4 Reasons Why Every Business Needs A Facebook Page

Like it or not (see what I did there?), Facebook is relevant. Friends in your news feed can grumble all they want (remember, they are complaining about Facebook ON Facebook), your kids can roll their eyes, but the numbers do not lie. Currently, people use Facebook more than  any other social media site.

Users also grumble about businesses on Facebook, but again the numbers tell the truth. There is statistic after statistic showing that users find out about businesses via Facebook. The Pages their friends like? We tend to lean towards those brands when we are looking for something specific. Facebook is where it's at!

If you are a business, a non-profit, a writer, or anyone who wants to get the word out about their particular product, you need a Facebook Page. Here are some reasons why:

1. It's separate from your personal page. If the goal here is promotion, you want to reach beyond your circle of friends. You do not want to become friends with everyone on Facebook, because there might be things you would like to not have the entire public knowing about. A Facebook Page allows you to keep it strictly business, or at least control what you allow your fans to see, while your personal page is still free to rant and rave and post pictures of your family in a (somewhat) private setting.

2. Less confusion. Most people have their personal pages locked down to "friends only." Yet I see many friends in who post things to promote their business, and I can't share it on my page unless their settings are "friends of friends." I have also seen people make their business posts public, but why have the hassle of changing your privacy settings every time? What if you forget to put it back to a more secure setting? Better to just have a Facebook Page, and then you can occasionally cross-post over to your personal one. Plus, having a Page for business looks more professional than using your personal one.

3. Other Pages can't share your content, or link to you. Having a Facebook Page is all about networking and sharing, but you can only do it with other Pages. I love promoting other people and their business on my Page. If I can't link to you, no one is going to find out more. Remember, people read Facebook news feeds primarily on their mobile devices. Even if I link to your website, the chances of someone clicking over on their phone are slim. You have a much better chance of getting a new like on your Facebook Page, because it's easier to do when you're mobile.

4. Even if you don't think it's your demographic, it is. Let's say you have something you sell in which the target demographic is ages 10-15. While Facebook does get the most usage, more and more teens are hitting Instagram and Tumblr and not even giving Facebook a thought. However, all of those kids have parents. Parents and other family members who are always looking for gifts, or ideas for their kids. Or they just want to know more about what their kids are into, and they are having a hard time with the speed of Tumblr/Instagram. Facebook is a better pace for that age group.  ;)
Besides, how many parents do you know who are into the same things their kids are? Books, movies, clothes, music? I bet you know plenty, and they're not just doing it because their kids are into it. They really like it too. At times even more than their children.

Time to get that Page up and running. It takes some work up front, but maintaining is easy. Let me know if you need some help, I'd be happy to!





Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs!

Five Things Organizing Gangplank Brownbags Has Taught Me

Today I have a guest post over on the Gangplank HQ Blog!

I don’t need to dwell on what Gangplank is, and what it means to the community. Pretty much everyone reading this knows. If not, here’s a great introductory video to check out.

One way I was able to give back for a time was running the Gangplank Chandler Brownbag presentations each Wednesday at noon. I have been using what Gangplank has to offer for a couple of years prior, between Gangplank Jr. events, podcasting, and using the space for other reasons. When asked to take on the Brownbags, I was fortunately in a place where I could. It was one of the most fun and challenging things to experience. Here are some ways coordinating Brownbags has helped me grow:

1. Networking. You will meet many people this way. Not just the brownbag speakers, but also in those who use the space on a daily basis. It’s a wide variety of people with an endless variety of interests.

2. Learning. When you are coordinating the show, you get to see all the performances. Not only do you get a wide variety of presentations to learn on a business level, I’ve also learned more about local food, the music industry, philosophy, community events, and have even done a little yoga. We’re talking real-world application here.

3. Boldness. I learned really fast that if you need something, it’s better to just yell it out than try and figure out which individual person to talk to. As I was learning how to use the sound system and the projector, I yelled often. Not to mention the practice speaking in front of people once a week. After all, you do have to introduce the speaker, and let people know what is coming up in the future. Side benefit- it’s ok to ask for help.

4. Leadership. Before taking on brownbags, I had been on committees, and have volunteered my time. I was even President of the PTO at my daughter’s school. However, that was a nearly a decade before this, so I was rusty. Coordinating brownbags helped me gain some confidence back and not run away screaming when all eyes were on me looking for guidance. In fact, all this confidence led me to head the organizing committee for TechPhx, a low-cost technology “un-conference” held every November in Tempe.

5. Started my own business. Probably the biggest thing being a part of the Gangplank community has taught me is that if you can’t find it in someone else, create it yourself. I had been looking for employment for several months without any luck. What spending a year consistently being around these amazing people in this space showed me that I have the skills and the experience to branch out on my own. So I did. If that’s not a definition of “Be Dangerous,” I don’t know what is.

Thanks, Gangplank! 

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs!

TechPhx Update!

Explaining the finer points of the weekend at
last year's TechPhx (Photo by Snapping Fire Dragon)

One of the many places I volunteer my time is TechPHX. If you don't know, it is a weekend unconference covering just about anything technology and social media related. Podcasts, video, photography, code... sessions for anyone who wants to learn a little more about these things (and more) and apply them to what they do. This year it is happening November 16 & 17.

What you do can be anything as well. To the casual blogger who needs to learn some WordPress basics, to the Podcaster who wants to learn more about editing software, to the business person who wants to make better use of social media, I can't think of any person that wouldn't get something out of attending. It's about community first, and building that community to bring us all a little closer together. You can learn more about TechPhx here, and also check out last year's sessions here.

Since it is community first, we have always had pride in the fact that we could remain low-cost. Conferences can get very expensive! We also know that paying more doesn't necessarily mean you will get more out of it. This is why attending for the weekend is a mere $10, basically to just cover some prizes and supplies that sponsors do not. This week however, we are having a special registration discount for You Tube's Geek Week- FREE registration using the "GeekWeek" promotional code! You can read more about it on the TechPhx blog.

TechPhx is one of my favorite events to volunteer for, because I know first-hand the value. Technology and the Internet isn't going anywhere, it will only keep advancing and growing. It's important to have a place where you can learn to handle it, and share what you know with others. AND have a good time! TechPhx is all of that rolled into one weekend. Check out the website, register to attend OR speak, and I'll see you in November!









Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs!

Why An RSS Reader Is The Most Important Tool For Your Social Media

Photo by TEIA MG via Flickr.

Content, content, content. It's what every blog post you ever read about how to run social media for a business will include. You need content, but it can't all be about your business. Following other social media Pages that are related to your business will certainly help in this regard, but your fans and followers are going to get really bored with seeing the same items shared over and over. Memes are fun, but you don't want to overdo that either. What you need is relevant content that will keep people reading your page, and sharing what you post with others.

The very best way I have found to do this is with an RSS reader. RSS stands for Rich Site Summary, but it is also known as Real Simple Syndication. This makes more sense because that's exactly what it is. Every blog or website you read (news, blogs, podcasts, photo) has an RSS feed. A reader allows you to put your favorite things to read in one place for easy access and... reading!

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. I am usually flipping through feeds anyway just to catch up on news and my favorite blogs, but now I add on more time to go through feeds I've picked to help me generate content for the social media sites I manage- as well as for my own sites. It's a simple and convenient way to find content and keep your followers engaged!

There are many readers out there, and more have popped up since Google Reader recently shut down. I use two readers. One is Feedly, and the other is Flipboard (which I use on the iPad). Feedly also has phone and tablet apps, but I find I get useful information from both.

It takes a little time up front to set up your account and subscribe to the feeds you want to follow, but once you are up and running, staying on top of the latest information for all of your social media sites is, well, really simple!





Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs!

What Exactly Do You *Do*?

Random Instagram Photos. Yes, I love social media!

I get that question alot. I'm new at this business thing, and I've blogged recently about how I finally made the decision to branch out on my own. Still, I haven't done a whole lot of advertising. I cross-post things occasionally on my personal Facebook page, but for the most part I don't want to turn people off by talking about my business all the time. I even feel weird blogging about it now, though I absolutely love it. I've always been a connector, and social media is all about connecting with others. It just fit to help small businesses do the same.

So, as my business Facebook page says, "Content Creation and Management." What the heck is that? It's exactly what it says. I create content in the form of posts, tweets, updates, photos, memes, podcasts and video for use on social media. I've been volunteering my time for many years now with KWSS radio and TechPhx, and running their social media. I've learned so much, and am fascinated with the way social media works, and how people respond to it.

It's also interesting to see how small businesses use it, which is another thing that prompted me to start this business. Number one thing I see? Businesses don't put enough into their social media. This is not their fault however. As one of those small business owners, I get it. Time is hard to come by. When you are out there working on the other 5,000 parts of your business, you can't exactly stay connected 100% of the time on social media. You've got things to do!

This is why I made my business social media. I make the posts, I check the comments. I interact with other people and businesses for you. I find information to share that is relevant to your brand, so that you become a valuable source of information for anyone who follows you. My philosophy is if people get to know you and what you are about, they will want to know more about your business. After all, we started our businesses because we have something worthy to share, right? That's what you want people to see, and I help make that happen. I help you be seen.

I can also help you be heard. With years of audio and podcasting experience, I know the value of using a podcast to further your reach with current and potential clients. People love to listen to stories and learn more about who they are seeing in their social media feeds. Podcasting is the perfect compliment to social media promotions.

So that's really it. That's my business. My business is helping small businesses be seen and heard. I help them make it more personal and engaging. There's alot of content out there, and my goal is to make a small business stand out from all of the other content out there, so their name is what comes to a person's mind when they are looking for something specific.

Not only do I do this to help businesses be successful, I want to get to know you too! Social media works for me because I'm so social! Find me over on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

You Deserve A Break Today

The only television channel available.

This past weekend I, my husband, and kids drove up to the Cutler family cabin just north of Pine/Strawberry. My husband's grandparents bought the land over 30 years ago, and as he was growing up they built the cabin from the ground up. They also never put in satellite or any other luxury other than electricity and water. It's a wonderful escape for a day or two, because there is also no internet and cell phone service. You are forced offline.

Usually it's nice to get away out of the Phoenix heat, but this time even at nearly 90 degrees in the afternoon, it was on the warm side, so we decided to come back down a day early. I had originally prepared in advance to cover client accounts through Monday, as well as my time on the radio. Sunday night we returned home, instead of Monday afternoon.

I nearly went on the computer to check email, and then I paused. No one knew I was home yet. I was caught up through the next day, and all my clients knew I was out of town for 24 more hours. Even the auto-response on email was still on.

So I didn't check my email. I made a small list of things that I have always put off doing around the house because work was either in the way, or by the time I was finished with work, the last thing I wanted to do was something around the house. That is how I spent Monday, and it was great! Monday night I went and checked in because that was my original plan.

What alot of people don't realize is that managing social media is a 7 day gig. If you don't post something every day, thanks to the lovely Facebook algorithm, the stats drop. It only takes about 24 hours for that to happen. You don't have to post as often on the weekend, but a business still needs to maintain a daily presence. Luckily you can schedule posts in advance, but you need to watch and interact and respond to your followers.

When I don't have internet, I play!

I've now decided that once a month, I'm going to take a free day. Take the extra time to prep everything for clients and the radio in advance, and take a true day off work. Whether I use it to catch up with things around the house, or do nothing, or both, I found that the break was needed and I was ready to get back to work!







Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs!

If You Don't Invest, You're Going To Miss Out

See full infographic HERE

Do you find yourself searching on social media for a business more and more? You're not alone, according to this Infographic from Balihoo, 91% of local searches use Facebook to find a business online.

Ninety-one percent. That is saying pretty much anyone who has a Facebook account has searched for a business while browsing around on the site. I know I do it- and most of the time I get better information from their social media pages than I do if I visit their website. Or *shudder* call them on the phone.

In another infographic, it states that 81% of small businesses see the value of using social media as a business tool. In this quarterly Small Business Wellness Index survey from Mantra, it states that 80% of businesses have increased or kept their time invested in social media compared to a year ago.

Look around as you're out and about. What is everyone doing? They are scanning their social media feeds. On their phones. On their tablets. On their laptops.

If you don't make a true investment in social media, and budget appropriately, they are not going to see you. When they need your product, they are going to choose someone else.

Social media is a science. It takes work. It takes an investment of time, and yes, money. Here's some motivation, the top brands using social media and their growth. Here's another list of the best brands on Facebook. Here's a list of the most engaging brands on Twitter.

It's worth it. Don't miss out.





Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs!

You never forget your first... client

I was thinking the other day that I have now been running this business for 7 1/2 months. It's been a very exciting ride so far, and really I have my friend Cheyenne to thank for helping me decide to take that step.

I say "helping me decide", but what she really did is give me a push. Back in September she was still in the beginning stages of her own business, My AZ Kitchen. It was in the very early beginning stages over the summer, and I gave HER a push to join Startup Weekend Chandler and really get it moving. It worked too- by the end of the weekend she had made so many connections, she not only had her online tools, but funding  to get a space open as well.

Cheyenne and I at a Yelp event in 2012.

During this time I had been looking for work and sending out resumes, and not getting anything back. It was actually pretty frustrating. So when Cheyenne came to me looking for a social media manager, I was excited to discuss the possibility with her. She wasn't able to hire me as staff, and that is when the suggestion came up that I just make her a client, and start my own business. My response? 

"Well, ok then!" My business was born. 

Now, many people say that you should never do business with friends you want to keep. I admit I was a little worried. Our daughters are also good friends, and going into a business arrangement with a friend could certainly turn into a train wreck if you're not careful. However, we both seem to know each other's personality pretty well, and it turns out we complement each other with our strengths. We also have a similar belief system, and I know her mission. I knew how to properly voice this online. She also gave me the freedom to take control of the kitchen social media and really figure out what works and what doesn't in regards to gaining a following. She put her faith in my abilities, and I am forever grateful to her. My work for her has helped me gain clients, because that is the first thing people are going to look at when they want to hire someone in social media- they want to see how you you actually *do* it. 

Now that our contract is up, I'm a little sad. I had a lot of fun creating content for the kitchen! I like to think it showed in the postings, and in the engagement with other fans of the kitchen on Facebook and Twitter. How can you not have fun with food, right? I will always be thankful that we could mutually help each other and get our businesses moving! 

Best part of all? Cheyenne and I are still friends, and I think even closer now that we've worked together! She has so many amazing things lined up in the future, something tells me we will be able to do business together again.

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Building A Trusting Relationship

Trust Exercise. Photo by Joi Ito

One thing I've noticed managing several social media accounts over the past few years is that the more freedom you give your social media/community manager, the better the results. Your reach with fans goes so much further than if they are micro-managed.

I know, it's difficult to give up control. After all, these are not personal sites where you talk about what you had for dinner or how your child made the honor roll (though in some cases, you could certainly talk about them!). These sites represent your business- your bread and butter- and you want it to be the best reflection of your product or service as possible. In that respect, yes, it is personal. Your business is your baby.

So how do you do it? How do you give someone the power to be your voice, and trust that they are going to post the things that will generate interest? How do you not check every 5 minutes to make sure they haven't said something out of context, posted a NSFW photo, or created some controversy that will only leave a negative mark? 

How do you let it go, and put your faith in a social media manager (SMM), whether it's to work exclusively in your company, or you bring in someone freelance? Here are some ideas!

1. Check their social media. If they are in the business of social media management, then they have accounts. That also means they should have a public Facebook/Twitter page (or more) for their business. That is your first window to see how they would run yours. Bonus- if they have other client accounts, check those out too. 

2. Be casual. Social media is casual. It's a conversation. It's coffee or lunch with friends, but still talking about things that relate to your brand. If your prospective SMM can't engage you offline, you can't expect them to engage others online. Go and have coffee with them. Ask them a few of these questions, too! 

3. Make sure they believe in your product or service. Heck, make sure they know what your product is! While having that coffee, ask them what they think of your product. Why do they want to help you?  If you aren't getting any passion from them, it's not going to show up online. I mean real passion and excitement. Don't worry, you'll be able to tell. 

4. If it's a freelance situation, make sure there's a contract. READ that contract. Make sure their breakdown of duties includes how they are going to represent not just your business, but themselves. For instance, I have included in my contracts that I will maintain a professional and high-quality profile, and will not use any accounts for personal use. If there is something additional you want added, make sure it is in there. Hopefully everything will be in place after having coffee with them! This is probably the most important item. Although it is not a 100% guarantee, it's a huge sign that your SMM wants to do everything they can to make sure you are happy. After all, it's their business too, and they want to best reflect their services as well. 

5. Make sure they are in the know. If your SMM is good- they will arrange meetings or check in to find out any new events or items that need to be added to the rotation. However, it's always good to let them know when new things arise in-between!

6. Check in on your sites. No, you don't have to check all the time, and at the beginning it most likely will be more than less. It's a relationship, and everyone is nervous as they get to know each other. Ask questions if you're wondering why something was posted. Check your Insights and stats. If you're not sure how to read them, your SMM should know and can show you.

I'm sure there are many more things to add, but these have come to mind as I've been working with a wide variety of businesses. What would you add to the list? I'd love to know!

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Big Facebook Secret Revealed!

Ok ok, I might be exaggerating a bit with this title, because it's certainly not a secret. This is more of an addendum to my post about how a lot of Likes on a Page mean little if no one is engaging with the page. Did you know you can check basic stats on any Page?

If you ever want to see what sort of reach a Page has, click on the "Likes" section under the name of the page (I circled it all nice and clear for you in the photo). It shows you some basic insights of the page, including a graph of activity (bonus fun- hover the mouse over points on the graph). You don't have to be a page manager to see it! Just one more thing to distract you as you play on Facebook!

Remember, if your favorite pages aren't doing so great, you can help give them a boost just by liking, commenting, and sharing their posts a little more. The more you engage with a Page, the more of that Page's followers will see all of their great posts, and will encourage more of your friends to check out more Pages! I've found many a new page to like because of my other friends engaging. 

Now get out there and like something! As for me, I'm going to hunt around and see if I'm supposed to even use Page as a proper noun.

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Posting Etiquette: What's Right And Wrong?

I read many posts about the correct way to post on Facebook and Twitter. I'm using these two as the example because they are the two most popular, but it really applies to other social media sites as well (Google+, LinkedIn, etc.). There are some things that those of us who manage sites are in agreement with, such as knowing your audience and knowing how each site works so that you can get your posts out there and seen in the best way possible.

One thing I vary on with my colleagues is auto-posting directly from Facebook to Twitter and vice-versa. I have read in several places it's considered a huge no-no. Business-killer. Makes you look like an amateur. I agree with this assessment, but only to a point. While I agree that you should not post as actively to Facebook as you do Twitter, in some cases it is ok to have updates automatically post from one place to another.

Facebook now allows you to choose the type of posts you would like to automatically go to Twitter. I keep mine at Photos, Video, Notes, and Events. Status Updates are definitely a no-no because you need to keep posts to less-than-10-a-day (some say 5, I say it depends on your business). There is also a different dialogue on Facebook versus Twitter. At times you will talk about the same things, but you have to present them differently. Not to mention if your all of your Facebook updates post automatically to Twitter, then you are never on Twitter (and again, vice-versa). How would you know if someone is responding to your posts, or trying to connect with you?

Links are are also bad to auto-post. On Facebook when you post or share a link, you can set up the link in your status with a comment. Most of the time that goes way over 140 characters (I always try and say a little something about the link I'm posting, rather than just share with no comment). When that link is automatically posted to Twitter, your words are cut off, and the link will go to whatever story or blog post you were talking about. It takes away from your message, and looks sloppy. It's better to make two separate posts.

Again, and I really can't stress this enough, you need to know your business, and more importantly your audience. For instance, if you are a photographer, it could be a good idea to have your photos automatically go to Twitter. I would hope in this case you are using Twitter for more than just a Facebook post dump. People are looking for different things on each site, and cross-posting can work if you use it smartly.

This post applies to Facebook Pages. I'm not a big fan of suggesting how to run your personal page, because that's YOUR playground. You do with it what you want, and your friends can decide if they want to see it or not. To me that is a completely different thing than promoting a brand.

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Size Means Nothing If No One Sees It!

I see a lot of posts on Facebook pages patting themselves on the back for reaching milestone followers: 100, 1,000, 10,000, etc. When I first look at a Facebook page, I don't look at how many likes, but the number next to it. I want to see how many are talking about a page. What exactly does that mean? Well, here's how Facebook describes it:

People Talking About This: Number of people who have created a story about your page. Story is created when someone likes page; posts to wall; likes, comments, or shares page post; answers a question; mentions page; tags page in a photo; checks in at location or recommends.

Basically the point is this: A million people can like a page, but if no one is sharing or talking about the content, it doesn't matter. 

 Now don't get me wrong. Likes are a good thing, and they will increase stats- temporarily. It gives the page potential when people are interacting.  The more likes, the more people see content. If only 10 people like a page, then sure, if 5 are talking about it, that's a great percentage! Yes, having people like the page is very important.

Think about your News Feed for a minute. What are the things you see when scrolling? You see a mixture of posts from your friends, pages you follow, the same photo shared 10 times. What else? You see what friends comment on. You see what statuses friends like. You also see what PAGES friends like, as well as comments on pages. I've found many a page to like because of someone else liking it. 

Businesses- if you want more people to see your page, you have to create the content to make interaction possible. Sometimes a few "likes" are all you need to get that ball rolling. Encourage interaction. Ask questions, have a "call to action" in the post. People love photos and video. Links are less likely to be seen. Don't slam your page with posts, either. If you start going over 5 or 6 in a day, people might not like that in their feed. Then again, it all depends on your business and what you are posting.

It's important to know your audience. As you see, some pages have more talking about them than likes!

Casual Users- A simple "like" can go a long way. If you believe in a business, or want to support one, all you have to do is like a status occasionally. Leave a quick comment. Share something they have posted. You all ready know it doesn't take any time to do it. Now you also know that you could be helping that business increase their presence, and in turn helping them grow and become successful.

PS- all the pages here in my examples are great pages, and should be given a look- and a like. Look them up!

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

5 Positive Things About Social Media

Who knew that a little website helping students at a University stay connected would become what we know as Facebook today? Or that the stream of consciousness known as Twitter would not only let us know what you are having for lunch, but keep people aware of what is happening when their entire country is falling apart?

It's no secret at all that I absolutely love social media. You don't make it part of your business if you don't like it! I see the value in it, personally and professionally. Recently there have been some negative things circulating about the social media world, and being online in general. Some I have all ready addressed on this blog, and some are earmarked for later. At times it feels like an uphill battle dealing with knee-jerk reactions to every single bad thing that happens via social media. So, that being said, I'm going to give you 5 positive things about social media, on the personal side, and the business side. These are some of the reasons I love social media!

Personal:

1. I can keep in touch with my family, spread out all over the country, and they can keep in touch with me. Any time we want. Day or night. Time zones do not matter!
2. Information. I love politics, news, and information in general. I also love telling others about it. Sharing this information has never been easier with social media. Learning information from others is also a plus.
3. Living vicariously through others. My brother is an avid traveler. I am not, but I love watching his adventures unfold when he posts photos, status updates or blog entries.
4. It takes a village. Once a friend's daughter posted some scary stuff on her Facebook page. Red-flag stuff. Immediately three of us started messaging to see if anyone had contacted the parent yet about this. It turns out the child was just playing an attention card, but what I take away from that is how quickly we came together to figure out what to do, should it have been a real emergency.
5. Silliness. I love the memes, music videos, check-ins, and everything else that you never even thought to share with others BI (before internet). It makes the world seems smaller, and I feel that's a good thing.

Business:

1. Everyone is using social media in one form or another, and they are looking for your business.
2. You can communicate and engage with customers or clients at any time day or night, not just during business hours. Again, time zones do not matter! If you are doing it right, they will see what you're posting.
3. Social media is the greatest opportunity to show customers that you care about them, and not just getting their business.
4. Social media draws traffic to your blog and website.
5. All of these social media sites are available for free!

There are many more positives to social media, but this is a good start. This is a way of life now, and I don't see it dying off any time soon. It's better to embrace it, understand it, and use it to your advantage than fear it. Happy socializing!

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

How Does Satirical News Cross A Line?

I am one of the millions of people who are sucked into the Academy Awards each year. Thanks to social media, they have become even more fun to watch, since with social media you are never alone watching them. Naturally, everyone has an opinion, and Twitter, Facebook, and a couple glasses of wine always give us the courage to really say what we think. I think most of the conversations were disagreements! For some reason it's always more fun to argue than agree, especially about creative topics.

Even with my watchful eye, I follow way too many people and hashtags to catch everything that goes by. However, that is what retweets are for. Not everything slides under the radar on the internet for very long. This is how the satire-news site The Onion got into a little hot water Sunday night.

For those who are not familiar (and even those of you who are), I would like to repeat: The Onion is a satirical news site. It's fake, and most of the time, pretty tasteless. So how could a well-known satire site that always tries to up the shock factor possibly get in trouble? Well, by this tweet. Warning, it's definitely "R" rated and not for work. Or children. Or those who are offended easily (who also probably do not read the Onion).

My first reaction was the same as everyone else. Too far! You don't say that about a 9 year old! The nerve! Where's the decency? Apparently the entire world (i.e. Twitter) wanted the offending tweeter's head on a pike. It is definitely a fine line between a parody and just being an offensive jerk. It caused so much controversy that The Onion actually had to issue an apology.

That's what made me rethink the entire thing. The Onion, satirical news site, apologized for doing what they do on a daily basis. Here's a sampling of headlines from their website:

*While I'm Glad I Won, I Personally Believe Abraham Lincoln Deserved To Die ("written" by Daniel Day-Lewis)
*Sonny Bono Foundation Prevents At-Risk Youths From Skiing Into Trees
*In Focus: Parents Of Suicide Victim Saw It Coming A Mile Away
*Oscars Fashion Report: Kathryn Bigelow Stuns On Red Carpet Wearing Blood-Soaked Rags Osama Bin Laden Was Killed In

Now, granted I am more tolerant than most when it comes to language. I personally don't believe that there is bad language, only appropriate places to use certain language. I tend to be colorful with my language, but you certainly aren't going to hear it in a client meeting or at a conference. If MSNBC had tweeted the same thing as the Onion? Probably not the best of ideas. It's not their normal policy, so yes there should be action taken (I'm not even mentioning all of the radio hosts out there that work for major news outlets who routinely offend on a daily basis, and never have to worry about losing their job). But the Onion? Honestly, I don't feel an apology was necessary. It's what they do. That's the point.

I was on Twitter following along while watching the Oscars, and I didn't even know this happened until the next day when I read the post from Social Media Today. That leads me to think that unless you were completely glued to Twitter and caught the re-tweet, a lot of people didn't see it either. It certainly wasn't a story the local 10pm news talked about. I think this was made out to be a bigger deal than it needed to be.

There is a lesson in this though. A reminder that what you say online stays there. Once you hit "send", it can't be undone. For those of us who do not run satirical websites that borderline on vulgar, it's good to remember that as you're typing status updates.

I'd love to know what you think, not just about this, but about appropriate use of language in different contexts. Comment below, or over on the Facebook page!

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Girl Scout cookie season still limiting young entrepreneurs

I love seeing how organizations use social media in their daily interactions. Most of the time it's positive, informative, and engaging. Every now and then I shake my head and want a direct line to whoever is in charge so I can beg to let me help them. I feel this way with the Girl Scouts.

My older daughter was in Girl Scouts (GS) for five years. I think. Maybe six? I don't know, it's all a sugar-induced cookie blur. Back when she was first involved, marketing via social media was just taking off. I don't think GS even had a Facebook page, much less a Twitter account. Parents were still fearful of the online world, so online selling was not happening. I remember tweeting about cookie booths to hopefully drive some extra sales our way, and my daughter would send an email to family letting them know she was selling. At the booths, the most frustrating thing to me was only taking cash and checks. With so many avenues open to take people's money, why wasn't GS getting on board?

Jump to a couple of years ago. Brands by now are now extremely relevant online, and GS moved forward with the times. They even opened up online ordering via individual websites for the girls. However, you could still only order. They still did not take credit card payments, and you couldn't use other resources for payment like PayPal. Honestly, it wasn't a terrible system. Most cookie sales come from people in the town you live in. You still have to deliver the boxes of cookies, so you can be paid in person when you deliver. If you get a lot of orders from out of state, that makes it more difficult to deliver, because now you have a shipping charge, etc. It's just a hassle that GS hasn't worked out yet. This year I'm told they are taking credit card payments at cookie booths- which is a big step forward. I am one of those people who almost never has cash on her, so I would definitely be more likely to buy cookies!

There is still a side of GS cookie season that a lot of people do not realize, and that is donations. GS troops always send boxes of cookies to troops overseas, as well as to shelters and fire/police stations in their area. It's the troop care packages which brings me to the point of this post- because this week a scout did a big no-no while talking about this very thing online. The 11-year-old was part of a Twitter Chat, and was telling everyone about their project for sending cookies to troops, and also gave a link to a PayPal account for donations. It was informative, and a great business strategy. So great in fact that a mom from her own troop ratted her out to the higher-ups, which prompted a public twitter-scolding by GS (see the link for the whole scoop).

In fairness, no, she could not have a PayPal account. It's not one of their allowed methods of payment. I'm not going to dive into the personal stuff about tattling. Some GS troops are way more competitive than others. What bothers me is the thinking that the way to teach girls about business is simply to sell door-to-door and in front of stores. Yes, they have made strides, but it's a disservice to limit how people can pay. When you limit how people can pay, you limit the creativity in how the girls can sell cookies. Why bother chatting online about troop donations if the only way they can donate is to mail a check? Are you going to mail a check to some stranger? Is that Scout's parents really going to want to give their address out online? I think not.

I understand wanting to teach girls how to handle money. It's important, definitely. It's important to teach them how to build confidence in themselves too, which is why they encourage door-to-door and store front selling. But let's be honest. I have Girl Scouts in my neighborhood, no one has come by to sell to me. How many of you have taken the order form to work, or have been approached not by the child, but by the parent wanting sales? We also promote online for our children who are too young to have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, as well as for those who do have their own social media accounts. The majority of the selling by the girls seem to come from cookie booths.

Trust me, this isn't a critique of Girl Scouts. I love GS and their Girl Power message. Although my daughter needed to leave the troop for time-organizational reasons, the years she spent as a scout are invaluable, and will serve her well for the rest of her life. My critique is in their old-business way of thinking. They have made progress with online promoting, website ordering (but not payment) and now allowing credit card payment. There is even an app to find cookies! These methods do help cookie addicts buyers find their cookies, but I feel they are still holding girls back by not fully embracing methods of payment. So much more creativity and forward-thinking can be encouraged in these girls, if the Girl Scouts would just forward their own a little faster than they have been.

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Don't get the social media blues

I'm a big advocate of social media (have I shocked you with that sentence?). I love it so much I made it part of my business! I'm always a little put-off when someone says they are not on at least one social media site. I cried tears of joy when a good friend finally set up her Facebook account over the weekend. In a world of smart phones and tablets, it truly is a faster way to stay connected than even making a phone call nowadays.

Last week yet another study about social media and emotional health surfaced. I always enjoy reading these studies. Naturally, I read every study with my cool hipster-skeptic glasses on. You always need to know where a study comes from, how many were involved, what questions were asked, etc, etc. Studies are good to get a very basic idea of how people are thinking. This latest study says that reading Facebook updates can make you depressed and envious. You know, because according to Facebook everyone has absolutely perfect, happy lives. Why don't you?

(Never mind just a couple of weeks ago a study emerged stating that you feel less lonely when you post to Facebook.) Sorry- one study at a time, Dani!

From the article: "Witnessing friends' vacations, love lives and work successes on Facebook can cause envy and trigger feelings of misery and loneliness, according to German researchers."

"The researchers found that one in three people felt worse after visiting the site and more dissatisfied with their lives, while people who browsed without contributing were affected the most."

What is everyone envious of? Apparently how everyone is out having a good time, has an awesome family, travels, gets more "likes" and posts on their wall on birthdays, and looks so much more amazing than they do. And you? You are just sitting at home reading their updates, loser.

Seriously.

After some more contemplation, I definitely could see in myself where this has been true. I catch myself falling victim to the green monster at times when scrolling the news feed. It happens even to the most rational of people (I would like to think I am a fairly rational person, at least 70% of the time). It's a completely normal reaction, when all you see is the good.  I'll type that again- all you see is the good. No one is going to post that they have just had another fight with their significant other, snap a picture of their angry face and put it on Instagram (and if you do, please stop). You're looking at the awesome photo of the family having the best vacation ever at Disneyland. What you didn't see is that it took 10 minutes of wrangling to get that shot, and then immediately after the youngest child threw up on a sibling.

This is the key to conquering the social media blues. People are going to post mostly the good things that happen, then tell (and show) you how amazing it is. The study also states people post even MORE happy statuses, in an effort to make their lives seem more amazing than they really are! It turns into a subconscious competition of status updates. Humans are strange beings.

Keep in mind that the lives you are reading about are not 100% perfect 100% of the time. You are only getting a small percentage of a person's life via Facebook updates. Status updates are more like status brags. You are only seeing what that person wants you to see. If you still feel that envy, try and figure out why. Do you see your friends getting together all the time, and you fume about why they are not including you? Try giving them a call and make your own plans with them. Maybe your envy over someone's vacation photos is just the universe telling you it's time to plan your own getaway.

Be happy, and be smart about social media. If you are smart about social media on the personal side, it will ensure that you are smart about social media on the business side.

Thanks for reading! If you feel so inclined, you can follow my daily ramblings on Twitter, and get all sorts of information from my Facebook Page! See you around the interwebs! 

Be smart about Yelp

As I was making my social media rounds a couple of days ago, I came across an interesting post in the Phoenix New Times' Chow Bella section. They asked several valley restaurant owners what they think of Yelp Reviews. I wasn't surprised to find that most of the chefs asked were either indifferent or didn't like them. I get it. No one likes to have their work criticized, and chefs are in their own league. I think food reviews are even more difficult, because for some reason people really take their food seriously. It's not just about the food either- dining out is an experience, and the one place where everyone wants to be catered to exclusively. Admit it- you could care less if it's 7pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant is packed. That server should behave and treat you like there is one server per table. You finished your salad 5 minutes ago, so your meal should have been on the table 3 minutes ago!

Thus where the Yelp world gets sticky. Yelp is another social interaction site. You check-in to show your circle of followers where you are and what you're doing. You friend people (and they you) for the same reason. On their mobile app you can now "like" and "comment" on your friend's check-ins. You write your reviews, and people can click and find it useful, cool, or funny. I look at Yelp as more of a mini-blogging site for reviews. I also use Yelp rather than Foursquare, because Yelp let's you leave reviews and not just tips about a place.

I use Yelp all the time to find places, as well as find out about a company or restaurant before deciding to try something out. The problem is, you can't simply read the average of stars and make a snap decision. You actually need to read through the reviews. I think this one of the reasons some chefs do not take Yelp seriously. It's way too easy to leave a one-star review because you only had 4 ice cubes in your drink instead of 5. Or because you love a burger with extra cheese and dripping in grease, you give that place 5 stars. When I visited New York a couple of years ago, I checked in at the Staten Island Ferry. When I looked over the reviews, one of them was 1-star, and all it said was "I hate Staten Island." Okie dokie. There is also a fair share of "padding" that can happen. Restaurants have been in trouble for having their employees leave amazing reviews. Owners have also gone a little crazy on the site too when they see a review they don't agree with.

So take 5 minutes (or less) and read through reviews before you decide on going somewhere. Obviously if a vegetarian doesn't like a restaurant because there aren't enough choices for them, and give a place 2 stars, I (as a carnivore) might still check it out. If several reviews talk about how messy the place is and the smell of garbage in the air, well I might avoid it.

Chefs and other business-owners, don't ignore Yelp. Sure, it's a hodge-podge of people and when you combine a free site with humans who can hide behind a user name, you will get idiots here and there. But some of us actually take our reviewing seriously, and want to either promote the hell out of you, or help make you better if there is something wrong. Interact with us too- we're more likely to come back and try you again if you tell us you're improving or changing what could be a problem.

With great power comes great responsibility, and Yelp can be a pretty powerful social media tool.  Not only do you have to be smart about writing your reviews, you have to be smart about reading them too.

You never know what will happen...

Why, it's Josh Temple of House Crashers!
Why is he at our TechPhx meeting?

Today began our 2013 TechPhx season! We had a lovely kickoff brunch at Paradise Bakery in Tempe Marketplace, and had a good group of interested (and interesting!) people turn out. This year I am co-leading the (un) conference with the marvelous Perri Collins, and I couldn't be happier. Her spunk and go-get'em attitude will not only help keep ME on track, but we always have a great time together too! I was also very happy to see many old and new faces turn up. It's going to be an exciting year of planning! Follow the TechPhx Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up on all the latest happenings. There is also plenty of opportunity to get involved! Meetings will be every third Saturday of the month from here on out.

We ended up outside by the fire pit for the majority of the meeting- it was just too busy inside! There's a big sign of commitment- braving this unusual cold weather! Afterwards a few of us were still standing outside chatting, and a camera crew walked by. Then they were striking up conversation. Turns out the crew of the DIY series "House Crashers" is in Tempe looking for a lucky home to crash and redecorate. He was super nice, and we got to plug TechPhx while the cameras were rolling! Of course, who knows if any of that makes it into the final cut, but it never hurts!

It was a fun and crazy morning. Sometimes the unexpected is a good thing, and now some of us have a nice memory from the morning. You never know what the day will bring!