“The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users” by Guy Kawasaki and Peg Fitzpatrick (Portfolio/Penguin, $25.95).
All that Twitters isn’t gold. If you’re not getting your message across in the viral world, it’s time to reexamine your approach using the authors’ story-building, story-spreading platform. Their been-there-done-that experience was hands-on; their advice will save you from hours of trial-and-error.
They start with the profile — the common denominator of social media. It has to convince people to pay attention to what you have to say. Think of it as your social-media resume. Its goals: 1. Make you easy to find and remember. 2. Quickly establish your credibility.
Relative to No. 1, use your real name because it’s easy for others to remember, and it will pop up on Web searches, which shows your social media reach. For your Google+, LinkedIn and Facebook accounts, get a vanity URL that includes your name so people don’t see a string of numbers in a search link. When it comes to a picture, use a close-up that shows your smile. Use the same photo for all social media activity.
To establish credibility, introduce a tagline (Kawasaki’s is “I empower people”) and tell your story that backs it up. Provide links to your other social media, too.
When it comes to posts, you have two choices — write your own or curate (i.e. summarizing and adding the link to the source). Writing your own takes far more time than curation. There’s a definite advantage to curation, too; you do the “homework” for others and establish yourself as a subject matter expert who filters information. The authors advise using an “editorial calendar” to keep track of your posts and sources. This helps you catalog and follow content sources. The calendar can also be used to plan future posts.
Your postings will generate comments. Responding to them takes some thought because followers will see them and share them — and shape judgments about you. When it comes to the negative comments, getting in an online debate serves no useful purpose. Simply thank the sender for their input and willingness to weigh in on the topic.
The authors provide a list of apps and services you can use to manage your social-media reach and the “Content Monster.”
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“Sell Local, Think Global — 50 Innovative Ways to Make a Chunk of Change and Grow Your Business” by Olga Mizrahi (Career Press, $15.99).
When I glanced at the title, I thought of a friend who uses the Web to ensure he’s found by customers in the U.S. and around the world. Online shoppers not only boosted his sales by close to 60 percent, but also provided an acquisition source, which broadened his offerings.
In order to expand local-into-global thinking, Mizrahi takes business owners back to the root — their Unique Value Proposition (UVP). There are three questions to answer to define your UVP: 1. “What do you bring to the table that others do not (or cannot)?” 2. “How does someone know that you’re good at what you do?” 3. “Where do you specialize?”
The UVP shapes the approach to revamping the business model. It becomes the “face” of your business offline and online.
To expand offline business, think in terms of strategic alliances with customers and suppliers. They do business with other businesses. Chambers of commerce and trade associations can open doors, too.
When evaluating your Website, think in terms of customer focus. Does it convey your UVP? As you grow, update it to take into account the needs/wants of your new customers and prospects. To reach online prospects, use keywords and Google’s AdWords (fee for service) to make your business stand out.
Mizrahi invites you to scan the QR codes throughout the book for information, and offers a number of worksheets and reference material at ChunkofChange.com/book goodies.
Jim Pawlak is a nationally syndicated book reviewer.
