Five Rules Of Reaping The Rewards Of Social Media For Your Small Business

If you frequent Twitter, you'll be aware of the ubiquitous presence of dozens of self-proclaimed 'social media gurus' - promising to unlock the secrets of Twitter, Facebook and other shiny social media portals for your business; for a fee.

I don't mind saying that I consider 90% of these 'gurus' to be total, unequivocal hacks. I can say that with a certain amount of authority, too - much of my work focuses on social media and I've got more experience, better results and a larger dollar value riding on my work than half of these 'gurus' - and I certainly don't consider myself to be an expert on the subject.

I just know how to take a company's social media presence to a certain level, which happens to be a level above what many 'gurus' would take it to.

In fact, in all the time I've been working in digital marketing, I've only met one person I would consider a 'social media guru' - and compared to the trite service offered by many of the self-publicists on Twitter, the results he produces are nothing short of witchcraft.

Anyway. Given my proclamation that I know more about social media marketing than most of the hacks out there, an exciting new digital Advertising Agency (one of the few that actually deliver value for money) asked me to write about the five rules of reaping the rewards of social media for your small business.

1. Don't be afraid NOT to spend money: Like with the early days of the Internet, the beauty of many social media outlets at the moment is that they're free. You can design a company page for your business on Facebook without spending a penny - and even get an exclusive Facebook URL for it if 25 of your employees, family or friends 'like' your page. The social media hacks want you to pay for their services - but often you can get equal or better results for free.
   
2. Give value for that 'no money': Much social media is 'free' - but that doesn't mean you need to deliver what you paid for it. If you start promoting your company on Facebook or Twitter, don't just create an account and sit back resting on your laurels - make sure you give something to those who 'like' or 'follow' your new account. I'll explain what I mean next.
3. Be an active player: Too many businesses create a 'page' for their business, and then never do anything with it. Your social media productivity should represent the real-life productivity of your business - so post relevant, interesting material on your Facebook or Twitter accounts at least three times a week, and court 'likes', retweets, comments and posts in response by picking topics and raising questions that will cultivate discussion and reaction.
4. Don't be too active a player: Less is more - nothing gets people unliking a page, or unfollowing a Twitter account more than incessant posts that add nothing of value. As a company, you should aim to post no less than once or twice a week, but no more than once or twice a day.
5. Measure your results: Whether it's the amount of comments, 'likes', retweets or responses you get, actively quantify the results of your social media campaign - and then strive to improve upon them. Those are the standards to which these so-called 'social media gurus' are expected to be held; so hold yourself as accountable as one of these 'experts' and you'll soon discover that you are one.

When Copy Writers Attack (spell check hates me when I write things like this)

Behold, the new Ford Kuga.

Yes, I said 'Kuga.' As in 'cougar.'

There is already a Ford car named after North America's native mountain lion, so when Ford executives decided on the name of their new quasi-crossover-concept, they decided to keep the macho sounding 'big cat' name, but give it an edgy 'text-generation' spin by spelling it wrong.

Kuga.

Good grief.

I mean, I do realise that naming cars isn't exactly an easy thing (what does it involve? Open dictionary, randomly insert push-pin, email marketing department...) but this one really takes the cake.

And that's even by Ford standards (who's Car Focus Group managed to come up with the highly original car names 'Ka' and 'Focus.' Wait for the Ford 'Group' in 2009. But they'll probably spell it 'groop.')

I mean, seriously, people.

I know I'm a writer. I know I'm in marketing. I know I once dumped a girl because she pronounced the 'd' in Wednesday. But doesn't anybody else think that 'Kuga' is just the most ridiculously stupid name since Nissan produced the 'Qashqai'? Or am I just being anally retentive.

In any event, when it's announced in five years time that Ford downsized their marketing department to a bunch of chain-smoking chimpanzees with typewriters (they knock out romance novels in their spare time) don't say I didn't warn you.

Ford! In fact, car manufacturers around the world - we need REAL car names.

Like Mustang, Firebird, Blaze, Roadster, Bulldog, Hirondell, Furillac... Names that sound big and gruff and rough and tough and CAR-LIKE.

Kuga is just DUMB.

Although, in retrospect, it's less dumb than car manufacturers who just name their cars with numbers. BMW 318. Peugeot 407. Come on, people! At least make an effort!

End of rant.

Three and a Bit Days

In just over three days time, Tina and I will bid goodbye to Blighty and board a Boeing.

And we're stressed. Which is understandable, really.

The major source of stress is simply logistics. It's not easy to pack up your life into matching luggage. To do that, all while plugging away at your job and scrubbing your house, takes time. Lots of time. Tina and I had four hours of sleep last night.

Then there's simply the awe-inspiring thought of starting a whole new life. A Whole New Life. It looks like it should be capitalised.

A Whole New Life involves new jobs and possessions and a home. Very fortunately we've managed to get the home thanks to Tina's brother. When it comes to getting a job, I'm on my own.

That doesn't unduly worry me. I mean, I'm an enthusiastic, experienced chap with a sharp line in suits and a firm handshake. In America - the land of opportunity - I'm sure somebody will want to hire me.

The stress comes from deciding what it is I want to do.

Because I have a wonderful opportunity to choose my own path in the States. But the problem with opportunities like those is that the decisions you make need to be the right ones.

I've basically pinned down my motivation into two directions. Job Satisfaction and Salary. I'm willing to do a job I really enjoy for a modest salary - or a job I don't really enjoy for a generous salary. This polarisation pretty neatly fits into my two career paths.

Writing is my life. My current job, writing adverts and coming up with conceptual marketing ideas, is one of the most satisfying ones I've ever had. To see my ideas and words come to life on the radio or a computer screen is incredibly satisfying. The only thing better than pitching a creative idea to a client and having them love it is when that creative idea is similarly picked up by a receptive audience. I've been lucky enough to feel that buzz.

The downside is the salary and career prospects - which would both be better in the States.

On the other scale is getting back into the boiler-room. Sales.

It was working for Summer Study that really introduced me to sales and a nice smile and a smart suit saw me continue in that business when I left France and came to England. I even managed to reach the dizzy heights of Sales Manager before I realised that Sales was only worth being in if you really loved what it was you were selling... Or you got paid an enormous sum of money.

In America, I could get back into the sales business. It's tough work. It's a grind and worst of all, it's not the creative industry that writing is. But it offers the path to security and if I manage to twin my brand with a suitable corporate one - selling something I truly believe in - I think I could be very successful at it.

I can always write in my spare time. Not that the American workforce gets much of that.

It's a toss up; and with "the best laid plans of mice and men" and all that, I'm probably only going to discover where my American path will take me when I finally make footfall in New Jersey.