Do It! Marketing Blog: Marketing for Smart People™

As you know, the LAST thing I ever want to be called is a "social media expert" or social media marketing coach. Yech. That ain't what I do and it aint' who I am. Ain't. Ain't. Ain't. 

There, that feels better... now what I AM is a social media enthusiast. I love it and I think it's a great tool to add to your internet marketing game plan.

Is it perfect for everyone? No.

Is it useful for some? Yes.

Is it vital for a few? Certainly.

So... to help you ramp up the effectiveness of your social media efforts, you need to know what to say and how to say it.

And most outreach "templates" that these social media tools offer you are pretty weak. Things like the standard LinkedIn connection invite, the Facebook friend connection, and others. No worries, you're about to get hooked up.

LinkedIn:

Quick Marketing 101 review - Do people care about YOU or do they care about themselves? Yes - that's right! 5 points. They don't give a rat's tushie about you and they care 100% about themselves.

Now look at the standard LinkedIn connection invite:

===

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

===

Hmmmm... how do you feel about being "added"? And who cares about "my professional network"? This is all wrong.

Here's your new template - notice the switch in focus and benefit. Plus I added a new line with even more value. Finally, I prevented someone from clicking the "I don't know them" button which LinkedIn penalizes you for:

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I'd like to put my professional network on LinkedIn at your disposal. After we connect, if there's someone to whom you'd like a personal introduction, just let me know.

If you prefer not to connect at this time, please archive this message now. Thanks in advance.

===

Facebook:

You can't really go wrong here but I still have a useful connection "script" for you.

Let's say you notice that through your Facebook "Suggestions" (currently on the right side of your home page immediately below the section labelled "Requests"), there are people listed with labels like "37 mutual friends," "51 mutual friends" and so on. 

You can connect with these folks, but chances are excellent that they might not know you from Adam - or Eve. Thus, you need a fun, approachable, and appealing script to drop in when you want to click on them to connect.  After you click "Add as Friend" you'll want to click the link in the dialog box that says "Add a personal message" and type:

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Vanessa - Wow! We have 37 mutual friends. We GOTTA connect simply so we can talk about all these people!

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Twitter:

First rule, don't use automatic Direct Messaging (DM). People hate 'em. I hate 'em. Most savvy Twitter users hate 'em too.

They're used by spammers, affiliate marketers, and MLM salespeople. Just awful.

Not sure how to set that up? Good. You don't need to know. Didn't I just specifically ask you NOT to do it? No matter how "cool, valuable, friendly" you think they are - DON'T do it.

This next bit isn't a script, it's more of a practice. It's called ENGAGEMENT. Rather than simply pumping out clever tweets and retweeting others, build relationships. My formula for social media success (as a social media enthusiast, remember!) is the 3 R's formula:

Resources - Yes, certainly share your blog posts, your micro-ideas, and retweets of cool links and thoughts from others. Your first week on Twitter, this is fine if it's all you do. The second week, though, you better get busy with...

Relationships - Build relationships with other users you follow, admire, or resonate with. Use public @ messages or private DMs to connect with them, comment on their latest contributions, or thank them for an idea. Be detailed - so don't just tweet "@dnewman Hey - Cool!" Instead tweet this: "@dnewman David, awesome ideas on your blog about those social media scripts. Thanks!!!"

Reciprocity - Once you get the Twitter thing going, you've built some good relationships and you're seen as a valuable resource and contributor, it's only natural that people will start to promote you with some reciprocal love. They'll respond to your ideas, they'll Retweet you, they'll promote you in their #followfriday recommendations, and they'll scratch your back as you scratch theirs. 

Your Email Signature:

This is where I see all kinds of stupid stuff. For example:

====
Joe Shmoe
Profession - Email - Phone
Feel free to subscribe to my newsletter / read my blog / check out my articles - Web link
====

What's wrong with this signature file? 2 little letters - MY. MY. MY. Remember marketing 101, nobody gives a hoot about YOU. 

Consider my new signature file - and one that you should feel free to copy, emulate, or steal:

====

_____________________________
David Newman :: Tel 610.716.5984
Helping professional services firms do a better job of marketing themselves
to get MORE leads, BETTER prospects and BIGGER sales

Three resources you can grab right now:

1. Fat-free marketing ideas for the brave, fast, and smart:
http://www.doitmarketing.com/blog

2. Follow me on Twitter to get cool micro-ideas to grow your business:
http://twitter.com/dnewman

3. Connect with me on LinkedIn so you can tap into my 1600+ connections:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidjnewman

And then leave a comment below with your questions, thoughts, and advice on the ideas above.

Are you a DO IT freak? Welcome to the club!! Please use the social media buttons at the top of this post to share it with your network. YOU are a rock star!

If Stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?
-- Will Rogers

To forget one's purpose is the commonest form of stupidity.
-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Trying to solve problems or find answers with the same set of information that got us "into this mess" in the first place indicates one of several things:

1. We are dangerously insane.
2. We are incredibly irresponsible.
3. We are sadly unaware of our own trailblazing and "off the charts" navigation capabilities.

What only a handful of very successful individuals realize is that, in fact, the current landscape, as perceived by others, is irrelevant as far as you're concerned.

One of the most powerful tools you have is self-knowledge. In the simplest terms, this comes down to answering these basic questions:
* Who am I?
* What am I all about?
* What do I love to do?
* Who do I want to be?
* What's the best way for me to get there?
* Where would I like the journey to take me?

Spend a few moments completing the following. Yes, you! Yes, right now.

Find a pencil. I'll wait...

Good. Here we go...

Exercise: List 10 things you LOVE to do. Any context is fine. Use your personal life, professional life, with your family, friends, civic and church groups, anything:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Now review your list and summarize each of these ten items
into a 1-word VERB, such as "communicate" or "connect" or
"share."

These are ten of your core action words that define you at
your best.

How can you bring more opportunities to use these actions
into your life? In answering this question, please remember
that even a small change can have a huge impact.

You don't need to quit your job in an office in New York
and move to a kibbutz in Israel if one of your key words
turned out to be "share."

Why don't you share some of what you know with your
colleagues? Teach a class, write an article, start a
discussion group, create a lunchtime seminar series, or
start an interactive message board on your corporate
intranet?

So many people are unhappy because the opportunities to use these core actions have evaporated from their lives or have become blocked by schedules filled with "too much to do" and "never enough time."

But stop and ask yourself, "How effective is my mind if my heart and soul are starving?" And if you don't take care of them, who will?

THIS is your real work for 2010 - enjoy the ride!

I got a phone call a few days ago from my friend Steve who is a fellow independent professional. He said to me at the beginning of the call, "David, I'm calling you as a reference."

So I'm thinking, "OK, he wants to hire someone I've worked with or someone I know - perhaps even a client of mine whose testimonial he saw on my website."

I say, "Steve, what can I do for you?"

And then he mentions someone's name. Let's call this person Larry. Now I like Larry and he's a good guy - perhaps a little confused about his marketing and messaging... and frankly that's OK because Larry is NOT a client of mine (although I've given him plenty of chances!)

Steve stops me and says, "No, no... I don't want to hire Larry. Larry wants to hire me. I'm calling you to ask you what kind of client do you think he would be?"

Wow. It's not a consultant reference, speaker reference, or service provider reference - Steve was asking me (essentially) "Would this guy be a good client?" FYI Steve saw me connected to Larry through LinkedIn and some other social media sites.

Lessons for YOU:

• We live in a hyper-connected world
• People DO read your social media profiles
• People DO judge you on the "company you keep" both online and off
• If you're a pain in the ass - as a consultant, speaker, vendor, partner, OR client... word will spread faster than you can imagine
• The top people in their field (ahem, YOU) do not have the bandwidth nor the interest to work with folks who are a pain in the butt
• YOU can't afford to be a pain in the butt on EITHER side of the professional services buying equation

Comments? What do you think? Have you had some experiences to share along these lines? Would love to hear from you in the Comments section below...

"Keep your mind on the hole you're playing."
-- Tom Kite

I'm a marketing speaker - I am not a golfer, but the following bits of wisdom from former US Open champion Tom Kite contain value for you that you can apply way beyond the links...

• You can only play one hole at a time. That's the first step toward how to think like a pro. An important key to a successful game is staying in the present.
• Resist the urge to add it up. If you anticipate your score, you'll be distracted from the task at hand.
• Focus. Concentrate on hitting great shots rather than worrying about bad ones or what others will think.
• Visualize the ball going to your target. If your mind wanders, refocus and start over again.
• Don't worry about the shot you just missed, or how you're going to play the 18th. Taking care of the present lets the future take care of itself.

Brilliant advice from marketing expert Maria Marsala. Maria is a Business Builder and former Wall Street Trader. With her motto of "Powering-UP service businesses and their owners," she provides articles, tips, classes, and resources to do just that. Learn more at www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com 

1. My charge for an initial consultation is "x." If we turn out to be a good match, and you hire me, I'll apply 1/2 of "x" towards your commitment.

2. I'm happy to give you 5 minutes or less of free time, however, most issues are more quickly & effectively resolved in an undisturbed session(s). May we schedule a meeting so I can give you my undivided attention?

3. If someone is very persistent, whip out a stopwatch & say "For $2 a minute I'd be happy to go into this now. May I start the clock & do you prefer to pay with cash or check?"

4. What I can do is refer you to a free resource on "_______."

5. I do work with two pro-bono clients, who are in desperate need financially. I'll take your card and add you to the waiting list.

6. Yes, I do work with clients on "name the issue." Would you like to set up a consultation?

7. That will cost "x" per hour.

8. There's a lot I can do for you that's similar to the work I did for "xyz" client. Would you like to get together and build a marketing plan? (And then charge for those services.)

9. Well, I'd love to suggest something; however, my fees are "xxx" per hour.

10. Are you looking to hire me?

11. Are you looking to hire _____? Well, I'd love to talk to you about that; my fees are "x" per hour."

12. You may call me for a 15-minute talk, very focused, on that issue.

13. "Well, the answer to that question depends" and then spend a few minutes explaining some of the options and considerations. For example, I may explain that the best way to identify the "solution" is to work backward from the desired end result and process. That provides a natural lead-in to: "If I were to work with you on this project, here's how we would do it..."

14. Sorry, I can't answer that unless you pay my fee (or hire me).

15. A complete answer to your question is going to take more than 15 minutes over the phone. Would you like me to send you a proposal on this?

16. I have really enjoyed talking with you and would like to help more. May I send you one of my brochures and a rate card?

17. Do you have a time line and/or budget in mind for solving this problem?

18. Have you looked at cost estimates from others who would like to help you solve this problem or complete this project?

19. It's not a good time for me to begin a session right this minute. Would you like to briefly discuss session times and fees?

20. Are you seeking generic free information on "the topic" or to work with a "your profession here" to address your specific situation? [If I have a free resource, I'll ask for their email address and send it to them.]

21. I provide a general 3-4 sentence overview of how I would address their concern with them. Then I say that I've found that the sorting of the information available and subsequent application of that information is so specific to each individual that I always recommend hiring a "your profession here" for getting that one project completed.

22. Well what I can offer you on that subject is an ebook (CD, audio, etc) called ________. I'll email you the link.

23. Refer them to these "free" or "almost free" resources:

• The library has books/tapes/audios/CD/reference librarians.
• To an outsider, your local SBA and SCORE Offices "look" free. They're really not "free" either. Their classes "cost $" and their advice is paid for by all of us as part of our taxes.
• Find a professional who needs your services and see about some sort of in-kind exchange or barter. Again, this isn't totally free, as you do need to report it on your taxes, but in most cases, there isn't any money exchanged.
• Join lots of ezines by experts in the area you're looking to learn about, but do it quickly while they are still free. And know that the 'best of the best' contain ads and affiliate programs, too.

And then leave a comment below with your questions, thoughts, and advice on the ideas above.

Are you a DO IT freak? Welcome to the club!! Please use the social media buttons at the top of this post to share it with your network. YOU are a rock star!