Inversion Social Media Management
www.inversionsmm.com
Second Edition of Social Media Business World
How does LinkedIn affect my professional networking world?
MAKING MONEY
WITH SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHTS ON:
LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS in Houston, Texas
SPECIAL INTERVIEW:
DR. BRADLEY WILSON Houston Center for Dental Health
Is Twitter useful or not? How can BIOS Life Slim change my life?
How do I start my Social Media Campaign? WHY DO I NEED A
Social Media Manager in 2012?
SOCIAL MEDIA, MARKETING, START UP BIZ, ADVERTISING, LOCAL BUSINESS
Welcome to our 2nd Edition of Inversion Social Media Magazine
W
e understand the social media world... Our company is based on the belief that our customers’ needs are of the utmost importance. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs. As a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals. ISMM can create the right strategies for your mission and business goals. ISMM will leverage new social technologies to increase the effectiveness of your existing communication efforts out in the World Wide Web. Social media marketing can help you increase the activity around these top goals: Website traffic and user behavior (external and internal tracking) • Conversion and sales tracking • Page views, ad exposure • Growing brand awareness (a softer value, takes longer to build) • Creating a positive brand association and keeping it there • Business development and a broader customer reach Why bother exploring social media as a marketing channel for your website or business? Here are some reasons why you should consider using social media: Its low-cost/high returns. If done by yourself, costs are limited to only time and perhaps the expenses involved in hiring ISMM to point you in the right direction or maintaining your social media account. The benefits will often exceed the cost. It would take you thousands of dollars to buy many links; social media has the ability to give you that for free. I will like to thank all my angels and supporters that have made ISMM Social Media Magazine possible. This has been an awesome experience serving my community. I’m so blessed to publish my second edition. I want humbly thank all my supporters. Never think anything is impossible in your life. Finally, know that you can achieve anything you believe in. Look out for the next issue of ISMM Social Media Magazine May 2012.
God Bless you all!! Antonia “Tonie” McClammy
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PUBLISHER/CEO Antonia McClammy
CONTENTS How do I start my social media campaign................... 6
GRAPHIC DESIGN Myrna Galan
How can BIOS Life Slim Change my life....................... 8 Special Interview Dr Bradley Wilson.............................. 12
CONTRIBUTORS Ferrell Phelps Photography FEMWORKS Signature Photography
MARKETING STRATEGIST Lajuane McClammy Antonia McClammy
How does Linkedin affect my professional networking world....................................... 16 Social Media Crossword Puzzle...................................... 17 Is Twitter Useful or not..................................................... 15 Why do I need a social media manager in 2012?........................................................... 11
For more information or advertising, send an email to inversionsocialmgr@hotmail.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanical, including photography, recording of any information retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Houston Museum of Culture........................................... 22 Making Money with Social media.................................. 24 Spotlight on Local Businesses & Organizations.......... 18
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HOW DO I START MY
Social Media Campaign?
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he first question you should ask yourself what is the best media outlet to connect with? Social Media is much more than just posting on social networking sites and asking people to buy your products. Rather, social media has to do with engaging people, listening to their responses, and communicating in the best possible manner. The first question is how will I obtain that task? Perhaps the fastest growing aspect of social media that is taking a viral effect is video marketing. Video marketing is an incredible way to get your message across. People prefer to watch how to videos as opposed to having to read instructions. It’s also a great way to interact with customers. This would be the first social media campaign to start. Video Marketing can be used on your website, You Tube, LinkedIn, Face book, Twitter and many other social media avenues.
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PLAN YOUR CAMPAIGN By developing a plan, you create a critical foundation for which the rest of your social media efforts are based on.
media efforts? e. Do you know your social media business objectives? f. How will you measure your success?
Your first step to creating a strategic plan for your social media operation is to answer the following questions:
POORLY TIMING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS – Do you know the time zones of your audience? Set your tweets, posts, comments according the different time zones... This will make a difference of reaching all of your audience if they are in the states, or overseas.
a. Do you know who your target audience is? b. How do you plan to talk to them? c. Do you know how your social media campaign ties into your traditional marketing plan? d. Do you know who is going to staff your social
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BREAKING SOCIAL MEDIA RULES OF ETIQUETTE - Don’t start a social media campaign without having at least a basic understanding of some of the rules. Here is a simple list I follow: START CONVERSATIONS by asking questions. Tapping into trends can be a great way to increase engagement among your social followers DON’T FOLLOW SOMEONE ON TWITTER, and then unfollow them when they follow you. The only reason you should follow a person or a brand is because you value the content he or she shares. PROMOTE OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL AS YOUR OWN BRAND. For every personal social media mention you share, you should mention another person or business five times. When you do selfpromote, make it a short mention that focuses on the benefit for your readers. DON’T SPREAD YOURSELF TOO THIN. Focus on using four networks or fewer at a time. Otherwise, you might not have the time to consistently provide relevant content that engages users.
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FAILING TO MEASURE SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS. Although it might not be easy to measure something like a conversation, you are able to measure factors such as your total online community size, the number of mentions of your brand across the social web and all the traffic referred to your business website. The following tools can help you stay on top these important metrics: Page lever is a paid tool that helps you see your impressions for any date range on Face book. Simply Measured is a paid tool that can collect social media data such as engagement per blog post, or tweet distribution per country into an Excel report. Social Mention is a free search engine that allows you to have alerts sent to you daily containing mentions made online of you and your brand. Tweet Deck is a social media dashboard ap-
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plication for management of Twitter and Face book accounts. Like other twitter applications it interfaces with the Twitter API to allow users to send and receive tweets and view profiles
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IGNORING YOUR COMPETITORS. Knowing who your competitors are and what they are doing is just as important as knowing everything about your own business. To keep an eye on your competitors over social media, look at their website, locate the social media icons, sign up as a fan and start watching what they do. It’s just as important to see what their fans are saying and use those reactions to improve your own business. Social Media can help your business get to the next level. • Increase brand awareness
• Drive traffic to your website • Improve perception of your brand • Increase your Google ranking • Provide insight into customer behavior • Monitor your campaign’s impact with precision • Create new business opportunities • Provide an early warning about potential issues • Offer you a larger customer database Think about this too; the more time you spend working on creating excellent content, the less social media work you’ll actually have to do. If your content is good then your readers will share it for you. You won’t have to push it so hard yourself. But if all of your time upfront is spent trying to build your social media presence instead of letting it happen naturally on it’s own, it’ll be difficult to write that excellent content, much less write enough of it to get any traction. Or promote it. Therefore, plan, promote, create, and share your business information.
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How can
Bios Life Slim
T
his statement is the beginning of my remarkable transformation /transition from stuck and obese to set free and renewed.
For reasons that I can only say were preventable, but, nonetheless, progressive I found myself in a place in early August 2011where I knew I could not live another day like I was. In less than a year’s time, I had let my weight simply skyrocket from about 235 to more than 316. I didn’t want to leave home, I could barely fit in the driver seat of my car, and just to attempt to take a shower was beginning to be a very challenging experience. I had actually begun to imagine that I would end up like one of those people who had to have their front door removed so they could leave their house via a stretcher or some other extreme weight sustaining device. It was at this point that my wife and I simply kneeled down to pray for an answer to this unbelievable dilemma. I had no idea when, how, or by what means God would deliver me. I only knew that I was so stuck, fat, and so desperate that there was nowhere else for me to turn. 8
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change
MY LIFE?
Amazingly, about a week later, I received a phone call on Wednesday, August 17th, late in the evening from a good Christian friend named Desiree Savory. She simply said, Fred, go on line with me. I have something truly remarkable to show you. That phone call and what I saw during that call has truly changed my life. What Desiree showed me were her personal transformational photos from her first month to her third month on a product called Bios Life Slim. The viewing of these pictures were so amazing because I could literally feel the answer to my prayer being revealed before me like the peeling back of a sticker and underneath seeing that I had won a grand prize. My response to what I had seen was so immediate and so intense, that it literally made my wife sit up in bed and say to me I don’t know what it is that you are so excited about but, get whatever it is and you better do it right now. To make a long story short, I was an instant Bios Life Slim convert, even before I drank my first dose. I felt so hopeful, so excited, that I knew this was it. I not only got into the business that night, but I www.inversionsmm.com
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literally insisted that if Desiree could not meet me that night, that she had to meet me the first thing the next morning to give me a box of her Slim until mine came in the mail. I must admit that my desire and desperation for change was so great that even after my first week on Slim, even though I was seeing a remarkable improvement, it still was not enough. That following Thursday, I went to my first team meeting where I met Miles and Desiree McKeller. Miles immediately became the second component to my miracle because he could read what I needed like any gifted coach reading a star athlete. He simply said, Fred, you are doing everything right, except now, I am going to put you on a program with the very same Slim and some added Lean Complete Protein that I guarantee will take you to the next level that you are looking for right now. I just could not believe it. Where was God finding these people? Less than one week after doing what Miles had told me to do, I knew for sure everything that I wanted and needed from this product was going to be realized. And, now, remarkably, as I fast forward almost two months later, I am sitting here almost 70 pounds lighter, one hundred times more energetic, with not only a thriving franchise in development, but a remarkable new lease on life that is simply indescribable. If anyone is reading this first chapter of what has happened to me for the first time, I hope and pray that these words will be as much a blessing to you reading them as it was for me to share them. I welcome any inquiries, questions, phone calls and or just the need to talk and be heard by contacting me via email or my cell phone at the below stated contact information. May God Bless You and Keep you.
Fred Barkley 713-543-1498 Fredbarkley09@gmail.com http://getslimmerandhealthiernow.com/ 10
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Why do I need a Social Media Manager in 2012?
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ocial media managers are experts in social media websites, their uses, their benefits, and the potential risks they could cause your brand. Social media managers encourage referrals by soliciting testimonials and reviews, build brand loyalty by sparking up conversations, and protect your online reputation by monitoring the blogosphere for negative mentions. Here are some interesting facts from the study: Business to Consumer (B2C) businesses that blogged 16 to 20 times per month got over 4 times more leads than those who didn’t blog. Businesses with 301 to 1,000 Twitter followers had over 4 times more leads than those with 1 to 25 followers. Businesses with 501 to 1,000 Face book fans had 4 times more leads than those with 1 to 25 fans. Every business, big or small, can benefit from the services of a social media manager. There are few people that can make a logical argument that they could do without more sales leads, better brand loyalty, more testimonials, and online reputation management services. When it comes to marketing your business, your focus has to be on the Social Media Platforms. Facebook alone has over 500 million users. What about Twitter 175 million users. Your audience is on Facebook and on Twitter. You must be there too. www.inversionsmm.com
10 Reasons why you need a Social Media Manager 1. You only have 3 followers on Twitter. 2. When it comes to Twitter what does RT mean @ mean, Where do I find DM? What is a hashtag? 3. I have a ad in the Yellow Pages 4. It takes 30 minutes just to delete all the spam !! 5. I created a Facebook Fan Page but I can’t get anyone to like my page. 6. How do I get my message out in 140 characters or less ? 7. I need more exposure and traffic online in a creative way. 8. I need an admin to handle , my complaints online make it better ASAP 9. I had a college intern handling everything but they went back to school. 10 . I just don’t have time to play on the internet all day Social media is an immediate medium – content that is posted today, is old tomorrow. It is everevolving and new opportunities and challenges arise every day. The social media manager must love working in a fast paced environment and have a passion for staying up to date on new innovations. Social media takes time. There is the daily monitoring of the page, researching information, answering fans, planning and running of promotions, creating interesting content, keeping graphics updated, posting photos, doing benchmarking and analysis, etc. In this medium more than any other, the more time you put in, the more you will get out. SOCIAL MEDIA | MARCH 2012
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SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH
Dr. Bradley Wilson I will like to thank Dr. Bradley Wilson for taking the time to interview with ISMM. ANTONIA: Why don’t you begin by telling me about yourself? DR WILSON: I am from a small town in Oklahoma, attended the University of Oklahoma for three years before I then went to Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. From there I went into the Air Force and completed a residency in general dentistry and specifically trained to be able to go to any remote location and complete whatever needed to be done. I then served a year in Viet Nam using my training and then was located at Carswell AFB in Fort Worth as the dental officer. From there I went back to Baylor and Children’s Hospital to complete a two-year residency in children’s dentistry. I came to Houston in 1971 and began a children’s specialty practice. Around 2000, I retired from the children’s specialty and re-educated myself to be a comprehensive dentist or one who practices a balance in dentistry and not just one specific interest. I am concerned about what the patient needs to stay healthy and not something I have learned that I have 12
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to sell. As an example, I earned an accreditation from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry but I don’t call myself an exclusive cosmetic dentist. I am trained to be a cosmetic dentist at the highest level but it is not my primary focus with my patients. If a patient wants or asks for it, I am happy to do the best treatment possible but unless they ask, I leave it alone and stick with the treatment that they need. It is the same for implants or any of the other advertised procedures. My greatest joy is being deeply involved in the new dentistry that has developed from DNA testing that shows what is growing in the mouth is also causing harmful medical diseases. This concept is called the Oral-Systemic Connection and my office has performed more DNA tests than any other office in Texas. I am a founding member of the new American Academy of Oral-Systemic Health (www.aaosh. org). My passion is to provide Tomorrow’s Dentistry Today in a balanced comprehensive way. Help the patient secure what they need to be healthy, not just sell them something because I am an “expert” at providing that service or how I choose to make money. ANTONIA: Why dentistry? Why not veterinary medicine? DR. WILSON: My small town never had a veterinarian for me to get interested in but it had two dentists. My mom expected me to have good teeth so I went to the dentist as a child on a routine basis. I loved the tools and machinery and decided to be a dentist at a young age. I did flirt with being a physician if I wasn’t able to get into dental school with only three years of colwww.inversionsmm.com
lege and if I had to go four; I would have applied to medical school instead to be a surgeon. Baylor accepted me and I graduated there as a dentist at age 24. It was a perfect fit for me because I still enjoy going to work each day because I have the opportunity to make a difference by helping someone add additional time and health to their life. I enjoy being in the elite of dentists who are at the top in both education and experience. ANTONIA: Tell us more about Houston Center for Dental Health? What services do you offer? What makes your practice different from others? DR. WILSON: Houston Center for Dental Health was formed and designed to specifically practice Tomorrow’s Dentistry Today and utilize a new science of dental management shown to add years to one’s life. Dr. Oz has been saying for four years that having no oral inflammatory disease can add seven years of health and wellness to your life. We are committed to be a leader in the diagnosis and management of the Oral-Systemic Connection, the new medical science that defines the medical diseases caused by hidden oral infections. After several thousand years, science once proved the Earth was not flat and in the same manner, recent new science has proved the common routine dental cleaning visit
paid by insurance for many years doesn’t add a minute of health or wellness. We now know that flat Earth dentistry totally ignores the real problem and cause of dental disease and has no long-term value. Houston Center for Dental Health provides a simple solution to secure greater health and wellness. ANTONIA: What is your greatest achievement? DR. WILSON: I have a wonderful family of six daughters, eight grandchildren and with the exception of one who just got married and joined her husband in Dallas, we all live within two miles. My family is my joy and blessing. ANTONIA: Doctor what do you like to do in your spare time? DR. WILSON: Involved with my family and chase the many activities of the grandchildren. I also am active in providing dental care a couple of times a year in Honduras and Mexico and am a great joy to me to be able to help those who have nothing. ANTONIA: What are top 3 knowledge/top 3 skills for Dental? DR. WILSON: I concentrate on being balanced and capable in all aspects of dentistry as a comprehensive dentist and I avoid a single focus. I see every patient as different and who has different needs. This allows me to make SOCIAL MEDIA | MARCH 2012
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independent decisions based upon the individual needs of each patient and not be focused with an agenda that pushes me to sell a procedure or product. I want to be good at providing what the patient needs and not just be good in providing a type of treatment that I am trying to get them to accept. ANTONIA: Tell me about your observational experiences in the dental office? DR. WILSON: Over the years I think that I have seen everything and I have not been spared from anything. There will always be a challenge to find a way to help make someone else’s life better. Nothing is or ever will be the same because no two people have the same set of needs. I like the individual challenge to solve unique problems, not sell some product or service as a self-proclaimed expert. ANTONIA: Where is your family from? DR. WILSON: My wife is from Cleburne Texas and I am a proud graduate of Stroud HS, Oklahoma. Before that the Wilsons came from rural Arkansas near Fayetteville and the Kings came from Kilgore in East Texas. ANTONIA: What was the best day in your life? DR. WILSON: I jokingly say when my last of six daughters graduated from High School (and College) alive and with no criminal record. In today’s world, I consider this an accomplishment. 14
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ANTONIA: What would you like to change about yourself? DR WILSON: We all have mistakes we regret from poor decisions we made over the years, but for the most part I have a forgiving God who has allowed me to be secure with myself and happy for the way I am. There is nothing that I would change other than some improvement I need to make. I have been able to accomplish everything I have ever wanted to do in my life and I am very thankful for all the blessings that have been given to me. ANTONIA: What are your leadership/community service activities? DR. WILSON : Over the years I have belonged to about everything one is supposed to belong to and now I am more interested in individually helping people in need on a one to one basis. I take the parable of using my talents seriously and I want to be sure that I be judged accordingly when my time comes. ANTONIA: Who do you look up to as a hero? DR. WILSON: I am so lucky to have many in my life who are heroes and who have been a role models for my life. ANTONIA: Who has influenced you the most? DR. WILSON: Just the hardworking quality people who “as a village” helped raise me in my little Oklahoma town. They taught me to love and give beyond myself as they did every day of their lives. They lived
one day at a time and gave their all in everything they did. ANTONIA: Do you belong to any groups or support certain causes? DR. WILSON: Professionally, I am active in the new American Academy of Oral-Systemic Health and personally I have an interest in supporting a particular Jewish group in Israel as a Christian. ANTONIA: How would you react to or deal with an AIDS patient? DR. WILSON: I treat everyone with equal love and respect and I do not place myself above or below anyone. I have AIDS patients and their disease is not a threat to me in any way. I do all that I can to add value to their life and at no time do I make them feel different. I know they feel bad about their condition and they need my respect even more. ANTONIA: How would you respond to someone who said that dentists/doctors make too much money? DR. WILSON: I wish that statement were true. There are those who I am sure have done well, but for the most part doctors are poorly paid when compared to the time and work required for their job. ANTONIA: How do we contact your office Dr. Wilson? DR. WILSON: We are located at 2077 S Gessner Blvd # 127 Houston, TX 77063 713-789-1200 ANTONIA: Thank you so much for your time Dr. Wilson. DR WILSON: Thank you for the opportunity Antonia.
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Is Twitter useful or not? Is Twitter really useful? Has it really helped you achieve your professional goals?
I
heard somebody saying, “Twitter is not for everybody!”It made me ponder over my marketing activities on Twitter. Do I follow enough people ? Do I have enough followers ? Twitter can be very useful but it needs to be used as part of a larger strategy. Just like any other media outlet. Most importantly, though, I keeps my tweets interesting by offering my personal views and sharing interesting content that may not necessarily be tied to my business in a direct manner. To me, this makes me feel like I am a great person to follow an interesting person who owns a business, rather than being consider a spammer . I think that Twitter can create real value, but by itself it’s not that powerful due to its self-imposed limitations. When taken in the overall context of your media strategy, though, it can be an excellent vehicle to bring business your way. The fact that there are applications that allow you to manage your online social brand (TweetDeck, HootSuite, Seesmic) is a strong indicator that there is real value in combining and coordinating all your social apps presence. Finally, I have heard also that Twitter has the potential to be used as a way to keep your finger on the pulse of your customers. A way to know what they think of your products and brand. You can use it to follow mentions of your brand and read the tone of the remarks made by people. Are they complaining, are they recommending you? Chances are, if you are not listening to those comments, your competitors are and they are trying to think of ways to use those comments to either learn from you or turn them against you. Twitter can be considered a “micro-blogging platform “. Twitter allows you to “Tweet” which in laymen’s terms means posting updates. Unlike Facebook, you are limited to 140 characters-ensuring you keep it short and sweet, thus keeping focus on the point you are really trying to get your message across.
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Using Twitter is a great way to. • Connect with other Professionals • Connect with prospective clients and existing clients • Inform people about new products you may be offering • Update your followers on what social/networking events you and your company will be attending • Follow clients and see what they’re interested and “Tweeting” about • Build a better relationship with your client-base 6 Ways to Start your Business Twitter Campaign. 1: SHARE YOUR BUSINESS LINKS Some websites have long URLs which are not possible to share in Twitter just within 140 Characters. But there’s nothing to get scared about. You can easily try some free URL shortening services- such as bit.ly, adf.ly and many more! 2: USE DM FOR DIRECT MESSAGING You can send direct messages through your Twitter account. This DM function can be located in your Twitter control panel. You can send messages and make a good conversation there. However, you won’t be able to send messages only to those people who are following you. 3: THE PROPER USAGE OF @ SIGN WHILE REPLYING If you want to contact with one Twitter user, you can easily use the @sign while contacting or replying to that guy. But keep in mind that, everybody in your Followers’ List would be able to check it out. 4: USAGE OF THE #HASH-TAG FOR CATEGORIZING YOUR TWEETS If you want to make a series or Tweets or simply make a group of them, just use the hash-tag. Suppose, if you’re willing to tweet about social media, try with #social media. This will help you to show up your social media tweets when a man is searching on Twitter about tweets related to social media. 5: USE RT IN ORDER TO RETWEET If you find a tweet (previously posted by a member whom you’re following) worth of sharing, then you can re-tweet it easily. In addition to that, you can give some credit to the Tweeter by putting RT @ UserName and then Paste The Tweet. 6: USE TWITPIC TO SHARE PHOTOS You can easily share your pictures through Twitter. TwitPic is the most common and used massively. If you want to try something new, then you can opt for TwitGoo.com As a conclusion I’ll say that Twitter may not be well suited to be your main media outlet, but you cannot ignore it. There’s real value in it and the best way to use it depends on your market and your product. SOCIAL MEDIA | MARCH 2012
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How does LinkedIn affect my professional networking world? What is LinkedIn? LinkedIn is the premier social media site for professionals. Think of it instead as an online professional networking platform. And as you will see, it is a powerful tool with a wide variety of strategic uses. Use LinkedIn for: • Connecting with colleagues, coworkers, and other professionals • An online resume • Potential career opportunities • Connect with like-minded people • To share your expertise and learn from others • To keep up-to-date with your professional contacts and network. Social networking sites provide your employees an opportunity to develop a professional network simply by publicly connecting with contacts, including your customers. Sites, such as LinkedIn, permit users to form a network of “connections” to develop a web of professionals that can be highly effective for sales and marketing purposes. Let’s cover the basics of using LinkedIn to develop your individual brand. There are a couple of fundamental reasons that you may want to attend to your online brand. • To help drive new business to your firm • To find a new position • To avoid having someone else define it for you
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publish and article the more you get it out there, the better. While these steps will take a bit of time to implement, the results are typically well worth the effort. An effective LinkedIn strategy is the cornerstone of most professional services executives’ online brand. LinkedIn Strategies that Work So how can LinkedIn help you and your firm grow and succeed? We’ve identified seven goals that are achievable with a wellplanned and implemented LinkedIn strategy.
Here are the basic steps to building your online brand: 1 Be clear about the brand you want to promote. 2 Build a clear summary statement. 3 Round out your profile. 4 Make sure you are consistent. 5 Build your visibility through groups. 6 Use status updates and Twitter or blog feeds. 7 Promote your LinkedIn profile in the offline world.
1 Lead Generation and Nurturing Lead generation is always an important need for professional services firms and it is a reasonable goal for online networking through LinkedIn.
If your LinkedIn presence represents your personal brand well, don’t be afraid to send people there. Put your LinkedIn address on your business card (you can edit it to be less clunky), in proposals, in presentations, and in your email signature block. You can also include it in your bio when you speak or
3 Brand Building Think of your firm’s brand as the combination of reputation and visibility. Both components can be addressed with the LinkedIn professional networking platform.
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2 Recruiting and Job Search Since LinkedIn was initially built to support this goal, it is very well suited to the task. If you are looking for talent or a new firm for yourself, there are many opportunities here for you.
4 Becoming a Visible Expert Many firms have talented professionals in their ranks that are more or less invisible to the outside world. LinkedIn can be an important tool to help solidify a professional’s reputation and raise their profile with selected audiences. Think of it as personal brand building. 5 Content Promotion Perhaps one of the most significant trends in professional services business development is the rise of content marketing. When you make valuable content available to potential clients or partners, you are in a better position to be found online and considered when a prospect has a need. Think pull marketing or thought leadership. 6 Partnering Opportunities Need a teaming partner? Another firm to help launch marketing imitative? How about a new distribution channel? LinkedIn can help you identify and scope out potential partners. 7 Industry Research and Monitoring Looking to enter a new industry? Get an insider’s view before committing major resources. Wonder how you firm is viewed by others? Monitor the buzz about your firm without leaving your office. With LinkedIn, you even have a way to influence the discussion. www.inversionsmm.com
Social Media Crossword Puzzle! During and after the presentation take the time to solve this puzzle, as it will serve you for further review of the topic. 1
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Across What type of social network is YouTube? 4 Who was the founder of Hi5? 6 Orkut was created in_______. 7 A social network focused in Asian culture. 9 You can digg or______a news. 12 What type of social network is Facebook? 13 Which social network passes around a petition asking congress to "censure President Clinton and move on�? 14 Newest major social network to date. 3
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Down Which was the first social media communication method mentioned? 2 Who are the users of Educational social networks? 5 Conducts scientific or academic collaboration and research: 8 Which social network is used to find a place to stay when traveling? Usually in some one’s couch or any spare space. 10 As time pases web pages give the user more ________. 11 Biggest photo sharing page in the world. 1
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SPOTLIGHTS ON Local Businesses & Organizations Mo-Mong Vietnamese Restaurant Mo Mong Vietnamese Restaurant is a unique, urban hideaway in the Montrose area of Houston, Texas, that features PanAsian cuisine based on traditional family recipes. Located in the heart of Montrose and convenient to Houston’s downtown, Midtown and River Oaks areas, Mo Mong’s contemporary surroundings have been providing discerning diners with tasty food and delicious drinks for over ten years. The inviting downstairs entry features a fullservice bar and lounge area, with a bamboo garden outdoor patio that is perfect for al fresco dining. The dramatic upstairs dining area is perfect for both intimate dinners and larger gatherings. Mo Mong is famous for its fresh, tasty spring rolls, and other standouts include nha trang oysters and curry chicken. Mo Mong is available for private parties, and offers complete catering services for both large and small gatherings. SPECIALS: A Houston tradition, Mo Mong’s famous Martini Wednesdays is the place to be every week. Join us for $3 martinis and
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priceless people-watching every Wednesday night from 5pm until 10pm. www.mo-mong.com Urban Souls Dance Company Urban Souls, a Houston based dance company believes in bridging gaps between the worlds of urban life and Dance Theater. The company embodies exceptional artistry and a profound sense of spirituality. Urban Souls is a dance company presenting a wide spectrum of works that are multicultural, socially and visually appealing to all audiences. Urban Souls Dance Company is dedicated to the preservation and creation of historical and contemporary dances which celebrate cultural themes that educates and entertains. USDC also desires to cultivate future audiences and artists by providing dance training, performances, and experiences for the communities in which it serves. The dancers of Urban Souls provide not just a dance performance, but a “dance” experience that will inspire and energize audiences. www.urbansouls.org
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My First Classroom My First Classroom was published in 2011 by Marie Elena Cortes, a Houston teacher, public speaker, and educational consultant... and the founder of Kids Write to Know.com www.kidswritetoknow.com Sister of Serenity Sisters of Serenity is dedicated to offering direct services for people in need while creating social change within the community through education. Sisters of Serenity is a Houston based non-profit organization dedicated to providing a safe transitional home to those living with HIV/AIDS. S.O.S. will maximize the health and quality of life those who are living with HIV/AIDS, socially and economically. Although all segments of society are involved, it disproportionately affects economically challenged people with HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to become a viable presence in the community to provide a secure home environment for those infected with HIV/AIDS. We envision Sisters of Serenity being able to help those who are to help themselves. www.sistersofserenity.org Ferrell Phelps Photography Whether it’s at a club, a restaurant, the church, or your hair salon, somebody is always talking about the works of photographer, Ferrell E. Phelps. With his 18 years of experience, when he steps behind the camera the finished product is nothing less than flawless. This self taught artist obviously has an eye for capturing more than just an image; he has the innate ability to artistically capture his subject’s most intimate and cherished moments. Born and raised in Houston’s north side, Ferrell started out in front of the camera before he became the man behind it. After a somewhat disappointing stint working for some national photo exchange companies, he knew that it was time for a change.
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Ferrell recounts being told by his former manager, “you’ll never be successful on your own.” Imagine! “So often we allow people to kill our dreams and things we believe in, but when you know who you are and the gift that God has given you, no one can take that away.” Spoken like a true champion. With the dynamic force of his faith in God and his determination to become successful, he started his career by taking pictures of family and friends. At that time he gave the pictures away for free. But his gift began to transform, and what was once a hobby blossomed into his profession. “I absolutely love what I do. Ferrell’s celebrity clientele include LeToya Luckett, Delta Burke, Robert Horry, Shaquille O’Neal, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick, Aaron Glenn, Queen Latifah, and Elvin Bethea. He’s even been fortunate to photograph “the greatest”, MuhammadAli. He credits his success to his father because he believed in him and to his best friends because they have been his most loyal fans. Being committed to giving back to the community, Ferrell has donated artwork to Texas Southern University to assist in raising funds for scholarships, not to mention the Sandra Organ Dance Company, and the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon. You can also peep Ferrell’s work at the Black Heritage Art Gallery and the St. Agnes Church. Just make sure you don’t miss his signature collection: a series entitled In the Spirit, a collection of works that “stands as a declaration of the human spirit’s passion and purpose.” Also a must-see is his most powerful and most controversial piece, Step Out on Faith and Stand on the Word. Once you see it, you too will be speechless. www.ferrellphelps.com
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adies Nite Out was started in 1996 out of New Orleans, La. In Its 15 years Ladies Nite Out has helped women of all walks of life become Business Women once they had joined as Independent Consultant.
We do In-Home Parties for ladies. We host Bridal Showers, Bachelorette Parties, or Just a Girls Night Out. We create Love Baskets and offer Concierge Service. With this service we create your Romantic Get A Ways.
CEO/Founder Shawanda Berry opened this business because she wants to promote Healthy Relationships and help “Keep the Spice in the Relationship”. Mrs. Berry is known as a “Love Coach” and sells the perfect items that help rekindle the fire that maybe once forgotten. We are here to help you create and bring the joy, happiness and memories in your life. Sincerely, Shawanda Berry | Ladies Nite Out/CEO
www.ladiesniteout.biz | ladiesniteo@yahoo.com | 832.453.4402 20
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he founders and supporters of the Houston Museum of Culture will establish a significant museum in the family of Houston cultural institutions. The Houston Museum of Culture will provide highly informative and entertaining exhibits, and live presentations about the people of the region, their histories, ways of life and cultural identities. The museum will offer insightful exhibits and conferences about cultural influences, including media, religion, language, arts, economics and environment. The Houston Museum of Culture will join the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science and Space Center Houston, along with other museums, theatres and parks, to help provide the highest quality of life for people of Houston and the region. The museum will come to rank among the best museums in the nation and the world by utilizing new and innovative techniques to examine human existence and lifeways of people through all stages of the region’s development, with an emphasis on the modern American city and the profound changes it has brought to our way of life. The museum will help visitors look, not only at others, but at the cultural influences in their own lives. It will look at the past, present and future. It will bring to light the city as a social network, and promote civic engagement, sense of 22
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community and citizen responsibility. The Houston Museum of Culture will make immense contributions to education in Houston for all age groups. It will have much-needed positive social impact through greater understanding, as it bridges cultural, social and generational divides. The museum will have tremendous impact on tourism in Houston, as it explores Houston’s fantastic, often underappreciated history. Through the voices of the people, the museum will reveal Houston’s symbiotic relationship with the dynamic region it anchors, including the cultural influences of Mexico and New Orleans, as well as its ties to the world through its international populations. The Houston Museum of Culture is certain to become one of Houston’s greatest treasures. There are opportunities for all Houstonians to contribute to the establishment of the Houston Museum of Culture. Involvement of individuals, educational institutions, businesses, government agencies and organizations that share this vision is needed to build the Houston Museum of Culture as a major educational institution to represent Houston’s greatest asset – its diverse people; and to achieve its greatest ambition – a positive future. The Prospectus and Plan of Action are available at www.hmoc.org. To be involved, contact Mark Lacy at 713-5213686 or mark@houstonculture.org. www.inversionsmm.com
VISION The Houston Museum of Culture will rank among the top 20 museums in the nation, based on size and visitation, bringing many significant benefits to Houston. The museum scale and membership, as well as impact on Houston student populations, will be comparable with the existing Houston Museum of Natural Science. By being a prominent national museum with content and subject matter equal to at least five national parks and monuments, it will develop international attention and provide increased tourism and economic activity for Houston. The Houston Museum of Culture will contribute to increased visitation and support for all Houston cultural resources, including the city’s largest museums and all of its smaller institutions. The museum will serve a great need in Houston by providing knowledge and interpretation of the city, its history and diversity, while improving cross-cultural experience for residents and visitors. It will play a major role in helping Houston rank in polls based on quality of life and cultural attractions; Houston currently rarely appears in the polls, while Dallas, Austin and San Antonio are almost always present. The museum’s subject matter will offer almost limitless possibilities to explore topics related to ways of life in the past, present and future, while inviting participation from all Houston communities and all academic fields of study in Houston universities. Subjects will range from cultural arts, such as Houston’s music legacy, one of the richest in the www.inversionsmm.com
nation, to vast food traditions, and the critical impact of energy and transportation on our ways of life. The city’s meteoric rise from nearly impenetrable riparian zone to international prominence, as a city where one in four are immigrants, makes for an incredible story to tell the world, one that involves Galveston - the Ellis Island of the South - as the second largest port of immigration through the Nineteenth century, and the city’s name being the first word spoken from the moon. Museum galleries will present a permanent exhibit about Houston, going all the way back to the lifeways of its first indigenous populations and the second oldest written history in the nation. Additional major galleries will host prominent touring exhibitions, local exhibitions and even launch Houstonproduced exhibits for museums around the world. Facilities will include: innovative media presentations; workshop labs for live, interactive demonstrations; venues for food workshops and music presentations; and various theatre venues for recitals, films, book readings and education activities. It will feature an education center, which will host important topical conferences and consular corps activities. In addition to its phenomenal in-house resources - critical education programs, academic and community collaborations, the highest caliber of cultural arts, innovative exhibits and programs, and worthy entertainment - the museum will launch beneficial programs to improve conditions in Houston communities, by identifying and addressing cultural and social issues faced in schools and neighborhoods. SOCIAL MEDIA | MARCH 2012
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How do I make money with Social Media? Three Questions I’m asked all the time by business owners and organizations: 1 What social media sites should I use? 2 Which social media sites drive the most traffic and generate the most sales? 3 How do I use social media most effectively, so it doesn’t take too much time but still makes a lot of money? Small Businesses I think social media can provide an advantage to most small businesses, but that doesn’t mean it actually does unless they are working on it! Why isn’t it happening? 1 They’re overwhelmed by the concept and don’t know where to start. 2 They started a Face book page and nobody “liked” them so they quit. 3 They understand the concept but don’t have the time or resources to do anything consistent and meaningful. 4 Their marketing budget is tied up in local newspaper and TV ads and they don’t have anything left for something new. 5 When you bring it up, they stare you down and tell you they “Don’t need the Face book or The Tweeter,” usually followed by”Dammit.” One common question I get from entrepreneurial readers is how exactly people make money with social media. How can you actually make an income posting tweets and Face book updates? It certainly can be done. I’ve used social media in the past to both directly and indirectly earn income, though the earnings were never big and I never devoted a ton of time to it. I know of verifiable stories of people earning quite a lot from projects revolving around social media. In other words, social media doesn’t make money by itself. It makes money by connecting something of value you have to the customers who might buy it. How can you make money with social media? 1 It’s better to get ten things done than it is to do one thing perfectly. Don’t get stuck trying to make everything perfect. It’ll never be perfect. Besides, if you don’t like your blog post, your tweet, or your LinkedIn profile, you can just go back in tomorrow and change it. 2 Begin each day with five or ten social media tasks that’ will help you feel like you’re off to a good start. This is easier than you might think: Send out three tweets, answer one question on LinkedIn, and make one helpful comment on a good blog post you’ve read. See? Your day is already off to a terrific start. There’s a difference between people who make money with social media and people who don’t. The people who make money with social media 24
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typically never get their campaigns off the ground. In most cases, they upload a YouTube video or update their LinkedIn profile and most people feel they have a social media campaign. The people or small business that does make money with social media is different. They set objectives, create a plan, and execute the plan relentlessly. You’re now in a spot to make money with social media. I will give you all the best tools for a successful social media campaign and helped you understand how to implement them. The Social Media Landscape The entire purpose of social media, from the perspective of someone who has something of value that they want to share, is to get positive interest from potential customers. There are a lot of forms this can take, from creating a Face book fan page and updating it to making a Twitter account. Good social media use goes beyond just sending out little updates about what you’re doing. It also involves engaging the people you’re talking to by listening to what they have to say and utilizing it in your responses and in your further updates. In other words, it’s a conversation, and one that has value because people who are involved in that conversation have some sense of involvement in whatever you’re doing. It builds a connection, one that people will often follow up on with their time and/or their wallets. How to Set Yourself Up for Social Media Success The biggest thing you can do to set yourself up for success is find your customers first. Get to know them. Where do they congregate? What do they talk about? What do they like and not like? Jump into that conversation. Talk about the things they’re talking about. Share what you like – and what you don’t like. Ask questions, because people love to talk about what they think. The more involved you get in the conversation, the deeper the bond you’ll build with your prospective audience. How to Measure Social Media The challenge with social media is measuring the success of it, and it all comes back to “return on investment.” In other words, the question of whether you have success or not should rest entirely on the number of clicks you get, the number of sales you get, and the number of responses you get. The advantage of social media is that there’s little financial cost involved. The disadvantage is that there’s a lot of time involved. So, what you’re looking at really is the response you get for the time you spend. You’d be surprised how often it’s worth it. 7 Habits of Highly Successful Social Media Marketers 1 Target your message 2 Know when to use which medium 3 Be Human, be authentic 4 Invest in a Killer Content 5 Measure, but don’t get too hung up on ROI ( Return on Investment) 6 Don’t wait to address legal, compliance, governance 7 Have fun and keep learning www.inversionsmm.com
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http://356mp.com
THINK GLOBAL. 356 Media Productions is a creative design agency launched by Harvey Rusher, Jr. to service both the small business owner and small non-profit organizations. With a total of 14 years of experience in graphic design & photography, the agency launched adding a web design component to its arsenal in 2006. The mission of 356 Media Productions is to offer a strategic, streamlined approach to design that infuses form and function.
web design, graphic design,& photography IT'S A DESIGN, MARKETING, MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING FIRM ALL PUT INTO ONE.
Harvey Rusher, Jr
E: hrusher@356mp.com P: 281.846.4025
“SERVING PROCESS DAILY” STATE CERTIFIED PROCESS SERVER STATE CERTIFIED NOTARY PUBLIC
SOUTHEAST TEXAS CIVIL PROCESS CURRENTLY OFFERS MOBILE NOTARY SERVICES AND ALL PROCESS SERVER SERVICES IN HARRIS, BRAZORIA, FORT BEND, GALVESTON, AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES. QUICK, FAST, AND AFFORDABLE SERVICE!!!!
Southeast Texas Civil Process Bobby Rouse - Owner Houston, TX 713.575.7569 - Phone 281.412.6498 - Fax bobby@setxcp.com www.setxcp.com