Dirty Marketing - What Is Social Media All About
Monika here. Well, it had to happen sooner or later -Social Media Marketing series.
Firstly, I have to admit that I am not a 'Facebook person'. I am not a Facebook person at all. I created my personal profile not earlier than a year ago. Moreover, despite the pressure from my friends, I do not login to my profile everyday. I do not update my galleries often. I hardly take part in any quizzes. I really dislike people's urge to update their status every hour or so. Because I am just not 'the kind of girl' it is very difficult for me to admit that social media and making money online are nowadays closely coupled.
Since we started here, in Become Rich Cafe, I encountered social media topic in pretty much every interesting article about making money online. I started asking myself a question: what is it about social media that internet marketers love so much? What dirty secrets will I uncover when researching it?
You probably won't be surprised if I tell you that most of the articles try to sell you ways on how to build your list and popularity using Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, You Tube, Delicious etc. You have came across some of them, haven't you? Unfortunately, most of the bloggers or 'gurus' try to sell us 'dirty techniques' which I would call spam rather than Internet Marketing. To cut the story short - give them something for free in exchange for their email address and from that moment onwards keep sending them emails trying to sell something. Or - every day follow 100 random people on Twitter so that they visit your profile and check your website generating more valuable traffic. This all sounds just too sneaky to me.
So what exactly are SOCIAL MEDIA?
Social media are internet based tools, platforms and communities that exist to increase and enhance ways of sharing information. Social media make it easy for internet users to share their personal details (often by creating personal profiles), communicate with friends, create circles of interests, research internet content, bookmark websites they particularly like, and finally ... to share their personal monologue with wide audience (we all know this constant need for fame, don't we? J). Social media are modern way to meet peoples need for socializing and belonging. According to Wikipedia, because social media are so popular in recent years, our times may be called ATTENTION AGE in the future.
I was inspired to write about social media by a free video I have seen yesterday - Crowd Conversion by Ian David Chapman and Robert Grant. For the first time I heard someone talking about Facebook fans differently than as if they were 'machine to make money'. I really liked it. Crowd Conversion video brought up one question that according to me is crucial when using social media:
Is it possible to do ethical social marketing?
David Chapman and I believe that it is possible. It takes longer to succeed, but it gives you much more in return.
The free video gives some interesting information on social media marketing. For example, what are the three biggest misconceptions about making money with social media?
You need something to sell
Apparently - you don't. It is easy nowadays to get involved in affiliate programs and sell someone else's products or services. There are hundreds of affiliate directories out there. However, what we would recommend is to find a product that you really like and only then become its affiliate. Only refer products that you know people will love.
You have to have a list (potential customers database)
Naturally, having a good database is amazingly helpful. However, it is not necessary to start with. Every marketer knows that it takes time to build your list. More importantly, it takes time to build good relationship with your list. Database without a relationship is worth nothing. Good relationship will give you a good response rate. And response rate is what matters.
You must have your own website
The most beautiful thing about Facebook, and other social media, is that anyone can go and build a Facebook website or social media profile for free. This gives you a possibility to start building a community around your products and services before you have your own website or blog.
What are the 3 common mistakes people make with social media:
1. They don't have a blueprint
Most of us start using social media with no strategy, just blind trying. This is just like opening a business with no market research. Wake up people! Invest some time in gathering information on how the best ones out there did it. We are in attention age, you will find it with ease.
2. They waste tons of time for little results
Ever heard of 80/20 rule? It says that 80% of our results is generated by 20% of our efforts. This means that if we concentrate on the 20%, we will have pretty much the same results but much more free time.
3. They enter social media with the wrong mindset
Most of the people will offer you an 'easy way' or a 'fast track' of success. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't believe in a quick way to success. In fact I believe that there is one. But as far as Facebook, social marketing and internet marketing is concerned - good content is all that matters.
Key concepts to monetization with social media:
Building Core Relationships (20% effort gives 80% of results)
Giving great value to people builds a relationships. The most generous internet marketers get the best results.
Gathering Your Crown
You need a network of people around you. This propagate your valuable content quicker and eventually bring you money.
Engaging Your Audience
You can achieve this with your own, or with someone else's content. Don't be reluctant to directing people to content created by someone else - people will associate you with a good feeling they will have when reading/viewing the content.
AMPLIFYING your message
If your audience appreciates your content, they will share it or mark it as the content they like. This in turn will give you more traffic and enhance your chances to succeed online. It is a good idea to leave conversations open to invite them to comment. Also ask for people's opinion and feedback.
Magnetizing Your Extended Network
After you have built your crown, word of mouth will bring people to you without you putting effort into it. Your fans will share the content and their friends will share it with their friends - snowball effect.
Skimming the Cream
At this stage it is important to make people get closer to you. A good way to do so would be organizing teleseminars, webinars, sharing free ebooks etc. Remember, make your fans feel special for getting closer to you. Create a feeling of society, everyone and belonging .
Offering Risk Free Product/Service
Once you prepared your unique, highly valuable product or service, make it easy for your list to take a new step and offer the new product risk free, 100% money back guarantee. Happy customers will bring you new customers. Unhappy customers will destroy your business.
Leverage Your Success
Put effort in the right direction and apply it in the right place. Check what works best for you and concentrate on it.
After researching the topic of social marketing, I know one thing for sure: Getting on social media is no longer an option. It is a necessity. Do you agree?
Monika here. Well, it had to happen sooner or later -Social Media Marketing series.
Firstly, I have to admit that I am not a 'Facebook person'. I am not a Facebook person at all. I created my personal profile not earlier than a year ago. Moreover, despite the pressure from my friends, I do not login to my profile everyday. I do not update my galleries often. I hardly take part in any quizzes. I really dislike people's urge to update their status every hour or so. Because I am just not 'the kind of girl' it is very difficult for me to admit that social media and making money online are nowadays closely coupled.
Since we started here, in Become Rich Cafe, I encountered social media topic in pretty much every interesting article about making money online. I started asking myself a question: what is it about social media that internet marketers love so much? What dirty secrets will I uncover when researching it?
You probably won't be surprised if I tell you that most of the articles try to sell you ways on how to build your list and popularity using Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, You Tube, Delicious etc. You have came across some of them, haven't you? Unfortunately, most of the bloggers or 'gurus' try to sell us 'dirty techniques' which I would call spam rather than Internet Marketing. To cut the story short - give them something for free in exchange for their email address and from that moment onwards keep sending them emails trying to sell something. Or - every day follow 100 random people on Twitter so that they visit your profile and check your website generating more valuable traffic. This all sounds just too sneaky to me.
So what exactly are SOCIAL MEDIA?
Social media are internet based tools, platforms and communities that exist to increase and enhance ways of sharing information. Social media make it easy for internet users to share their personal details (often by creating personal profiles), communicate with friends, create circles of interests, research internet content, bookmark websites they particularly like, and finally ... to share their personal monologue with wide audience (we all know this constant need for fame, don't we? J). Social media are modern way to meet peoples need for socializing and belonging. According to Wikipedia, because social media are so popular in recent years, our times may be called ATTENTION AGE in the future.
I was inspired to write about social media by a free video I have seen yesterday - Crowd Conversion by Ian David Chapman and Robert Grant. For the first time I heard someone talking about Facebook fans differently than as if they were 'machine to make money'. I really liked it. Crowd Conversion video brought up one question that according to me is crucial when using social media:
Is it possible to do ethical social marketing?
David Chapman and I believe that it is possible. It takes longer to succeed, but it gives you much more in return.
The free video gives some interesting information on social media marketing. For example, what are the three biggest misconceptions about making money with social media?
You need something to sell
Apparently - you don't. It is easy nowadays to get involved in affiliate programs and sell someone else's products or services. There are hundreds of affiliate directories out there. However, what we would recommend is to find a product that you really like and only then become its affiliate. Only refer products that you know people will love.
You have to have a list (potential customers database)
Naturally, having a good database is amazingly helpful. However, it is not necessary to start with. Every marketer knows that it takes time to build your list. More importantly, it takes time to build good relationship with your list. Database without a relationship is worth nothing. Good relationship will give you a good response rate. And response rate is what matters.
You must have your own website
The most beautiful thing about Facebook, and other social media, is that anyone can go and build a Facebook website or social media profile for free. This gives you a possibility to start building a community around your products and services before you have your own website or blog.
What are the 3 common mistakes people make with social media:
1. They don't have a blueprint
Most of us start using social media with no strategy, just blind trying. This is just like opening a business with no market research. Wake up people! Invest some time in gathering information on how the best ones out there did it. We are in attention age, you will find it with ease.
2. They waste tons of time for little results
Ever heard of 80/20 rule? It says that 80% of our results is generated by 20% of our efforts. This means that if we concentrate on the 20%, we will have pretty much the same results but much more free time.
3. They enter social media with the wrong mindset
Most of the people will offer you an 'easy way' or a 'fast track' of success. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't believe in a quick way to success. In fact I believe that there is one. But as far as Facebook, social marketing and internet marketing is concerned - good content is all that matters.
Key concepts to monetization with social media:
Building Core Relationships (20% effort gives 80% of results)
Giving great value to people builds a relationships. The most generous internet marketers get the best results.
Gathering Your Crown
You need a network of people around you. This propagate your valuable content quicker and eventually bring you money.
Engaging Your Audience
You can achieve this with your own, or with someone else's content. Don't be reluctant to directing people to content created by someone else - people will associate you with a good feeling they will have when reading/viewing the content.
AMPLIFYING your message
If your audience appreciates your content, they will share it or mark it as the content they like. This in turn will give you more traffic and enhance your chances to succeed online. It is a good idea to leave conversations open to invite them to comment. Also ask for people's opinion and feedback.
Magnetizing Your Extended Network
After you have built your crown, word of mouth will bring people to you without you putting effort into it. Your fans will share the content and their friends will share it with their friends - snowball effect.
Skimming the Cream
At this stage it is important to make people get closer to you. A good way to do so would be organizing teleseminars, webinars, sharing free ebooks etc. Remember, make your fans feel special for getting closer to you. Create a feeling of society, everyone and belonging .
Offering Risk Free Product/Service
Once you prepared your unique, highly valuable product or service, make it easy for your list to take a new step and offer the new product risk free, 100% money back guarantee. Happy customers will bring you new customers. Unhappy customers will destroy your business.
Leverage Your Success
Put effort in the right direction and apply it in the right place. Check what works best for you and concentrate on it.
After researching the topic of social marketing, I know one thing for sure: Getting on social media is no longer an option. It is a necessity. Do you agree?
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