“Power Friending: Demystifying Social Media to Grow Your Business” by Amber Mac, Portfolio, $24.95.
A month ago, I ordered some orchids from a small orchid farm I’ve dealt with for two years. Last week, I received a tweet from Clare, its horticulturist and social media maven: “time 2 feed your new plants. u can order 20-20-20 4 $15 incl shipping. use code xz3215.” It wasn’t the first tweet I received from this small business. It won’t be the last because its timely tweets made me a friend, not just a customer. Clare also suggested joining a LinkedIn gardening group specializing in orchids (I’ve got over 40). The group has been very helpful; in less than a month I’ve made new friends.
My experience with Clare clearly illustrates Mac’s point that social media can grow your business. It’s an opportunity too big to ignore. To capitalize, let’s look at Mac’s social media ABCs: Authenticity, Bravery and Consistency.
Authenticity — Keep it real. It’s not about ads. It’s about the value added that your company brings to a friend’s/customer’s experience. While you may not be able to see these friends, they’re far from faceless. Come across fake and they’ll be “talking” behind your back. Ouch!
Being real goes beyond what you post or tweet. Companies blocking employee use of social media sites during the workday aren’t walking the talk. Communication from employees, not the marketing or PR departments, puts real faces on your company.
Bravery — “With so much noise online, your social media experience has to be special.” In Los Angeles, Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go (kogibbq.com) tells its devotees its taco trucks’ schedules. They tweet to let their 40,000+ Kogi Kulture followers know if a truck is running late and what’s new on the menu. The website features stories about employees and customers. Its Flickr account showcases day-in-the-life photos of the owners and employees.
Consistency — “When your audience finds out you’re participating on a site, they expect you to be there.” You’re not running an extended ad campaign; you’re being there for your friends. An ongoing presence (daily at a minimum), goes a long way to convincing your audience that you care about your conversations with them.
Once you learn the rules, Mac provides the tools you’ll need and the keys to developing your social media strategy.
“Lemonade Stand Selling: Accelerate Your Small Business Growth” by Diane Helbig, Sales Gravy Press, $14.95.
You’re getting ready to open your B2B “lemonade stand” because you think you have something others need. Before you open your door, Helbig wants you to answer these questions: “Why do you believe they need or want it?” and “What is the problem it solves or prevents?” Your answers provide the focus you’ll need to sell. They form the framework for sales calls, correspondence — and overcoming objections.
I particularly liked Helbig’s take on prospecting. She distinguishes between passive and active prospecting. On the passive side, you send out material, send e-mails, pass out business cards, etc. and wait for your phone to ring. Think about that process. How many times have you received sales information and actually replied? Unless the individual is then experiencing the “pain” that you can alleviate, your material is unimportant. Save your time, paper, postage, etc. If you still want to try a passive approach, follow up with a phone call.
“Active prospecting let’s people know that they matter, that you sought them out.” Here’s an active elevator pitch: “I specialize in working with (type of firm) to help them deal with (type of situation). I would like to meet with you to discuss how you deal with similar situations. It tells prospects why they might want to talk with you.
Active means staying in touch after the initial meeting. Think of this as B2B networking (i.e. giving something without expecting something in return). Sending prospects information about what’s happening in their industry and market segments shows that you’re interested in building a relationship, not making a sale. The sale will come.
Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer.
