Over the past year and a half of consulting businesses on Social Media Marketing, I’ve made two important observations.

1.  “I can lead a client to Twitter but I can’t make them Tweet.”   Oh, it’s not just Twitter.  It’s all of the Social Media platforms.  Some clients go through the training, but the minute I am out of the picture, they lose momentum and don’t keep up with the action plan we laid out.

2.  Getting your network built is time consuming and takes commitment.  It feels pretty lonely out there at first.  The first six months are critical and it sure would be nice if there was a support network to help get businesses rolling.

In response to these observations and the obvious need I see for many small business owners, I am launching two Social Media Round Table groups.

Very simply, each Round Table group will consist of eight individuals (ideally the person in charge of social media for the company).

Learn: Groups will meet for three hours each month to conquer a new tool (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Video, Blogs) and to develop your strategy for using these new tools.  Over the course of the month, you will also get a one hour session with me either over the phone or in person if location and schedules permit.

Take Action: You will leave with your marching orders for the month and will return the next month to report on victories, progress, road blocks, etc..

Guest Post: Wendy Scharfman

Video is everywhere. YouTube, websites, training and product videos, corporate and marketing videos, media interviews… the list goes on. How do we get ready for our close-up?   Video now gives us the ability to reach vast numbers of people in unprecedented ways. As in any public speaking event, you want to capitalize on the opportunity to communicate your thoughts and ideas with “savoir-faire” – to say it like you mean it all in a sound bite, with confidence, grace, a little panache and some universal humor thrown in for good measure – ALL THIS, without tripping over your tongue, losing your train of thought, or looking like a deer caught in the headlights.

Piece of cake? Not exactly. When done well, we make it look so facile and relaxed. But haven’t we all seen those stiff, wincingly uncomfortable, monotone excuses for a video product? Here are some necessary tips for making your video stand out that will place you rightfully in the spotlight.

• PREPARE your message. What is it you really want to say for this particular video? Narrow it down to no more than 3 points and be sure you know which is the most important. Imagine it as a newspaper headline – short, sweet and precisely to the point. And memorize these three points. Practice repeating them using some examples and supportive phrases.  Soon you’ll find your script is pretty much written. If this is for an interview, now you’ve got your talking points. Ingrain them in your brain.
• Focus. Literally.  As in where you look. Remember THE CAMERA IS ALWAYS THE AUDIENCE. So, if you’re talking directly to the audience, tilt your head up slightly (trick of the trade – this will hide a double chin!) and position the camera a little above your eye level. That’s your focus. In an interview, always focus on the person interviewing you, not the camera – make it a conversation.
• Relax and smile. Nerves are nasty little critters. But an inhale and exhale followed with a soft smile (NOT one that’s ear to ear) can really help you fake it ‘til you make it.  Be sure you’re breathing regularly in the course of taping. Do not hold your breath. Trust me, it will wreak havoc on your ability to speak and add a whole lot of stiffness to your demeanor. Also, blink on occasion. It’s a natural lubricant for your eyes and will help you stay “bright eyed” – you’ll look less “robotic”.  Think of it as a smile in your eyes with a little mischief behind them. It will give you confidence.
• Body language. A little movement is fine; too much movement makes you appear nervous.  By all means use your hands! But try and keep them below chest level, no wider than your shoulders and don’t flail. Hands can enhance decisive statements and support nuance in your speaking dynamics, but don’t overuse them. And don’t even think about running your hands through your hair.  If you’re standing during your taping, watch the rocking back and forth. Try and stand comfortably with your feet about six inches apart, your weight equally distributed and your shoulders relaxed. And don’t stand on the balls of your feet, you run the risk of losing your balance. When sitting, lean just slightly forward, shoulders down and then sit as tall as you can but without stiffness. Breathe…
• Appearance. No stripes, checks, neon colors or optical illusions in your clothing. No white, red (on camera it bleeds, really) or too much black. Solid colors but not uniformed and get out the iron (wrinkles show!). Dress appropriately for the occasion and make sure it fits!  As for make-up, ladies, use it sparingly. Avoid a lot UNDER the eyes (none is best) and choose a shade of powder slightly lighter than your skin tone. Gents, a little powder takes away the shininess, which includes any baldpates!  And if you button your suit, it will keep your tie in place (Helpful Heloise…).
• Delivery. This is when you get to play with your voice and your style of speaking. Add some energy, dynamic and nuance. No monotones allowed. Remember, it’s also a conversation with some great storytelling – you and the audience or you and the interviewer. Add some universal humor (not a joke) – if you make us laugh, we’ll listen better.  Also try out a few analogies, quotes and action words. And make sure you have a positive perspective. After all, you want to be seen as the expert at what you do by effectuating positive change. Be sure to hydrate but do your lip licking before the camera is turned on. It’s very distracting.
• Hire a media trainer. The rehearsing, practice and ultimate camera performance can be greatly enhanced with a coach. A coach or trainer will have the skill and expertise to lead you in the right direction, provide you with content suggestions and delivery techniques, and help with the tough questions you may not ask yourself. The video is out there for all to see – invest in making it a great one.

Wendy Scharfman is a communication coach, teacher and speaker. She is the founder of Coaching for Effective Communication, a business she created to help her clients become dynamic, confident speakers who can inspire action by delivering a message that matters.

On July 28th, I will be conducting a 2 hour Webinar on using Facebook for business promotion.   I recently conducted this Workshop in person to a sold out crowd here in New Jersey.

I was an attendee and can attest to the fact that Deborah gave a first rate presentation! Highly recommended! Catherine Gorman Klug

This particular workshop was so well received that I have decided to present it once again, this time online in the form of a Webinar.  This lets me offer it nationally and lets you learn all about Facebook from the comfort of your own home.

Participation will be limited to 15 attendees, so we can open up the session for Q & A at the end.  Each participant will get a recorded version of the Webinar as well as printable copies of the presentation and a written transcript of the session.

Don’t keep wasting your time dabbling on Facebook or even worse, making critical errors.

In just 2 hours, you will learn:

• The difference between a Profile and a Page
  (what your business needs and why)
• How to set your Profile for better privacy
• How to create a Business Page
• SEO Best Practices for Facebook Pages
• Recommended Business Applications and how to install them
• How to keep your Page active and interesting to clients
• Paid advertising on Facebook: How to make it work.
• Integrating other Social Media accounts with Facebook
  
  Space is limited – register today!
  

Testimonials from past Webinar Attendees

“I’m relatively new to social media and I attended Deborah’s seminar on Twitter. I learned more in an hour than in all the hours combined that I’ve spent using and studying Twitter. She gives good solid business advice on how to use Twitter and its tools. It was well worth the small investment! Steve Lampert www.enannysource.com” January 21, 2010

“I highly recommend Deborah’s Webinars. I am the Chairperson of The Monmouth/Ocean Financial Executives Networking Group and recommend Deborah to my members. I have taken Deborah’s seminar on Twitter and found it informative and necessary for all business executives. Deborah is super prepared and participants go away educated and feeling good. Social Networking – FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc is critical in business today, make sure to learn from an ethical expert like Deborah.” Jim Farrell CFO Single Throw Inc.

For more comments from my clients and workshop attendees, click here.

Space is limited – register today!

Saying my company doesn’t need Social Media is like saying my company doesn’t need a website 10 years ago.

I remember those days.  While others were debating whether they should or shouldn’t have a web presence, I was building my first website.  So many people doubted the power of the web back then, but I think we all realize that today the internet is a part of our everyday life.  How is Social Media any different?  The web is evolving and it is your job to grow and evolve with it. Old fashioned, in your face advertising is out. Viral, consumer generated reviews and recommendations is the new way and you will either learn it now or later after your competition has already established a strong presence on all of the social media platforms.

• For information on my private consulting services, please visit the Consulting page and contact me for a Free assessment of your needs.

• I am also assembling several Social Media Roundtable teams for a Peer-to-Peer Exchange on Social Media & Your Business which will launch in July.  We will have 3 tables with 10 spots at each table. It’s non-competitive and includes:

1. A monthly half-day meeting, at Netwave Marketing in Point Pleasant Beach or a member’s location if suitable, for a training session on Developing Your Social Media Strategy, Blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Video and Podcasts. Each month we will tackle a new platform and discuss what’s working, what’s not working, trends in the marketplace, etc…
2. One hour of in-person coaching on social media
3. One hour of virtual training on the phone.
4. Team members will work together to spread eachothers news through the many social media channels.

Cost = $300/month with a 6-month commitment.

As a business owner, you can’t afford NOT to be part of the new conversation.

To see if you are a good fit for our Social Media Roundtable program, please contact me at 732-966-7450 or by email at info@DeborahLSmith.com.  We will be grouping participants based on their skill levels and business focus.

I am very honored to have been chosen as one of ten finalists for the New Jersey Social Media Hall of Fame.  I am nominated under my twitter handle @JerseyBites which is the account I use to market my Food blog, jerseybites.com.

The Inductees into the NJ 2009 Social Media Hall of Fame will be selected by popular vote through the obvious channels, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Voting ends April 25, 2010.

If you enjoy reading my blog, I would greatly appreciate your vote.  Just click on the Logo to Fan the NJ Social Media Facebook page, then leave a comment with @jerseybites.

Public Voting for #NJSM09 Hall of Fame Inductees will roll out in phases, across multiple platforms, over the next 2 weeks, including:

• Blog Comments Voting begins Tue. April 20. To vote: leave a comment on YouTube #NJSM09 Finalist Video and/or BlogTalkRadio #NJSM09 Episode (must be registered users of each site). Limit one vote on each site, must include reason for vote.
  
• Facebook – Voting begins Mon. April 12. To vote: leave a comment on the#NJSM09 Voting wall post at www.Facebook.com/NJSocialMedia (must be a Fan)
• LinkedIn – Voting begins Tue. April 13. To vote: leave comment on #NJSM09 Event Listing (must have LinkedIn account)
  
• Polling (voting not open yet)
• Twitter (voting not open yet)

For each of the next five days, we will announce which platform for voting will be open and will also include links to take you to each voting platform. Check back daily for updates.

All voting, across all platforms will remain open until 11:59pm EST Sunday, April 25, 2010. Any votes received after that time will not be counted.

Limit one vote per user account per platform for the duration of the voting period

• i.e. You can only vote once on Facebook, once on Twitter, one Blog Comment, etc., only casting 1 vote for only one Finalist per platform.
• The first eligible vote cast from a user’s account will be counted; additional votes cast from the same account on a specific platform will not be counted and will be disqualified and/or flagged for removal.
• NJSM Hall of Fame Finalists are not eligible to vote.

After voting period ends, all votes, across all platforms, will be reviewed, tallied and recorded. Inductees will be selected based on voting data, voting verification and quality of comments. Originality counts!

• Note: Flame wars, derogatory or defamatory remarks will not be tolerated and comments may be subject to removal without warning. The discovery of bots, auto-generating apps, multiple voting abuse, rigging, intimidation or any other form of vote tampering, including offers of cash, incentives or compensation in exchange for votes may result in immediate disqualification of the votes and/or candidate.

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.

Podcasts are a great way to educate your audience and market your business.  Listen and learn from one of the true professionals in the industry, Steve Lubetkin, from ProfessionalPodcasts.com.  Click on the player below to listen to our recorded interview.

Listen to the podcast here:

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.

Most businesses today are realizing that they need to have a presence on one or more of the popular Social Media platforms.  If you have yet to catch the Social Media wave, LinkedIn is probably the best place to dip your toe.   It is by far the most business focused of the Social Media platforms.  Your LinkedIn Profile is a very effective way to show off your professionalism and to introduce yourself to prospective clients with a nice piece of marketing material to back you up.

1. Complete Your Profile: Your profile is your first impression and trust me, many savvy professionals today are using LinkedIn to research people before they do business with them. If your profile is missing a professional picture of you, or has misspellings and incomplete information, it is very likely that potential clients are seeing this.  Take the time to develop your summary, specialties and all of the other areas LinkedIn recommends you complete. Use keywords specific to your industry and area to help the LinkedIn search engine find you if someone is looking for you or your type of service.
2. Ask for Recommendations: One of the best features on LinkedIn is the Recommendation tool.  Be sure to reach out to people you have worked with and ask them to recommend you through LinkedIn.  It is very easy to do.  You will only be able to request recommendations from LinkedIn members, but I’m going to bet many of the professional working women and men you help are using LinkedIn.
3. Join Local Groups or Start Your Own: Use LinkedIn as a networking tool by joining groups in your region or starting one.  Most areas have some kind of group for local business owners and professionals.  This is a great way to introduce yourself and your services and to network with people you may have never had the chance to otherwise.
4. Connect with People You Meet Offline: If you are like me and attend networking functions or public speaking events and collect business cards from those events, make it a point to look these new contacts up on LinkedIn and connect with them.   This is a great way to grow your network.   The more connections you make and the easier you make it for people to find you when they need you, the more business you will generate.
5. Share Your Link: Include the Link to your LinkedIn Profile in your email signature, on your website or blog, print it on your business card and anywhere else your customers or clients may be visiting or viewing.

Interested in learning more about LinkedIn?  If you would really like to become a savvy LinkedIn Networker, I will be conducting a two hour workshop for the Greater Monmouth Chamber of Commerce at Branches in West Long Branch on February 19th.  It is open to members and non-members.  You can visit the Chamber of Commerce website to sign up.  http://www.greatermonmouthchamber.com/

I also provide in-house company workshops,  so please contact me to discuss your training needs.

Yesterday,  I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Susan Rice Lincoln.   Susan, is an American who has lived in France for 20 years.  She has worked with company giants like Ericsson, Nike and LEGO.   Before launching her own company in 1994, Susan was BBDO Europe’s Communications Director in charge of 25 countries and $3 billion of business.

Nicknamed the female David Ogilvy, Susan is known for her vast communications knowledge, original thinking and commitment to excellence. She recently completed a book called Mastering Web 2.0, How To Transform Your business Using Your Website and Key Social Media Tools, The book, an essential read for mid to upper-level executives, was released in Europe and the US in the summer of 2009.

Understand Twitter, an Interview with Social Media Specialist Deborah Smith.

Listen to the podcast here: