Why Does Social Media Matter?

My current marketing position has been a struggle to say the least.  I was hired right out of college to create a marketing campaign for a company that had never attempted any kind of marketing.  When I took the job, I realized that there was another catch: I did not have a budget.  My first response: What can I possibly do without anyone else to teach me and without any money to work with?

Luckily, over a few weeks, I began to get VERY involved on the internet.  I knew a lot about social media and knew that this might be the outlet that I could use to drive results.  So my current response is: What can I do to impress my company and clients while successfully marketing with no budget?

Look no further, the answer is social media.  Social media has a wide number of different platforms, allowing businesses to successfully select what they want to do.  Do you want to make videos? YouTube. Are you trying to create articles of content? Blog. Facebook. Are you trying to get a quick following and spread the word? Facebook. Twitter.  Trying to be a wedding planner? Pinterest (Sorry, I had to add this one).

Social media provides us with a rare opportunity to connect directly with people.  We can get linked up with businesses or individuals.  We can form great relationships while getting to know a lot about a company or person.  So these are my reasons of why a business should use social media:

Free This is probably the most obvious one, especially in my position. Most, not all, of social media is free.  You can get more performance out of them through paying more (LinkedIn members, Facebook Ads, Twitter Promotions), but you do not have to pay anything to start.  All you need to do is sign up and get a good user name.  Generally, something short and sweet will do the trick.  Think about your market and products when creating a name.

People WILL See You  Sometimes you may have to branch out and follow people first or try to connect with them, but they generally will respond.  If you provide good content, whether it is general or specific (USA Olympic information or a Rome Braves game review), people will take notice.  It helps you create great word of mouth marketing!

Trials  Social media allow for you to test out some new and creative ideas before running them in more costly places.  Why have something bomb in the pages of TIME magazine? Just put it on a Facebook page and monitor the reach and engagement of the public.

Caution: Social media and marketing campaigns take time.  Do not automatically get discouraged if it does not take off.  Very few things happen overnight, so keep you head up and relax.  If not, then its back to the drawing board.

5 Tips for First Impressions that Impress

A large part of anyone's life is interacting with people.  Whether working hard on the job or mixing in a social setting, you can't avoid it.  While some people are painfully shy and others can talk to anyone about anything, being able to successfully interact with someone the first time you meet them is vital to growing and maintaing a relationship.  You are not trying to do what Brad Pitt (Rusty) suggested to Matt Damon (Linus) in Ocean's Eleven:

"Don't use seven words when four will do. Don't shift your weight, look always at your mark but don't stare, be specific but not memorable, be funny but don't make him laugh. He's got to like you then forget you the moment you've left his side"

I know that many people have problems of standing out in a crowd, making a lasting impression, or even just getting the courage to interact with others; it is very difficult at times.  Don't worry, that is natural! We all worry about what people think about us, but worrying about it gets us nowhere.  Take these five simple steps to help people walk away with a positive first impression of you.


Image:


Whether we want to believe it or not, our society is highly judging on appearance.  While this can be shallow and unfair, the way we appear to someone the first time we meet them will always be stuck in their head, even if we haven't said a word.  This judgment can be positive, negative, or neutral, but it does make a difference.  Try to dress appropriately for whatever situation you are in.  I am not going to tell you to buy the nicest clothes or to lose weight, but I am going to tell you to be yourself.  Dress nicely and let your style reveal who you are.

This style shoes originally and individualism while looking nice and approachable.

Tone of Voice & Speech:


When meeting someone for the first time, you need to sound confident.  Whether this is talking to that attractive girl at the bar or meeting a new client, you need to not stumble on your words.  Think about what you want to say prior to meeting them, but know that you can never plan a conversation perfectly.  Planning will only give you opportunities to get into the conversation and easy your mind.  Also, pauses are okay.  God allows for our mouths to shut.  Instead of rambling, making up filler sentences, or saying "uhhhhhh" a bunch of times, just gather your thoughts and then speak confidently.


Say Their Name:


Saying the name of the person that you have just met in conversation can do a few things.  First, it will let them know you are listening to what they are saying.  If you repeat their name, you likely are remembering the other things they are saying as well.  Second, it will let them know that you care.  It shows that you are focused on them, their time, and your conversation.  And third, it will help you remember the girl/guy/client/contact better.  If you see them later in a different setting, it allows you to go up to them, and personally ask how they are doing.  This is always a way to impress people.

Find Common Interests:


Finding something that you share in common with someone leads to a genuine shared interest, a prolonged topic of conversation, and generally more areas to talk about.  Getting an idea of a person's school, job, hobbies, or family can lead to many more conversations if they are something that you can both relate to.


Be Yourself:


Do not try to act like someone that you aren't.  Creating lies or putting up a front during a first conversation will ruin anything you establish on that false foundation.  Don't act like you know more than you do, just relax and be yourself.