Are You Attracting a Crowd?

[Jim Turner]

I know we all got into social media marketing to find others who need what we have to offer - our services and/or products. How is that working for you? Is it still a pipe dream or are clients/prospects/customers flocking to your inbox?

If they're not, it just might be because you're not attracting a big enough crowd. Sales is still very much a numbers game. The more people you're connected to who want what you have the greater your chances are of making or closing a sale.

You see, all of your target market doesn't need your services/products TODAY! However, some do. Some will need your services a month from now. Others may not need them until a year from now. The idea behind social media marketing is that you "dig your well before you're thirsty" as promoted by noted master networker and author Harvey Mackay.

I'm finding this principle to be very true. Over the last 6-9 months I've been hitting the social media arena pretty hard - finding people to connect with and building solid relationships. The result has been that I've been able to brand myself and my business to the point where I have a core group of clients who trust me as a person and are satisfied with what I can do for them.

The interesting thing is they're not just my clients, they're also very good friends of mine. They also recommend me to their friends; which is again, the whole premise behind social media marketing. It's not about cramming sales messages down your prospects throat but instead is about becoming likable, helpful and delivering on what you say you're going to do.

What has your experience been with social media marketing? Let's start a discussion on this topic and see what challenges and opportunities you're having.

Cheers!
~Jim

[Walter Paul Bebirian]

This movement - what is known as social media marketing today - is only a small extension of my main marketing program which I call my Doubling Project which can be read about here:

http://www.qpg.com/custom/doublingprojecte_f.pdf

and I suppose that my philosophy for this type of project as well as the Doubling Project is that the challenge that must be met is to stay in business long enough to reap the benefits of the work that I have done in marketing and advertising - in other words - there are - have been and will be people calling as a result of the efforts that I have put in today - but it is not necessarily something that I will know ahead of time exactly when these efforts will pay off -

[Conrad Hall]

Hi Jim,

Your post has had me thinking for days.

Social Media is the 21st century version of Word-Of-Mouth advertising. (By the way, have you seen Society For Word Of Mouth? Good site.) As with so many other things, the net has given WOM a greater reach.

The greatest challenge I see is getting away from business and showing the "real me." You know what I mean...We get out to conferences, or just talking with people, and our writing is so much fun - we're so passionate about it - that sometimes it ends up being all we talk about.

After reading your post, the thing that caught my attention is there are very photographs on any of my social networking sites. My mind was stuck on the idea that the photos have to include me in some way.

Then I started thinking about you, and Pam, and other people - the conversations we've all had. They weren't all about work, and they weren't all about us. That clicked, and I realised I can put any photo I want on these sites. And Jim. I have lots - LOTS - of pictures to share.

Photography is a hobby for me.

Now here's the thing: My biggest challenge is getting away from work and showing people what I enjoy doing that makes me a whole, well-rounded person.

After thinking about what you wrote, I see the opportunity for sharing how much I enjoy travelling and seeing new places - plus it makes me a more real person for everyone in my network.

I even see the ripple effect. Let's say I write something on Facebook about a new place I went, and put some pictures. Well, that can be the foundation for an article. The writing is always good practice, and you never know who's going to see your (my) excitement and drop me a line.

There I go again - straight back to thinking about work. Maybe that's why we enjoy it so much - it just doesn't feel like work - it feels as natural as breathing.

Jim, you're post is great. It really is about being a real person, treating others like real people, and being there to help when it's needed. Business is all about relationships - healthy, strong, lasting relationships.

Thanks Jim.

Conrad

[Jim Turner]

Hey Conrad... looks like you had an epiphany!!! From my experience social media marketing is more about WHO you are than WHAT you do. People need to know who Conrad is first before they fully open up to doing business with you.

It's a little slow from the beginning but once you establish the reputation and others start spreading the word about YOU, your reputation begins to flow around the social media circles totally out of your control.

As far as time goes use some of the tools to take away some of the work of social networking... that sounds like a blog post. Coming at you soon!!!

Cheers!
~Jim