Profitable Social Media Tips

"Helping others online is the fastest way to get prospects, give them good reason to like and trust you, and develop reciprocity."

— Profitable Social Media by Lee Pound and Warren Whitlock

Here are strategies to share your gifts by writing "blog" posts on social media like Facebook or your own blog web page.

We start by giving valuable information to many people and someday doing business with a few.

Your blog post can include:

• a gift
• an offer
• a reason to go to the website

What to Write on Your Blog

1. Offer a gift. This can be a short piece of information like a how-to tip, an invitation to an event, and a link to a web page or event announcement with more information.

2. A sale is more like an advertisement then a gift. If you have a sale announcement, include valuable information, like "The most important users of organic cotton are babies. Infants are far more vulnerable to toxic exposure then adults. Our baby blankets are now on sale; read more about toxic risk and the importance of organics at www.oursite.com."

3. Include your website URL. This is good to attract people directly to your site, and it's good because Google considers this an "external link," which brings better Google search results and higher page ranking.

Beware of advertising. It turns many readers off. Even if a few of them want to know about the sale, the rest don't. You don't want to be training your recipients only to read if they're interested in a sale.

In marketing, we focus on the most attractive part of the offer, and emphasize what the reader wants. Sell the sizzle, not the steak.

For example, it's part of a local restaurant philosophy to prepare seasonal, local food. While some long-time customers "get" how important the slow food movement is, many more come for great food and a unique dining experience.

"Eat Parsnips Now" may not attract many diners. So a restaurant "advertises" seasonal vegetables with a blog post like:

"Winter is the season for fresh parsnips. If you've never had a roasted parsnip, you'll be amazed by how slow roasting over a fire transforms the mustardy flavor into sweet tartness. Try the appetizer or get a free recipe at www.ourrestaurant.com."

A follow-up restaurant blog post announces related web content: an article on the slow food movement and links to the local farmers markets. On the website: "Sign up for the newsletter to be notified of the latest articles and specials featuring fresh seasonal recipes." The email subscribers get special benefits and are core customers.

Seasonal announcements have a news impact. A pool supply store can post tips on how to prepare a pool for winter, while linking to the online store. An auto-shop reminds clients to add anti-freeze. A marketing company shares about social media marketing...

Use your personal Facebook page to send folks to your business page, where the "how-to" or free gift is posted. This will move some "friends" into the "tell me more about your business" category.

Integrated Marketing Campaigns:
Blogs Plus Email Plus Website

To get the best results, blogging is part of an integrated marketing strategy, combining the benefits of blog posts, website content, and Eletter campaigns.

The ideal strategy includes:

• a blog post (for example, on Facebook or your personal blog)
• an email to your email list (either via Message on Facebook or via your email service like Gmail or Outlook Express) and/or a Tweet leading to the blog post
• your website with related info and an Email capture

E-letter

Here's what you can write on your email, where you notify your friends and include a request to share:

Dear friend, (by name, ideally)

I've just shared this great info on Facebook and would like your support.

You can help support our business by "liking" the item from Facebook. Just click on the URL and then click the Like button on your Facebook page.

Signature

Website

Get the website ready for visitors who are attracted by your posts. This could look like a website with valuable free content as well as products or services. Incorporate a reason for visitors to leave their email address, like a newsletter sign-up form.

For more free marketing tips, or help developing your own social media marketing campaign, contact Robert Gluckson at Robert@goodcausemarketing.com and see the articles at the Good Cause Marketing website.

You can sign up for the newsletter and the Facebook page for the latest free gifts!