The folks over at Open-Site.org seem to be doing some great things. Here is a video that they produced I thought you might like to check out.

The world is changing… FAST.

Social media and Myers-Briggs (mbti) personality types is an area of growing interest for us here at Folk Media.

Over the past year, I’ve been building a new publishing company with some very smart personality profilers. We have developed an online test to, not only determine your personality type (like Myers-Briggs), but to also determine the primary way you make decisions and learn new information. The test is like an x-ray into your mind.

Myers-Briggs, one of the most popular of the personality testing systems, did a recent survey around social media and Myers-Briggs personality types. The findings were very interesting.

Knowing the personality types that you are reaching with your social media can open up new doors of communication. For example, we humans have four learning styles and four decision making styles. Each one of us chooses one learning style and one decision making style as our preferred way of interacting with the world.

Imagine knowing how your social media audience was learning new information. What if you knew the exact type of language that persuaded your audience to make a buying decision. That information should almost be illegal. Imagine if it got into the hands of an unscrupulous or deceitful social media or internet marketer. That’s why I’ll caution you to be very responsible with this information.

In the coming weeks I’m going to be writing more about personality types and how they relate to your social media and internet marketing efforts.

If you want to know which type you are, take our free personality test and then let me know how you fit into this chart below.

.

Joel Mark Witt is the Publisher of Folk Media. He is a producer, author, speaker and social media marketing coach who consults with businesses on how to use social media in marketing and communications. Get more from Joel on Twitter.

*Image via cpp.com

All good businesses irrespective of whether they operate offline or online, have few points in common: all of them have good marketing strategies and they care for their customers. Marketing management effectively involves the role of social media.

While many businesses tend to handle all the reports regarding the social media aspects themselves, often businesses cannot commit enough time to launch a full time social media campaign. This is where social media outsourcing comes in handy. But how do you know it is the right time to outsource social media? Here are some signs that you see before outsourcing social media for your business:

When Your business has launched a new plan

A social media consultant can help you in figuring out the right strategy required for the new setup. Developing content and establishing perfect timing and frequency for posting the content that is relevant to your people. A social media consultant will also help you in avoiding the various pit falls in internet marketing arena.

When Your business has just started the social media program

If your company has just stepped in the social media arena then a social media analysts is a right investment for the business. These analysts will not only help your business to consolidate among major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn but will also help you in setting objectives for the social efforts.

Often, companies jump into the social media without a certain plan or strategy. This will hamper your brand reputation and will result in wastage of money and time. By outsourcing social media, your company can set specific goal for each social media channel under the advice of an expert. These experts will also make your people understand the need and necessity of each and every social media channel.

Your business has faced disappointment with social media results

If your business has already implemented social media strategies and you are not satisfied with the results then a social media consultant can help you determining why exactly your efforts have failed. A consultant will help you in minimizing the techniques that have wasted your resources and time. They will also help you in determining other alternatives that may prove good for your business.

Does your business have enough tools for social media groups

Some business people are excited about social media agencies, but do not have enough information to hire the right company. Before hiring any social media agency, make sure they take enough time to understand your people and develop plans to increase your overall goals.

Social media outsourcing comes in different sizes and shapes and you should take time to judge what suits your business. Your business size plays an important role. If your business is a one man operation, then it does not make any sense to outsource to a social media agency. Social media outsourcing is more than just acquiring a third person to post to Facebook and Twitter on your behalf. You need to understand all the metrics and how to utilize a third party to maximize your benefits. Outsourcing should be regarded as a solution to maximize social media goals and not a way to reduce the over-load you have to do.

.

About the author: Alyssa Clarke is a freelance blogger who is passionate about writing. She frequently writes on SEO, marketing and social media related topics. Her favorite sites are Bornrich and Styleguru, which she also happens to work for. She is a social media addict and can be actively found on twitter @alyssagclarke.

Marketing for Dummies the book should actually be called marketing to dummies.

Keeping Marketing Simple

I was making pizza for my children a while back. I’ve made pizza many times before – but this time I actually studied the instructions on the back. The biggest thing that struck me was how SIMPLE the instructions were. Lots of visuals – big letters – and only three steps.

ANYONE – even if they can’t read – could bake this pizza. And it struck me… the problem with almost all marketing is how complicated it is.

Today I got an email from a friend advertising a coming event he was hosting. I visited the website but couldn’t find the date of the event anywhere. I got frustrated and clicked away.

Dummy Proof Your Marketing

Complicating your marketing is stupid. You will lose customers just by making their life difficult for them. Instead – dumb things down. Assume your audience needs every step explained to them in detail.

The goal of your marketing is to remove ANY possible confusion or friction that could cause someone NOT to buy from you.

How To Do Marketing For Dummies

Go overboard in marketing

Be prepared to go all the way to your customers or potential prospects. You are asking them to subscribe to your email list or buy something from you. You need to take the initiative and meet them on their terms. Remember – they are constantly asking the question “What’s in it for me?” Be prepared with a well crafted answer.

Over-explain

One of the best ways to reach out to your market is to overexplain. Don’t assume that they know the technical jargon your company uses. Don’t assume that they know who to call or what to ask when they do.

One of the best pieces of advice that the late Gary Halbert suggested was to get VERY specific with what a customer can expect when calling your phone. He recommended letting them know the name of your receptionist – what color sweater she wears – and how her voice will sound. It’s these details that put customers at ease and allow them to feel like you’ve got the details handled.

Use simple language

Most people have about a 5th grade reading level. Write your marketing materials with this in mind.

Duplicate instructions

Repeat important instructions or any calls to action. If you have a sales letter and you are asking prospects to do something – be certain to ask multiple times during the letter. Repetition is important.

Pictures are worth 1000 words

Have you ever tried to assemble a product without a diagram and only written instructions? Next time you order from Ikea – try it. It’s hard to do. Add in a few pictures and people can SEE what you mean by the written instructions.

Imagine Simplicity For Dummies

Imagine how powerful your marketing would be if your customers could access your information, products and services without any friction.

Today’s 10 Minute Action Step

Spend the next ten minutes going through your website. Watch to see where it might be difficult for people to find your phone number – email addresses – contact information – or even what it is that you are selling. Remember to ask yourself as you look … “What’s in it for my prospect/customer?”

Now go take action.

.

Joel Mark Witt is the Publisher of Folk Media. He is a producer, author, speaker and social media marketing coach who consults with businesses on how to use social media in marketing and communications. Get more from Joel on Twitter.

The busiest shopping season of the year is upon us. Many of you have finally completed your holiday shopping and others are just beginning. Heck, if you’re like me, you haven’t even started yet. No matter your current holiday shopping status, there is no denying that companies are going to make a boatload of money this month.

What’s stopping you from getting in on some of that cash?

Sure, this article is a little sudden; it gives you no planning time and forces you to be quick on your feet. However, in the end, YOU are responsible for YOUR business and its revenue. If you decide to embrace the holiday madness, you might see that it works out well for you, even at the last minute.

So, let’s make you some cold hard cash in four easy steps.

Customer Targeting

Not every customer is going to buy from you this year, but some will and we have to target those “some.” Is that going to be one person or 900 people, I don’t know, but I’m sure that there is a least one person who will be interested in your products or services as we wrap up the year. We need to focus on getting that person/those people. Let’s call them the “targeted crowd.”

What does the targeted crowd look like?

There are two kinds of people who do shopping and deal hunting during the month of December, those who are interested in getting the best gifts at the lowest prices for others and the individuals who want to find the coolest things for themselves. Your marketing strategy needs to appeal to one or both of these motivations.

Even still, not every person in that target crowd is going to spend money with your company but they’re willing to listen. When they ask questions, you MUST answer; when they are on the fence about buying new gutters at a ridiculously low price, you NEED to sell them on it.

The spenders will be the people in the targeted crowd that really want it but need a little extra convincing.

Your Proposal

Now that you know the group of people you’re targeting, how are you going to get them to buy your stuff?

Just like in The Godfather, you need to make him an offer he can’t refuse.

The company with the best offers win on Black Friday and beyond. Period. Do you see hundreds of people lining up at the store which offers the hottest new toy at regular price? No, and that’s because holiday bargainers want the lowest prices around or their trip is a bust.

Go low and stay low…but don’t go into the hole.

Obviously, you have certain prices you need to match in order to come out in the black, so don’t sell yourself, or your customers, too short.

Make reasonable offers that catch the attention of your targeted crowd. Marketing concrete services? Run and all-day special advertising that your normal $1,000 consultation fee will be waived for all contracts beginning today or the next week. Selling organic fruit and veggies? Make all of your products buy one, get two free AND at a reduced rate.

If a customer is on the fence about it, make an exception that won’t be too unreasonable. Obviously, you can’t give too much away for free or you’ll go broke. Make offers that customers can’t, or wouldn’t be sane to, refuse.

Tying In Social Media

Everything up to this point may have been basic but here’s the real question: how do you use social media to do all of this? Easy!

Check out a few ways you can utilize Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and your blog to make out like a bandit this holiday season:

• Facebook – Post PDFs or pictures of your sales and ads.
• Facebook – Give Facebook only customers an additional discount on your products.
• Facebook – Tell customers that if they buy a product and then write a review on the “Review” tab on Facebook, they get a special mail in rebate form.
• Twitter – Send various tweets throughout the weeks with short specials (only and hour or two long) so customers are kept wondering what great deals are coming.
• Twitter – Solicit your followers to send you Direct Messages with the price they’re willing to pay for an item and give that price to the first five followers who Direct Message.
• Twitter – If your followers answer a certain question or do a certain task, they’ll get a certain amount off of your already low prices.
• YouTube – Post videos of your products with a narration of how much you’re selling it for during the month of December.
• YouTube – Post a video detailing that if someone subscribes to your channel, they’ll get a special free gift.
• Blog – If a person subscribes to your email list today or throughout this next week, they’ll be entered to win a free product or service.
• Blog – Whoever comments on your blog on that day will get a certain amount of money off of your products or will get something for free.

Honestly, the possibilities are endless. You can offer SO MUCH to your customers through social media.

If you implement the information given in this article, you’re practically guaranteeing some success on during the holiday season and beyond. Remember–customers want deals that are ridiculously appealing so give them. If you don’t, you will never have the opportunity to build rapport and nab future sales and recommended clients.

Happy holidays to you!

.

Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by chrisschoenbohm

Facebook fan pages are a great marketing tool. With a fan page, you meet your customers where they are–on Facebook–and you engage with them in hopes of making them a lifetime customer. Sometimes, it isn’t always that easy.

Just as any other marketing campaign, you need to make sure that your Facebook fan page is aligned with your priorities and strategy. Are you setting out to honor your fans by giving them great Facebook-exclusive deals? Make sure your fan page reflects that purpose. Are you trying to build an army of advocates that will help your business grow? Organize your fan page to accomplish your goal.

There are two parts to a fan page, the design and the content. To make things a little easier, I’m going to provide you with two awesome posts about this topic, one post for each part.

Let’s cover the design aspect today and we’ll hit the content portion at the beginning of next week.

The design of your Facebook fan page speaks volumes about your commitment to your online marketing campaign, so make sure it’s what you want to portray.

Here are four design tactics you need to consider when constructing (and reconstructing) your fan page:

Profile Picture – Your “default” profile picture is uber-important when designing your page. It is one of the most critical aspects of your page because it is what draws users to you and your business, no matter your purpose.

If I am searching “Bob’s Plumbing” or “Chicago’s Best Pizza,” the only way I will know that I have found the correct company is by looking at the images in the search result. If your logo or face isn’t prominent and easily recognizable, I’m not going to find you. It’s like finding Nemo in the ocean; it can be done (obviously) but it’s going to take a lot of hard work.

Do you want to put your potential fans, customers, or clients through that tough search?

Text Box Blurb - Facebook gives you a small section of retail space below your profile picture to put something about yourself or your business. Most people underestimate the great value of this space. In essence, this is your 30-second elevator pitch to anyone visiting your page for the first time.

Make your words count and allow them to authentically tell what you’re all about. If you’re about gaining more customers, talk about your wonderful food, catering, or roofing work. If you take pride in supplying your customers with sweet deals on your stuff, say so in this box.

Use this box to amplify your business and to alert customers of your purpose for the fan page.

Tabs and Applications – Facebook and developers have provided a boat load of content that can be added to your fan page to boost your image and the page’s functionality. The applications you have enabled will tell users exactly what your intent is on Facebook.

By default, you are given the option to include various applications, such as media sharing and customer reviews. Depending on your choice of add-ins, viewers can tell the main purpose of the fan page. If you are including the Reviews application, you want to give customers or clients a place to brag or diss your company or product. In the customer’s mind, you’re focused on customer service. No matter your enabled applications, your viewers will be able to tell your goals and focuses.

It’s also important to note that if you want to give off the image that you’re more than just a once-a-week-fan-page-administrator, include applications that ARE NOT automatically enabled when you sign up for your fan page. This shows initiative and customers love it.

FBML (Facebook Markup Language) - FBML is a great way to take the next step in managing and improving your fan page.

FBML is a programming language that Facebook uses to create its pages. With certain bits of code, you can customize your fan page to really have an impact on your visitors. With FBML, you can do some interesting things, such as include an email opt-in form on your page, track your fan page using Google Analytics, and post additional media, such as Flash videos. If you’re looking to take the next step and WOW your visitors, upgrade your page using FBML. It speaks volumes when you take initiative and show that you are dying to interact and engage with your audience.

Here are some pages with free resources regarding FBML:

7 FBML Examples To Rock Your Facebook Fan Page
How To Customize Your Facebook Page Using Static FBML

Your fan page is a critical marketing tool to manage. If you don’t advertise and present it appropriately, you and your reputation will suffer. In today’s world, it’s critical to ensure that your online presence is saying the right things about you.

.

Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by stucklo6an

I get a lot of questions from people about the relevance of social media in their particular industry. I often hear, “Well, since I work in XYZ field, do you think it’s really necessary?” and “We have a certain niche of customers and I don’t think they’re looking for us on Twitter. What should we do?”

At some point, every business, no matter the niche or industry, should attempt to use social media to reach new customers.

Many people think that social media is some new and improved form of marketing but it really isn’t. The use of social media is just marketing where your customers hang out, just like a radio ad, billboard, or sign. There are no special tactics to use or algorithms to recite; it’s marketing basics using a different medium.

However, I will tell you that social media isn’t right for every business. There are some businesses that aren’t ready to take the dive into Facebook, Twitter, and a blog. How do you know if you are ready to engage with your customers through social media?

Question 1: What is driving you?

The first question to determine if you’re ready to embrace social media is, “What drives you?” This question is simple enough but is deeply powerful, as it is used to shape your entire philosophy on social media use.

If your answer to the question was something to deal with being like everyone else, you need to stop reading this article. Using Facebook and Twitter just because it’s the “cool” thing to do isn’t going to increase your sales or triple your customer awareness.

You need to have a passion for people and for growing yourself in order to focus your talents on using social media. You need to realize that the journey will be tough and unrewarding at times, just like any other marketing system, but in the end you will learn how to grow your business and influence customers. If your car isn’t in the right gear, you won’t move in the right direction, as it is with your drive for social media success.

Question 2: What is your plan?

Once you have determined if your motives are correct, it’s time to envision a plan of action.

Social media IS NOT something you can begin and then forget about; it’s not a static webpage with just informational content. The purpose of social media is to interact with customers and just like any speech or presentation, you need to develop your plan of attack. Without this plan, your run at social media won’t last long.

When you formulate your plan for social media integration, remember to think about all perspectives and viewpoints. How do you want your customers to perceive your company when you join Facebook? Are your competitors on Twitter or blogging? What affect will social media have on your finances and hours worked? There are many questions you need to answer before you click the “Sign Up” button.

Question 3: What are your goals and expectations?

Measurement is key.

I’ll say it one more time for those of you who missed it a few seconds ago–measurement is key.

The way you plan to measure your social media campaign is almost as important as planning your customer interactions. You NEED to measure yourself in order to gauge your progress, successes, and failures.

A good strategy is to measure your company and your key objectives before launching your social media campaign and then re-measure in certain intervals. This will give you a great taste as to what your company was doing before social media and how things are progressing after Facebook, Twitter, and blogging.

Ensure you’re measuring relevant data and not only page views or fans. Dive deep into the conversations you have with customers and determine what you could have done better. What seems to be attracting the most content on your pages? How many new followers are you gaining on a weekly basis?

Not every business should sign up for social media today; some businesses aren’t ready. If you are ready, I would encourage you to begin to explore your options and plan, as it will generate some serious thoughts on how to move forward. Also, if you’d like a free consultation about the landscape might look for your company’s social media presence, please email me (or call 410-701-0322) and I’d be happy to help.

.

Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by Oberazzi

You’ve heard it said many times before–social media is here to stay. The personal interactions that come from social media are what customers are now craving. Big businesses, call centers, and the “everyone is the same” approach is getting less popular as time moves on. It’s time to revolutionize business and gear your business toward a more personal approach and right now, social media is the way to accomplish that task.

However, have you considered mobile social media? Have you, or your bosses, even considered Twitter and Facebook applications for mobile devices, mobile versions of your blog or website, or giving your employees access to company accounts from their mobile devices? If you’re sheepishly shaking your head in confusion, you’re in good company. If you have thought of those things before, props to you. Either way, this post will help you gain traction in the mobile social media market.

Where is this coming from?

Big businesses and “experts” are showing us that you need to have a social media presence to stay in new age customers. Subscribers are no longer picking up to phone to have their issues fixed; they’re expecting someone to help them when they gripe about service on Twitter or their blog. So why do we now need to take it a step further and go mobile?

Recent studies have found that more people are beginning to use mobile social media applications, such as the official Facebook application for the iPhone and the many Twitter apps. When your customers change the way they contact your business, you need to follow suite. Since people are no longer waiting until they get to a computer to reach you, your business needs to make a concerted effort to meet them where they are.

If you don’t reach your customers when they need you, they will take their business to someone who will.

What can I do?

It may sound like the entire world is changing and that you will need to revamp your entire social media process but I’m fairly confident you have most of the elements in place to take your social media campaign to the next level.

First, make sure that you have decided on a timetable for addressing customer issues. If you are a smaller business, chance are that you don’t need to give an immediate response to inquiries. However, if you’re a larger business with many clients or you provide a service that people need (plumbing repair, roofing repair, etc.), you want to make sure that you can respond to customer when they need you. Design a plan for responding to customers in a timely manner, both phone and via social media.

After you have established this timeframe, begin to take steps toward actualizing this goal. For example, if you decide to respond to any customer inquiries within 24 hours, what do you need to make this happen? Do you need someone checking voicemails and Facebook each day? If your response time is 12 hours, who do you have to respond to issues in the middle of the night? Lay out a plan to make your timeframe a reality.

Finally, turn your timeframe into a guarantee for customers. Advertise that you respond to customers within 12 hours, no matter their form of contact. Make them aware of your dedication to them. If they don’t know how you can serve them, they won’t come to join your team.

Further Action Steps

Here are some additional steps for you to take in order to make the most from mobile social media use:

• Design a mobile-friendly website. Most sites have plugins that you can install that will do this automatically for you. If customers pull you up on the go, make their experience easy.
• Look into gaining access to company social media accounts from a business mobile device. If you’re the head of the social media marketing department, it might be best for you to have a way of responding to customer inquiries when you’re at off-site meetings or visiting clients.
• Respond to this post with any comments you may have. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
• Share this article via your favorite social media site.

.

Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by cyrillicus

To capture the main happenings in the social media world, let’s take a look at some quick blurbs of need-to-know information. We aim to give you as much information as possible in one shot so here it goes…

A new study finds that while social media use is increasing, content creation has reached a plateau.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, is getting a lot of publicity these days, including his own comic book later this year.

You can kiss blogging service Windows Live Spaces good-bye; it’s being replaced by WordPress.com via a recent deal between Microsoft and Automattic.

Trying to find a job via social networking can be tough but here are ten tips to help you land a new gig using Facebook and LinkedIn.

If you have a brick-and-mortar storefront, it is possible to use social media to boost your influence and customers.

The new version of the Twitter web interface has a lot of people talking; find out the changes.

Celebrities on Twitter have little influence over their followers, finds a new study conducted by Northwestern University.

If you’re looking for a way to gain Facebook fans, read how one band gained over 3,000 fans by spending only $250.

.

Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by Rosaura Ochoa

This post was written by guest author Victoria Ipri.

Social media marketing has become commonplace. Yet thousands of businesses remain on the sidelines.

Why? Fear. In my conversations with small business owners, I’ve dubbed this fear social media paralysis, aka I-don’t-know-what-to-do-so-I’ll-do-nothing.

Signs & Symptoms

Fear of the unknown, fear of making a costly mistake, fear of doing “it” wrong…these fears consume many small business owners. I’m not suggesting a ‘wait and see’ attitude is an effective strategy. To the contrary, businesses adopting this position will find their competitors passing them by. And customers? Well, they’re already online, looking for you. When they don’t find you, guess who gets the business?

The Diagnosis

Acknowledging you have a problem is the first step in recovering from social media paralysis. Interestingly, some small business owners claim they are waiting for social media to “mature,” so true ROI can be measured. I applaud them for their creative spin on the real reason: social media marketing is downright confusing. It’s also time consuming. If there is one thing today’s mentally and financially strapped small business owners don’t need, it’s one more task in an overflowing day.

The Cure

Fortunately, there is a cure. You may be surprised to learn the remedy for social media paralysis does not begin with “build a profile.” No…businesses new to social media are nowhere near ready for that step.

The cure begins with a plan. And the plan includes defining goals and objectives, understanding what social media can…and cannot…do for your bottom line, designating a “driver” (more on this next week), developing a Social Media Action Calendar, and other tasks that serve as the foundation for any good social media marketing campaign.

After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you get there?

Herewith, then, are three brief, but important, tasks you can undertake right now to put you on the path to recovery:

1. Determine the best platform. Remember: LinkedIn is a cocktail party; Facebook is a backyard BBQ; Twitter is the hot sauce. Often, the best combination is either LinkedIn or Facebook, and Twitter as a complement. Many small businesses selling professional services do well with LinkedIn alone.
2. Define your target market. This takes a bit more time, so grab a clean pad of paper and try to write a sentence about who you’re going after. For example, “Mid-life professionals seeking a career change,” “18-24 year old females purchasing their first car,” or “Young professionals with an income of $50,00 or above.” Knowing your target market is key.
3. Check up on your competitors. Your prospects certainly are, so you should too. Google alerts, organic search results, website review, and various tools can help you keep up. Know your competition, so you can do it better.
   If you’re serious about getting on your social media feet, my best advice is “Don’t wait to get started.” It’s a fast-moving world out there.

.

Victoria A. Ipri is CEO of Modello Media, Inc., an e-marketing strategy firm with an emphasis on social media solutions, based in Philadelphia, PA. If you suffer from social media paralysis, visit www.SocialMediaShiatsu.com, or download Victoria’s latest ebook, Social Media for the Clueless. Find out more about Victoria on Twitter.

*Photo by dimshik