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!