Social Media Drives the Information WorldSocial Media

Engaging the customer was once the most time consuming part of our job. Meeting, greeting, socializing, keeping in touch, visiting and conversing with a customer was not only time consuming but tiring. Today, Social media can do this effectively, personally and in a much more engaging way than ever before.
For many, social media is frightening. for others it is simply misunderstood to the point that people refuse to even consider the possibility that they would benefit from a social media approach to their business and life.
Why should you consider social media and prepare a plan for your media marketing?
1. You can have one consistent voice heard around the world. Your clients are exposed to your brand in more than one spot on the Internet, on line as well as offline. Whether you are using a website, Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin you can be consistent with your messaging, coherent in your branding and effective in your conversation to convert a customer to a client.
2. Decide on your goal and central theme to drive more traffic to your blog of to make more people buy products from your website. Once you have your overall goal, select one central focus for your strategy  and separate channels to drive traffic there. If you are attempting to drive traffic to your blog you can use Twitter, Digg, or Delicious to advertise your blog.  Or perhaps website traffic to your website is your goal by encouraging visitors to access your articles, tools or services promoted on your blog. To do this simply link to the resource section of your website from Facebook, Twitter and/or Youtube channels.
3. Use other traditional media to publicize your blog such as brochures, business cards, presentations or regular print media. Include your web address, Twitter and Facebook and Blog URLs.

Starting a Social Media Campaign for your business

To help you create a social media campaign best suited for your business I will be blogging twice a week with information to assist you in your long term goal of an effective, low cost method of promoting you and your business for profit and even a bit of fun. So here goes.
First step in building an effective social media campaign is to start. It is that simple. Do not be intimidated that you cannot do it. Your campaign can be simple or broad. The simple fact is you must start.
Let's break down the most useful Social media components for you to use into the following categories:
- Blooging
- Microblogging
- Social Networking
- Social Bookmarking
- Multimedia
- Reviews and Opinions
- Wikis
Each of these unique techniques have specific elements that can be used to assist you in your approach. For instance in the Social Networking area Facebook has become the leader. Myspace is also a tool that can be used in this area as well.
Blogging has other tools, Blogger, TypePad and WordPress for instance. And so on.
This is the age of Internet 2.0. In Internet 1.0 interaction was one way. An Internet site was set up to inform people. Very little interaction occurred. You informed you clients and customers about you, your business and perhaps your success and achievements. People searched for you and only interacted by email or other one way communication techniques.
Today we expect more two way communication. In Facebook for instance we attempt to have a social experience. The largest growing group in Facebook is women over 55 years of age! This group uses Facebook to interact with children and grand children, friends and family! WOW! Who would have thought!
So let go of your fears, Change your mind set and enjoy the journey.
Next time - Blogging!