marketing. Simply put, your customers find you with little effort of your own. There have been many studies and presentations explaining the importance of post times and content for Tweets. Recommendations vary tremendously and much of it is common sense. It would behoove you to Tweet multiple times a day. You won’t be visible to all people at all times, but a blitz-type attack can get you on the page. Don’t make the mistake of posting the same message 20 times a day. If you have something new on your Web site, by all means post the link multiple times. However, change your messaging. Besides alienating your followers, you will be violating Twitter rules and this could get you kicked off. Your content can naturally follow the trends of the industry. Post what is important to you; often it is also important to your followers, whether it be clients or colleagues. Helpful tips, links to great sites other than yours, opinions, fun trivia— it’s all up for grabs. Make it personal.
might not mesh with everybody, but we all want to know who we’re doing business with. This is your opportunity to provide fans with things you are doing besides the typical 9-5 grind. Are you involved in your community? Did your company have a food drive or participate in some other charitable event? These are things that help you become more personable and more approachable. Third, use Facebook for a modified version of its original purpose—networking. Networking is so important in the mortgage industry. In person, on the phone, even online, networking can help you develop the industry relationships and subsequent referrals you need to be successful. Find colleagues and vendors who are on Facebook and “Like” them. Seek out the pages of trade organizations where you can participate in meaningful dialogue to offer and receive guidance. Facebook can become your new Google.
And the rest … Do you remember the theme song to
personality shine. In almost no other accepted business setting, can you make such a concerted effort at being personable than in social media? It is important to be polite, considerate, and by all means, check your grammar. Like traditional outbound marketing, cultivating relationships is essential. Remember that “Fans” and “Followers” are people, too so have fun and enjoy the interaction.
B.J. Bounds is senior marketing communications specialist for Calyx Software. In addition to media relations and copywriting, BJ is a contributing author to the Calyx Software blog, CalyxCorner. She has more than 10 years of experience in sales and corporate marketing with a focus on technology that spans several industries. She may be reached by phone at (800) 362-2599 or visit www.calyxsoftware.com.
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Facebook has morphed beyond the teenager-dominated social networking site. Growth in users of social media shows a trend toward a more mature base. In 2010, Flowtown reported that the average age of Facebook users is 38. To get in on this momentum, consider creating a business page to use separately from your personal page (if you have one). The most obvious difference is that a personal page allows you to have “Friends” while a business page only allows “Fans.” Setting up your page this way is also more appealing to individual Facebook users because if even if they “Like” you and can see your posts, you cannot see theirs. Their personal Facebook page remains personal. While there aren’t too many options design-wise with Facebook, having a business page for your company can serve several purposes, three of which I’ll talk about here. First, if yours is a very low-tech company with not much interest in maintaining a business Web site, a Facebook page can serve as the face for your company. However, since with Facebook you are attempting to cater to the masses who are more technically-minded, I strongly suggest you also maintain your Web site, for if nothing else, to take online mortgage applications which appeal to so many of us. Facebook can help lure potential clients, but your own Web site can seal the deal. Second, your Facebook page is a prime place to showcase your personality to potential clients. Here, too, you should make it personal; most people would rather buy from a person than a company. Granted, your personality
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with “… and the rest, here on Gilligan’s Isle.” But it was later changed with proper billing of a couple of beloved characters, “the professor and Mary Ann, here on Gilligan’s Isle.” Likewise, LinkedIn deserves equal billing in the social media arena. But as a professional networking site that has remained true to its original purpose, LinkedIn hasn’t experienced the attention as the other morphing tools have and it hasn’t t quite branched out functionally. It’s a great tool for professionals, and I encourage you to check it out. If you’re just starting out in social media, you first need to figure out how much time you’re willing to devote to your endeavors. A few minutes, several times a day is all you need, especially if you can post from your Smartphone. If you plan ahead for your basic posts or Tweets, implementation is a piece of cake. You can save your other posts for fun things, links to other news or Web sites or words of encouragement. Choosing your social media platform is not a decision to be made lightly. There are really strong cases for both Facebook and Twitter, and yes LinkedIn, too, and using them together may be the best overall choice. There are simple plug-ins and applications you can use to link your posts from one platform to the other to greatly increase efficiency. Check out sites like HootSuite for an easy-to-use social media dashboard and explore the applications within your chosen platforms. If you take nothing else from this article, take this: No matter what platform you choose, make it personal. Let your