Every small business owner I talk to asks the same question.  “Where do you find the time for all this?”  My answer:  if you schedule the time, you’ll find the time.  Easy for me to say, right? I do this for a living.  Well, actually, I do several things for a living.   Not only do I have my consulting practice, but I work part-time for a large network of Hospitals as their Ecommerce Coordinator and I am a food writer and editor on my blog Jersey Bites. Oh, and I also own a network of Nanny related websites.  And, most important job of all, I’m a Mom.  So, I do know a thing or two about time issues and there are days when my own presence on Twitter and Facebook is barely a “Hi Everyone.”   But, social media is now part of my daily life, so it isn’t long before I am back at it.  Give your social media campaign the time it needs to grow in the beginning and you will find that your social media engagement will also become a part of your every day life and will actually demand less time down the road.

Before we get started with Time Management tips, I want to discuss strategy.  You do have a social media strategy right?  You have your goals outlined and the appropriate platforms chosen based on where your customers or clients collect, correct?  And, you have determined the value you and your company can provide through knowledge and content?  (are those crickets chirping?)  If a strategy is something your business has yet to consider, please check out Jason Falls great article on Social Media Explorer. Strategy is important.  The days of dabbling are over.

So, assuming your strategy is in place, its time to start making the time.  It’s not finding the time, it’s making the time.  There’s a difference.  The beauty about Social Media is you don’t have to be sitting at your desk or in your office to do it.  Forgo the latest American Idol episode or book before bed and dedicate an hour to building your contacts on whatever platform you are using.  If you’re not a night person, attack your social media “To Do” list with your morning coffee or at lunch hour. Kyle Lacy, author of Twitter Marketing for Dummies,  recommends setting up Social Media meetings by using whatever calendar tool you prefer and actually blocking out time each day for Social Media interaction.   I think this is great advice.  It takes discipline and you might feel a little silly at first calendaring Twitter time.  But, if it will get you focused, do it.

There are tools to help you manage your time while still keeping it real.  For Twitter my favorite tool is Hootsuite.  There are others.  Many enjoy Tweetdeck.  With these tools, you can schedule your tweets over the course of the day.  I like this because you won’t be clogging up your followers’ timelines with one message after the other.  You can also import your Facebook updates from your Facebook page.   Another way to streamline the time you spend on Twitter is to organize your followers into categories using the List feature.  This way you can be sure to place important people into a “don’t miss” category and be sure to check the updates there on a daily basis.  This will help keep you engaged with those prospects, clients, advocates that make your efforts on Twitter valuable.

There are tools to aggregate all of your social media messages like FriendFeed.  I personally just bookmark all of my accounts into the toolbar at the top of my browser and visit each periodically throughout the day.  An RSS reader can be a very handy tool for aggregating all of the industry related news, blogs, podcasts etc. you should be following.  RSS Readers are a great way to collect valuable content in one easy to manage location.

I like Mike Haydon’s tip on using an external timer to stay focused and increase productivity.  I haven’t tried it yet, but it might be an experiment worth exploring.  Here is a link to the full article. http://www.mikehaydon.com/helpful-hints/productivity-tip-set-a-timer/

In the end, the busy business owner may decide that their time is better spent elsewhere.  There are marketing companies setting up social media departments and then there are a lot of recent grads out there looking for work.   Business owners do have other options.  The problem comes when the busy business owner knows so little about social media and how it is done effectively, that they have no idea whether the marketing company or the recent grad is doing a good or bad job.  (I think I’ve just stumbled on a another article to write.)  Bottom line, the business owner who is looking to hire an outside or inside social media professional, should get themselves educated enough in social media to be able to spot quality and quacks.  There are also trainers and coaches out there like me, who can help get your employees up to speed or assess a company you are looking to hire.

I’m sure there are some handy time saving tips you’ve come across that I’ve missed.  Have you found one tool that really keeps you organized?  We’d all love to hear about it.

For more tips on social media time management check out Kyle Lacy’s article : 5 Tips to Being Productive in Social Media.

Invariably, when I start working with a new client or when I am giving a presentation for a group of social media newbies, I get asked this question: “How do I automate all this?”  My answer to this is, you don’t.  I can show you tools that will let you automate your updates and posts, but you’re missing the point of social media. There’s something missing here and that is engagement.  Social Media is not traditional advertising.  Pumping out your self-serving message over multiple platforms is not going to do anything for your company and may even damage your reputation with potential clients.

I have been accused of being a Social Media purist.  So be it.  I know what works and what doesn’t.  Social Media is about developing relationships that will grow into good referral sources and brand loyalty.  It takes patience and a human touch.

So, okay, I understand there’s a lot of work involved and automating things will help with the time issues, but if you get zero results, why bother?   There are tools out there to help you manage your time while still keeping it real.  Check back later this week, for my Social Media Time Management suggestions.

Recently, I was asked to speak to a local group of Realtors on Social Media Marketing.  In my opinion,  the real estate industry and social media are perfect together.  Success is a matter of numbers when it comes to real estate.  The more people you know, the better chance of making that match between buyer & seller.  I know of no better way to reach thousands, millions of potential clients than through social media marketing.  The trick,  is how to do it without being that annoying sales person.

My very first recommendation is to become the “neighborhood expert” by either starting a community blog or by creating a Facebook page or group dedicated to talking about everything and anything going on in your community.  The benefits of using a blog over a Facebook page for this is the search engine juice you will ultimately receive.   If you are a clever blogger you will shape your blog posts around search terms already being used for your community.   Another savvy blogger tip is to reach out to other local bloggers in your area and offer to write a guest blog post and/or to trade links.

I know Realtors like to post new listings and open house events which is fine, but a blog filled with this and only this is nothing more than a big fat advertisement.   This is not something that will keep readers coming back and you will also not gain the search engine paybacks.

Some ideas for smart stories are featuring local businesses in your area. What a great way to get in good with your fellow business owners.  Post Chamber of Commerce events, fund drives, Holiday events and other happenings that spotlight that special community you represent.   Watch for issues that are trending in the area, new construction, energy issues, recycling innovations, any news worthy issue that is important in your community. Steer clear of negative commentary, political views and talk about high taxes obviously.   This is your vehicle for selling your community as the best place to live.

To market your blog,  use Twitter and Facebook to make new connections and drive readers to your blog.  Invite people to follow and friend you on the postcards you mail to residents and on any marketing materials you already use to prospect.   Be sure to incorporate these connection options on your blog.   Encourage your readers to “Subscribe” to your blog so you will build your email list.  Use a third party application like Feedblitz or Feedburner to automate your email subscription.  I use Feedblitz and find it very easy to use and an impressive marketing tool.

With blogging it is important to be consistent.  Try to post on a weekly basis.  If you can manage to post more frequently that is great, but once per week is enough to develop an active blog and establish your authority on the topic.

There are some great examples of Realtor blogs on the web.  If you publish one or have a favorite, please share the URL in the comments section below.  I’m sure my readers would love some examples.

On November 6th,  AllFacebook.com reported that according to Facebook’s advertising statistics, the social media super giant just reached its 325 million subscriber mark.   In a follow up article on Mashable by Ben Parr the author does a little math that is equally impressive.  “From September 15th to November 6th, Facebook grew by 25 million users. That’s 53 days, if we include the start and end days. Divide that by 25 million you get a daily growth rate of 471,698 users per day for Facebook. That’s a small city joining Facebook every single day.”

A small city every day.  I thought that deserved repeating.  So, lets stop the debate about whether Facebook will stick around, or whether or not it will benefit your business.  The question should now be, how do I harness this incredibly powerful tool?  And yes, I will admit there are some businesses that are not the right fit for Facebook Pages.  And if you have a specific question about your business please contact me.  I’d be happy to give you some guidance.

I just recently launched a Facebook Page for my consulting business.  This was a mind shift for me, I’ll admit it.  Up until a few weeks ago,  I wasn’t sure how I would use a Fan page to support my business.  The purpose is now crystal clear.  My page will serve as a hub for sharing information and answering questions about Social Media Marketing.  What could the purpose be for your business besides a blatant advertisement?  Remember, it is about providing value.

In just one week the page has attracted 91 fans.  These fans consist of clients, former workshop attendees, friends, and a lot of new faces who must have caught an update in their friend’s timeline and followed to join.  Perfect.  That’s exactly how it should work.

Fan pages have some new features that are very helpful for Admins.  One is the ability to target your updates to fans by geographic area, age, and sex.  Another incredibly useful tool is the Page Insights.  In Facebook’s own words:

“Facebook allows you to engage with your fans in more ways than ever before – and Insights now allows you to dive into the context of those interactions with deep analytics. We now show you how users are interacting with your page, broken down by Wall posts, likes and comments. Your Post Quality shows you how engaging your posts are to your fans, and your star rating compares your Post Quality to other pages of similar size. Your Fans Over Time graph now lets you track when users decide to unsubscribe from your posts in their News Feed. And we now provide statistics on where your fan base is located and which languages they speak. If you would like to export your reports, please click “Switch to the Old Insights” in the menu and follow the Export link. Check back frequently, as we will be adding new metrics in the coming weeks and months!”

So, could your business use a Facebook Fan Page?  It’s time to get creative and put your thinking cap on.  I’m posting here some links to some fan pages that are getting it right to give you some examples and food for thought.  I am purposely not showing you the big brand pages developed by the big brand marketing departments.  Here are some small businesses and charities who are working it, without the big budgets.  They may not have thousands of fans (except for the first three) but their fans are interacting and the Admins are keeping things fresh and varied with photos, videos, events, and questions and their getting comments from their fans.  As I work to develop my Fan Page (psst, see the Facebook badge to your right?  Click on it and become of Fan)  I will be putting together a series of articles on Fan Page development, so be sure to subscribe to the blog either through email or RSS feed.

As always, if you have questions, I’d love to hear from you.  Either post them here as a comment below or on the Fan Page.   And if you have a Fan Page that is working for your business, please leave a link below.  We’d all benefit from more examples.

Surf Taco

St. Jude’s Children Hospital

Blog Squad

Highland Park Public Library – Teens

A Food Coma

Jersey Bites

Stuck on You

Jersey Shore Restaurant Week

Organizing your blog through the use of an Editorial Calendar is an easy and effective way to keep your blog in good form.

So many businesses are a perfect fit for blogging.  A Business Blog can be and should be the hub for all of your online activity.  It is where you create content that will build trust and relationships with potential and current clients.  I know from experience that writing a successful blog takes commitment.  I’ve been posting approximately three times a week to JerseyBites.com for over two years now and sometimes its a real challenge to get them done, but I do it.  Why do I do it?  Because if I slip, if I slow down, the number of visitors and the number of page views will slow down with it.

One of the best tools I use to keep on schedule and keep the ideas coming is an Editorial Calendar.   All it is is an Excel Spreadsheet, but it gets on paper (or computer) your ideas and goals for the weeks and months to come.  Take an hour out of your Sunday or whatever day you like, and write down as many ideas as you can for blog posts.  Plot them out on the schedule like I show here or use a Google Calendar if that works best for you.  Check them off as completed or if not completed on schedule, post a note as to why.

Start a File in your Documents Folder and on your Browsers Bookmarks section for “Blog Calendar.” Create a sub-folder for each topic you have outlined.  Now, when you come across an article you would like to cross reference you have a place to quickly store it for later use in writing your article.

The calendar here is a 7 day calendar.  I am not suggesting that you post to your blog every day.  Come up with a schedule that works for you.  The most important thing is to be consistent.  Your readers need to know they can depend on your blog to be current and your posts coming on a regular basis.  For DeborahLSmith.com,  my goal is to post on a weekly basis with a few special occasion posts like Workshop announcements added in here and there.  My goal is to provide valuable content and not just post for the sake of posting.  I hope you find that I am reaching my goals.

In the coming weeks I will share more of my tips on successful blogging.  Please be sure to subscribe by entering your email address in the box to the right above or through RSS feed, you will find that button right above my smiling face in the far right corner.

Click on the Comments link below to ask a question or leave your tip on how you stay on track and motivated with your blog.

Very impressive stats in this video.

I have a few beefs with my Mother, I’ll admit it. Who doesn’t, right? I’m sure my kids have already started a list of my sins that they will drag out when their old enough for therapy.

There is one thing, however, that I am very grateful for, Mom. (My mother just gripped her chest “one?” Ok, more than one.) This thing I am grateful for is my incurable curiosity and need to learn. I got this from my Mother, the perpetual student who as I was entering college was entering THE SAME (one of my beefs) college for her Masters Degree. She was also the one who decided at age 60 to go to Massage Therapy school. She was the oldest in her class.

While other Mother’s were watching soap operas or soccer games, my mother was working and studying, studying and working. I didn’t know it then but it was rubbing off on me and would ultimately form the person I am and how I approach new people and challenges. It is also how I approached social media, even back before it was called social media. I was curious, and intrigued and wanted to learn how to use it and engage with people all over the world that I would never, ever have the opportunity to meet otherwise.

I’ve discovered through working with business owners that some people approach this new form of communication and marketing with the same curiosity and excitement that I did. They take my recommendations and run with them and go even further, start using their own creativity and imagination and they’re off. They have the Social Media Mindset. They understand the “social” in social media and engage with others. It should be fun, it should be exciting, it should be full of possibilities. They are curious to see where it is going to lead. Hungry for more information on how to harness this energy. They get it.

Those who have yet to adopt the Social Media Mindset are more focused on “How will I be able to push my message?” and even better, “can I set up an automated service to do it for me?” Yes, you can, but I can pretty much guarantee no one is going to read it. This is my challenge, translating the Mindset to my clients. Getting them to understand that it is all about the engagement, the authenticity and the trust.

There are some great posts on the Social Media Mindset if you are interested in reading further. I really enjoyed Rajesh Setty’s 12 Elements of the Social Media Mindset and Paul Chaney’s Seven Social Media Mindset Markers.

I know I’ll get a phone call the minute this is posted. I swear my Mother has Google alerts set for “Debbie’s Mother.” So, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go take that call.

Last night, the family and I went out for sushi at a local restaurant. The meal was delicious as it always is, but this time, unfortunately, the line for the potty at 3am was a very popular spot. Since this is their first offense and I have eaten there on many occasions, I am not going to jump to conclusions about the overall quality of their food (yet) or write anything nasty about them on JerseyBites.com or on Twitter (yet.) (I will send them an email informing them of the incident, however.)

My point here is what if I did decide to blog or tweet about my experience at their restaurant? How many people would I reach with my negative comments? Jersey Bites gets over 5000 viewers per month and I have close to 2400 followers on Twitter. That’s a lot of eyeballs.

While many brands have already adopted listening strategies to pick up on negative and positive comments in the blogosphere and on social media platforms like Twitter, many more have yet to discover this secret weapon at their fingertips. In my experience, restaurants have been very slow to adopt any online strategies past launching a website. Heck, I recently reviewed a restaurant and tried to email them a copy only to learn that they didn’t have an email address. I had to email the review to their web developer who in turn had to either read it to them or print out a copy and mail it.

Let’s just pretend for our purposes here that restaurant A where we consumed our bad sushi was up to speed on Social Media and did have a listening strategy in place. And, let’s assume I tweeted about my bad experience last night to my 2400 followers.

“Don’t go to Restaurant A. Their sushi made me sick.”

Restaurant A would receive an email notification of my tweet or view it online with one of the many listening tools available, and would be able to address the issue head on. In my opinion, given Twitter’s ease of use and immediate gratification factor, an unhappy patron would be more likely to tweet about a bad experience first before they ventured onto Yelp or Chow to leave a bad review. Restaurants may be able to avoid a negative review altogether by replying to this tweet apologizing for the bad experience, thanking them for the information to help improve, and perhaps even inviting them back for another complementary meal. I know it would impress me if I received a sincere reply to my complaint and I would be much less likely to bad mouth them any further or write a bad review online.

So, what are the listening tools a business can use to monitor what people are saying? Here are my favorites. There are quite a few more, both free and fee based, but for the average small business owner these are a very good start.

1. Google Alerts: Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.

• Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:

• monitoring your company name, brand, keywords for your industry

• keeping current on a competitor

2. Monitter: twitter monitor lets you “monitter” the twitter world for a set of keywords and watch what people are saying.

3. Tweetlater: Automated keyword alerts sent via email in digest form

If you have a favorite listening tool for Social Media, please share it here in the comment section so we can build comprehensive resource for everyone.

“Social Media Marketing and Blogging Hands-On Workshop”

For the average overwhelmed and over scheduled business person, Social Media Marketing needs to be taught. Who has the time to spend a year learning the ins and outs of each platform, the tools to use to manage these platforms and the tricks available to rank well in the search engines and to gain followers and click thrus?

Most business owners know they need to be utilizing social media, but they have no idea how. Responses to our workshops have been overwhelming. Attendees don’t know what to expect walking in. Walking out after a day of intense Social Media training they’re exhausted and energized at the same time. Giving them the knowledge and powerful tools they need to work the social media platforms effectively.

My workshops are kept to 10 attendees or less. Each attendee fills out a comprehensive questionnaire prior to the session so I can determine how much experience they have with Social Media going in and what their goals are after they have completed the course.

Each attendee walks away with an in depth understanding about what it really takes to leverage the social web for their business to generate more leads, traffic and prospects for their business.

Agenda:

*Why it is important that your company has a blog

*What it really takes to start and maintain a successful blog

*How to plan out and implement your social media marketing strategy

*How to research your market online without your market knowing you are spying on them

*Real life examples and case studies of how social media has been successfully used

*What Twitter is, why it is so powerful, and how to leverage the platform to its fullest potential

*What you need to know about Facebook before jumping in with both feet

*How to get your Facebook profiles/groups and pages up and running

*What you need to know about social bookmarking sites and why they are imperative to your social marketing strategy.

Cost $300 per person