at which they are comfortable with. As the odometer are skills and equipment, sometimes accelerated learning is required (speeding) and other times costly equipment can really set a business back (speeding ticket).  The heat sensor is unique in this car, because small businesses are learning their heat tolerance.  There are several other cars that one purchases after they drive an entry level one, let’s look at the midsize.

The Midsize

The midsize car is one that people purchase when they have a level of responsibility. This is after the initial phase of starting up a business. Your goals are different. When you had an entry level car, your goal was to drive. With this car you actually have a certain level of priority to your life. You want to remain safe, and the car must be reliable. In the business realm, your business has had some clients and they expect a level of customer services, they also expect professionalism.  In this car, your fuel tank is never below a quarter of a tank because you have an established cash flow system. The speed is steady; you are now looking at regulations before you act, because of the new responsibilities. Driving a midsize with your family is similar to this action. Your odometer is the busiest gauge here, because you are reinvesting your earnings in new skills, new equipment and employees.  Your heat gauge has been established in your previous years and you now drive an automobile that does not overheat.

The Sports Car

When we look at a sports car, they have gauges that are not needed on the previous two cars. This is because they have been so fine tuned that they are about one thing: speed. The odometer is not as important because the skills have been developed. The heat sensor within the small business owner has been replaced by employees who take all the heat; we call them sales and HR people. At this point fuel is not a problem either because the company has now hired out people to ensure that cash is flowing.  Speed in this car is growth. The other gauges are the legal, logistical, and other aspects that hinder growth.  When a small business starts out these task are all on one person, now they are delegated and the business is ready to take off.

Where are you?

Each car represents a different aspect of small businesses. If you try to speed like a sports car in an entry level, you will get burned. You will either run out of fuel, get pulled over, or overheat. Sometimes a midsize may go the same speed as a sports car, however if they keep it up they will have troubles too. A sports car may be cautions in some activities; similar to a midsize, but this will reduce the efficiency of the organization.  Each car has a place on the road and in the lifecycle of businesses. For the small business owners, you must make sure that your goals are aligned with your current car. If you are a midsize, what skills are you learning to meet your goals? If you are an entry level remember that you cannot drive like a sports car for long periods of time. Track your experiences in this car so that when you move up the transition is smooth. For the firms that are driving the sports cars, keep an eye on the other gauges that allow for the car to travel at such great speeds.

What car is your business driving? What steps are you taking to improve your car, and how will you move up?  In order to achieve your goals for 1013 you need to check your gauges and see if you are on track. Have you checked your gauges lately?

How March Madness is like the Business world

The current NCAA basketball championship game is a few weeks away, yet there are a few things that small businesses can learn from the games that are being played today. As of this writing I have witnessed Harvard and Florida Gulf Coast beat teams with better players and I have also seen Liberty (my School) persevere against all odds to play in the tournament. The lesson here is that when it comes to competition the bigger, more talented teams do not always win. Similarly, in the business arena larger industry leaders can be defeated. March Madness teaches small business the two keys to surviving and advancing; compete, and never give up.

Beat Goliath

Small businesses enter the business arena similar to small schools that play in the tournament. They have wide eyes and are often intimidated by the more popular, cash rich programs.  How can small businesses compete? The answer is in the way that lower seeded teams compete and beat the higher, more favored teams; with the right moxie.  Each small business has a unique background that led them to start and believe in their business. Is it an exclusive business model, high quality customer service, or just plain availability? When we think of large corporations we do not usually think of these qualities. We usually think of multileveled management where no one can make decisions in a timely manner.  This advantage is similar to the stresses on the student athlete from the power schools.

No…no…no…YES!

Think of the multilevel management as people that must be pleased with a decision at a corporate level. If you work in a corporation and have a unique idea, how quickly can you put that idea in play? If you fail, there is another hotshot middle manager AKA highly recruited player that will step in if your plan does not work.  As a small business you have the flexibility to change, fail, and change again.  You can take risks unlike many in the corporate arena.  Don’t think that you cannot compete and beat the industry leaders because you do not have the pedigree or the history. Make your own history, take some risks.

I run a small business that specializes in social media marketing such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and others. I have been looking in the corporate want ads for the positions that they have listed for this type of vocation and realized they are sticking to their old style thinking. They are looking for someone who has several years of experience and who can do this and that, but they are too busy creating the position that they are letting their opportunity slip away. As small businesses we have the chance to shift on a dime and make changes. This is why we succeed. I keep thinking of the railroad executive when I read the social media job descriptions. The railroad executives kept saying that they were in the railroad business. As we all know they were in the transportation business and automobiles soon surpassed them.  I build customer relationships by speaking the language that your customers speak, a digital language. I do not have to wait for my supervisor to give me the okay to post anything.  If I make an error, I can correct it immediately. When I make several in a small time-frame  like an underdog giving up several baskets in a row, I need to take a time out.

Never Give Up

When a coach takes a time out after their team has given up several baskets it is to calm the team down and allow them to re-frame the situation. The coach will explain to the team that it was only a few baskets and that there is time to run plays in order to take higher percentage shots. The key to these timeouts is to get the players in the mindset to keep going forward, to not give up. The famous coach Jim Valvano once delivered a speech in which he said “don’t give up, don’t ever give up!” every college basketball player alive has heard this speech, because every coach uses it or some variation of it to encourage players. As small businesses we need to keep playing this out in our heads; don’t give up, don’t give up, don’t give up.

In the tournament the team that can play to their strength more frequently usually wins. There are some games that go right down to the last second, however in the business arena the buzzer never goes off. What has worked for the industry leaders yesterday may not work today and definitely will not work tomorrow.  Find your strength and play to it every day and don’t ever give up and you will succeed.  

What your business can learn from Little League

  In Arizona we have dry rivers called washes. I often run a path by a particular wash and it goes right by a set of baseball fields. I saw some children today and I realized something that could help your small business. As I was running, one Little Leaguer roped a single up the middle of the diamond. The center fielder retrieved the ball and threw it towards the second basemen who threw it to home plate. The center-fielder used what is known as his cutoff man, or just cutoff. A cutoff is there so that the outfielders can throw the ball to the infield instead of attempting to throw out the runner from a great distance.

The Little Leaguer here cannot accurately hit his cutoff man at this stage in their life. The children are learning the basics of the game to build on later. Maybe you cannot accurately hit targets that you have set in your business plan. Look for a cutoff. Seeking help is a foundational business practice. Think of the franchise system, it is built on this basic premise. Think of the base runner as a customer who is walking out the door or who is on the verge of a purchase. Who can be your cutoff to close the deal? In baseball there are different cutoffs for different areas on the field. In business there are different cutoffs for different areas in your business field. Do not lose customers because you think that you have to throw the customer out all by yourself, because if you do they may be out the door and you will only be sore.  Seek help when you need it, a basic principle

One area that many small businesses are in need of a cutoff is in online marketing.  In my daily job as I preview webpages, Facebook pages, and YouTube videos. I see small businesses throwing out content as accurately as the children that I saw on the baseball diamond.  Because of companies like YouSocial, there are options for small businesses out there. One point about the cutoff should be addressed here. Without any effort from the center-fielder  the cutoff can switch strategies and throw in a different direction.  The cutoff can even decide not to throw if it is too risky. Similarly, a social media marketing company can give the small business owner a different direction without any effort. The owner may think that Twitter or LinkedIn are going to be effective forms of social media marketing. An experienced marketer may feel that Google+ or Facebook would work better.

Marketing can be a tricky thing and if you try to do it all yourself you will end up overworked and stressed out. Leverage your cutoff people in your business arena, lean on them to make great decisions in areas that you may not have expertise. Learn to use these people to assist you in closing the sales, or making the out.  Children are learning this lesson every day; shouldn't business people do it too?  In Little League these lessons form a basis for children to build on. Where I live in Tucson, there was once a high school team that had five players who reached the pinnacle of baseball - the major leagues. Imagine five players from one high school team in the pros. They all started in Little League, learning to use their cutoff.  If you want to take the next step in your business, take a lesson from these kids; build from basics, do not try to do it all yourself, and use your cutoff.

What has happened to the desktop?

I have online marketing, why do I not have more customers?

When we think of all the possible ways that businesses can reach their customers we rarely leave out the possibility of the online market. Can a business have an effective online marketing campaign and still not attract more customers? The answer is yes. There are several reasons for this, we will concentrate on the mobile market.

What is mobile?

What is the mobile market?  It is the movement from desktops to other devices such as Smartphones and tablets. How can a business reach this market within their current online campaign? They can hire professionals to assist in the conversion of their online marketing so that it is compatible with mobile devices.  

The cost of online marketing and mobile marketing

The online market and the mobile market require money to design and to maintain. However, if firms had started before the shift to mobile devices such as Smartphones and tablets, it would have been risky. Looking back we all can see the benefits of this fast and still developing market. With this development of both Smartphones and tablets, the mobile user is in it for the long run. Sales trends show that mobile users are getting more mobile devices now than ever before. The younger demographics are now using their mobile devices such as Smartphones and tablets as primary, that’s right PRIMARY, search devices.  If businesses are not compatible with mobile devices then they are not engaging younger customers who have the highest rate of discretionary spending

I get it, I need to change. I’ll run some mobile ads

As the users are moving towards mobile, economic principles tell us that when there is a demand, suppliers will follow. Ad makers have flocked to the mobile sphere to try to capture this momentum and with it mobile ads costs have risen. According to Kenshoo Social, a digital software marketing firm, ads are 70% more expensive than their desktop counterparts. Facebook cost-per-click was 1.38 for mobile compared to .81 for desktop ads. These numbers prove the fact that mobile is the wave of the future and if businesses want to survive they must go mobile.

If ads are so expensive what can my business do?

The good news is that it will not take much to get younger, mobile, Smartphone users into your business. If you do not have an IT guy, try hiring a social media marketing consultant, someone who will take a look at the way that you engage your customers in the 24 hour online marketplace. They will let you know search engine basics and give you some tips on how to encourage customers to act. How many ads can do that? Customers are more likely to purchase with firms they have had a relationship with and the best way to connect with your potential customers is by speaking their language - an online mobile language.

A message from YouSocial

YouSocial may help you if you are looking for social media marketing help, if not please enjoy this piece and forward to anyone you know who may need to see it. 

Can you have an effective Social Media marketing plan?

Social Media (SM) marketing is beginning to explode in many industries, do you know about yours? If you are unaware of any SM marketing within your industry then you could be on the cutting edge of this revolution. SM marketing is in fact separating itself from traditional search engine optimization (SEO) because it deals directly with both your current customers and prospects.
Here is the main difference between SEO and SM marketing. SEO is targeted to growing you business through search rankings, where as SM marketing is targeting existing clients and customers. All business owners know that it is always a numbers game, with SM marketing it strengthens your existing clients to ensure a solid foundation moving forward. SEO is great to attract new clients, however if you provide great customer service already, SM marketing is a fresh strategy to maintain and grow your business.