Pages

Friday, February 26, 2010

Social Networking is about being Socialable

Social Media Use Up 82% Worldwide
Social Networking Now More Popular On Mobile than Desktop
Women Flock to Social Networks
Adult Social Media Use Hits New Highs

The above headlines have appeared in different Internet news sources over the past few weeks. Does this mean that Social Networking is a train you must catch? Not necessarily… But if you do, you must be Socialable!

The latest stats on Social Networking are:
- A third of adults post at least once a week to social sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
- A quarter of adults publish a blog and upload video/audio they created.
- 60% maintain a profile on a social networking site.
- 70% Read blogs, tweets and watch videos.

But as you know Stats lie (or is it only the people who use them). Lets dissect a couple of these claims and really look at what the numbers mean.

Let’s look at Jack (name changed to protect the guilty), he has a blog about graphic arts. I just noticed his blog address at the bottom of his latest email. About time he told his business partners about it. So to see what Jack had to say on the subject I visited his blog.

The last entry was May 2, 2009! Must be a mistake… So I reloaded the page and searched around… Nope, May 2, 2009 was the last entry! When I ran into him next I inquired about his blog… “Oh yeah, guess I should add something to it…” So the stat says a quarter of adults publish a blog not completely correct. Jack does publish one, but not well! That is where the stat falls apart. In order for a blog to be successful it must be used, added to, commented on, commented on the comments given, etc. In other words you must be socialable!

Now let’s take a glance at Hank’s and K’s profiles on Linked In. Hank many months ago added his profile to Linked In and he also added one for his business partner and wife. Help keeping that 60% number up who have a profile on a social networking site. The next time he visited the profiles was when I insisted he expand the profiles and add some pertinent business info on them. I know his wife has never been to her account and seen her profile. And the two have never participated in any of the discussions on Linked In or even updated their status with what is going on in their company. So has anyone even seen their profiles other than me? I would wager not many! Again to make the profiles productive you must be socialable!

Just having something on a social networking site is not the end all. It is only the being. You must participate on the site or you will not be seen or hear of again!

To expand on this next month Lone Keep Internet will be holding a FREE seminar entitled “It’s Spring! Time to leave the Cave” at its offices at the Jersey Shore. Richard M.J. Jarosz, BNI Assistant Director for Monmouth County, will be discussing the need for and time tested techniques of how to Network so you can “Get the Word Out!”


Thursday, February 18, 2010

Save a Tree!

Don’t take business card if you have no intention of calling the person!!! Two weeks ago I attended a major networking event in the Monmouth County area at the Jersey Shore. There were almost 200 people in attendance. Normally I would follow up on everyone I met (i.e. got their business card). But this time I decided to do a little experiment, in line with the ongoing project “What's on your shelf”, and not call but wait to be called….

I have received exactly ZERO calls for the mass of business card I handed out. Why did these “Business” people attend this meeting? I won’t even waste mine or your time trying to come up with excuses. Just let it be know that it is rude and not exactly the best thing for the environment. Admittedly it’s small but multiply this by the number of attendees and multiply it again by the number of events they go to in any given period and it adds up. “Think globally, act locally” comes to mind… Oh yeah… What about follow-up to grow ones business????

Is it me? Am I crazy? Or am I missing something about conducting business?

On a more pleasant note: Those interested in GROWING THEIR ONLINE BUSINESS should attend the next free seminar at the Manchester Inn in Ocean Grove, Friday February 26th from 1 to 4pm. Clark Cate, the owner of the Manchester Inn, will be one of the speakers and sharing some of his online Guerrilla Marketing tips he’s used for the Inn.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

So Project: What's on your shelf begins...

Last week I made the first 20 calls. The results were what I expected. 10 were out of business or have switched jobs. 8 answered the phone like they were keeping their business a secret!! Several of these were Marketing Firms. None of the Internet based companies were around anymore - save one. This is why Lone Keep Internet has been around for over 22 years now...
Only two businesses called back. These were the ones who wanted to actually grow their businesses... So they are on my shelf! Next time I'll give you snippets of some of the actually conversations so you do not make the same mistakes on trying to "Get the Word Out" about your business.
Your Thoughts?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

What on your Shelf?

In trying to come up with a theme for my blog entry today I put it to my friends on Face Book. The responses ranged from Helping Haiti to the use of Technology like Exchange mail, sync between pda and desktop in real time, voice mail to email and so on. The responses made my head spin! So I decided to clean up the office a bit to try and get rid my headache. In doing so I came across about 1,000 business cards that I have accumulated from BNI, Chamber and general networking meetings over the last several years.

Then it dawned on me! Today’s entry would be on Technology, not the latest but one of the oldest that people still can’t use correctly!! Business Cards! Why do business owners, sales people and just about everyone hand then out and never use then for what they are intended for.

Wikipedia, the online free encyclopedia, defines Business cards as “cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid.”

Well let’s put that to the test. When I get a business card I always follow up in a day or two. Most people don’t remember me even then. I guess I should be insulted! I would say about a good 50% don’t answer with their name or that of their business. They try to keep that a secret when you call… WHY? Why bother handing someone your card? Do they hope you don’t call?

So this is the Project. I am going to call all 1000 people whose cards were on my shelf. To the right on this page I will keep a running tab on the number I have left to call, the ones out of business already or switch jobs, the ones that want to actually grow in this “bad economic” climate and those that even bother to call back!

This should be interesting… Not sure what I will accomplish but I’ll start off the conversation with “What’s New?”