Big Hit Bits

Information Overload is a Growing Concern

By Chuck Sink   Perhaps your first notion was to delete this email because you have fifty others piled in your inbox including newsletters you wish you could get to. We live in an era of TMI - too much information! It sure seems that way when we're bombarded with dozens or hundreds of business improvement ideas daily - many of them are excellent.   HUGE QUESTION:  How do you know which messages to pay attention to and which to ignore?   Another HUGE QUESTION: How do I budget time to leverage Social Media opportunities without hampering my other effective development efforts?   You don't want to miss out on the good stuff and there's a lot of it out there. You also don't want to waste time on titillating but irrelevant news and ideas.   The way I would start answering the two BIG questions is use common sense and focus first on what you already know. Then build out your knowledge base. Let me explain with some key points.   You're an expert too. You have unique, valuable ideas to contribute to your industry. Start sharing your ideas through your own blog, other blogs, an e-newsletter and Social Network groups. Look at headlines and decide what you want to study further. Quickly dispatch the irrelevant "noise." When you begin reading something, let your goals be the referee of whether to continue. Ask, "Can this information contribute to my success? Make time to thoroughly read what you decide is relevant and interesting. Take action immediately on new techniques you learn. For example, you learn a new conversation starter - use it at your next networking event and watch what happens. Keep a highly visible file of new ideas, philosophies and approaches you find interesting and further study the ones that emerge as most relevant to your goals. Always ask: "Am I being entertained or educated? Entertaining education is a bonus! Tune out local and national news, especially during your productive hours! Pay attention to your industry and profession news. Read more about timeless principles that will build your effectiveness. Use Linked in for your professional development networking. Use Facebook for your social and collegial network growth. Use Twitter to offer ideas and personal updates and to follow your mentors. Understand that you are now a member of the media too. Think long and hard about that one.   My personal experience with information overload instructs me that to effectively deal with myriad new messages, I need only apply the principles of common sense. In this case it's relevance to my goals.   You probably already know how to handle the various challenges of life. Information overload is no different. Relevance to your goals is the fundamental starting point and that's a simple idea worth paying attention to.   Merry Christmas!

We're in Business NH Magazine Online!

Social Media Will Help Your Business

15 simple ways to harness the new media

By Chuck Sink

Have you noticed? This topic is currently the most written-about in the marketing profession. Social Media Marketing is a frontier whose horizon is still advancing. It is the name of the largest networking group on Linked in. If you're not using it or still unsure of its efficacy, you're not a alone. The case for harnessing social media grows stronger every week - literally by the millions of new users (watch)!

 
The reason why Social Media works in sales may be obvious. Where do you go when you need help? Complete strangers are probably a bad risk but your friends and family are a safe start. You turn first to the people you know and trust. That's why Social Media works. Now we'll reveal how it will work for your business and career.
 
Those who have embraced Facebook for social purposes already know the power of this medium. How many old friends, classmates and colleagues have you reconnected with on the Internet? I've lost count, but for me it's dozens! Several of my old-new connections will read this newsletter and learn more about my business. Some have already expressed interest in doing business with me - again!
 
The Social Media naysayer is losing voice as he sees his friends and colleagues rack up success stories using Linked in, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other networking sites. Executives who ban such sites in the workplace are hearing about how competitors' employees are winning new customers or finding better solutions to problems through their employees' social network contacts.
 
Still, many remaining corporate policies prohibit using social network sites on the job. Office-wide bans are probably a bad idea at this point because your employees are already using social media. An experienced friend advises: "...use your employees as part of your social media strategy." Set limits and guidelines if you must but don't cut off a huge channel to valuable opportunities!
 
Currently, the top three social media sites used by executives and professionals are Linked in, Twitter and Facebook. Other sites offer robust content integration such as YouTube for videos and Flickr for photo galleries. These sites are complimentary to each other and can be interlinked. Here's a brief overview of the "big three."

• Linked in is excellent for establishing your professional identity and connecting with serious people in your field. It offers great topical groups with passionate members eager to share knowledge. It's tone is businesslike.
• Twitter is a vast and powerful network for following thought leaders, trending ideas and offering personal or corporate updates.
• Facebook offers a cheerful environment for connecting with friends, family and colleagues while allowing your individual style and personality to come through. I like Facebook because of its intimacy and friendliness. Business bridged with friendliness is an awesome duet.

It is important to note that much of the advice we're offering applies to your personal presence on these networks because the sites were designed first for the individual and secondarily for corporate use. Overt marketing and blatant self-promotion is culturally frowned upon in most areas of the social media universe. Remember, this is an opt-in world. People in your network choose to and want to follow you. It is okay to offer an occasional plug and to share good service experiences you've had - a nice word-of-mouth benefit.

Let's examine 15 proven ways that business leaders and professionals can ramp up their social media effectiveness:

1. Choose the sites that are appropriate for you and your business.
2. Take the time to populate your pages with good stuff about you and your business! The sites cost no money but do require some of your time. Complete your profiles and bios!
3. Build your network. Reach out. Use the search features and invite people to join your networks.
4. Join groups of interest. Start a group yourself with like-minded people.
5. Post comments and updates often - daily is a good general rule, weekly at a minimum.
6. Offer value-based information, not trivia - unless very interesting. Share links or other posts you have found valuable. Try to attract interest rather than promote it.
7. Pay attention to your network. Take advantage of what you learn from others! Enjoy the positive news and commentary in this new world of information.
8. Improve your relationships. Turn acquaintances into friends and prospects into customers. Face-to-face meetings after "tweet-ups," Linked in or Facebook connections are warmer and more productive.
9. Be a resource, not just a sponge. The more often and insightful my Twitter posts are, the more new followers I get - practically guaranteed.
10. Ask for help and you may get just what you need. Social people are eager to help other social people.
11. Provide the help. Be among those who answer questions and offer helpful comments to relevant posts and requests.
12. Be true to your brand. Keep your social media communications consistent with your market positioning. Use these media to build your brand equity.
13. Integrate social media with your website, email and other online communications. This helps multiply the audience and reinforces your messages.
14. Use a picture! A good picture of yourself makes a big difference in whether or not acquaintances will choose to connect with you. This is not about being anonymous.
15. Be a part of the growing social media revolution and share your successes!

In the time it took me to write items 1 - 15, here are some actual social media contacts that came to me:

• A Linked in update from a talented friend in a career transition.
• An invitation to become a "fan" of a favorite restaurant, which I accepted.
• I learned the same restaurant is expanding - will definitely eat there soon!
• Saw one of my clients' "tweets" and was reminded of a production item.
• Gained 2 new professional contacts on Linked in.
• Gained a Twitter follower.

In the recent past, all thanks to social media contacts: My work has been published internationally, I've made many valuable connections, become much more informed, attended more networking events, improved client relationships, raised brand awareness and increased new business for my company. I think I'll keep doing it!
 
If you're in sales, marketing or the chief executive of your organization, the key to enduring growth is the strength of your relationships. Being more social online can increase your relationships. Using social media effectively will strengthen them. Conversations will go easier when in person.
 
Keeping friendly and staying connected with your associates often leads to bigger deals while the competition is forgotten in the background. That's good business!