“It is our nature to be social”

Last week as I spoke at the NASSCOM Emerge Friday 2.0 and while sharing my experience on the Causeaneffect.org NGO initiative, it dawned onto me that social media has always been around, only its importance has accentuated in the last few years. Attending conferences all over the world and presenting the case of social media and the experiences of iridium Interactive, it was pretty apparent that social media has no barriers across countries, it is a unified digital revolution that has been transforming our lives, only under different names since more than a decade. How has it changed our lives has not been introspected yet.

Here are the some of the reasons how social media has changed our lives and why we should make the most of it.

1.       It has made us more social, we know a lot more people than we would a few years back.

2.       Larger networks- college friends, school friends, people we meet at social occasions, relatives, and friends met though friends, this used to be our typical networks, social media has exponentially increased our networks.

3.       More vocal about your thoughts- Forums, blogs, tweets, status updates are allowing us to speak our mind, wondered why? Because we know we will be heard by some or many.

4.       Enhances PR skills- you do not have to take PR lessons to talk to people on social media.

5.       Converse with like minded people on these social networks.

6.       Get in touch with thought leaders, influencers and even people who inspire you.

7.       Reconnects with old connections- People you have lost in touch with since a decade can be traced from any corner of the world (provided they are on these networks themselves) on the wide world of social media.

8.       Your virtual network is always ready to help. All it takes is to put forward a question and there you will have experts recommending the best to you.

9.       Ease of companies to get in touch with their consumers and vis a vis.

10.   Looking for a job or looking to hire someone, your professional network helps you find the best fit.

Social media brings out the extrovert you. All that matters in social media is your network, communities, connections and finally your discussions with them. Social media has reduced distances both for individuals and companies.

Have you seen a change in your social profile by social media, do post what you have gained from social media.

Follow us on @iridiuminter or my personal twitter @sbharatam.

Image Source-Rosaura Ochoa from Flickr

Here are few ways you can start your social media activities:

Facebook Fan Page/ Profile: With hits more than Google, Facebook is emerging as a social media giant. They also provide a good platform for advertising and getting in touch with your customers and create your community in the long run.With their recent new editions to enter pretty everywhere on the web, facebook is expected to become the platform for consumer behaviors and brand advocacy.

Twitter: This is one platform that allows you to market your company within 180 characters. Easy as it seems it provides immense marketing capabilities.

Company Blog: This is one way small businesses can add great value to their firm. This can be a great way to share knowledge, the company culture with the world. Smart companies are again and again proving to be the ‘employer’ of choice not through their flashy websites anymore, but by the blogs. One key reason, company blogs bring the real story, videos of people fresh and alive. Interaction is the hot button.

Linkedin: I have already spoken on reaching out to your professional network through Linkedin. Make contacts, get in touch with like minded people, find potential employees and even get recognized in your field of  work. Linkedin with its virtual networking opportunities is something much beyond your face-to-face networking.

And finally measuring your return on influence from social media, to analyse your progress in the social media space is one thing you should do even before you venture engaging with people online.

There are so many other means to start off with social media, these are the most popular ways of taking off and therefore my sweep-take. My next blog will talk about how small businesses can start off with facebook and its various applications.

There is one most important thing that has to be mentioned time and again, no matter how many social networks you are present in, what matters most is your presence, make yourself felt and do it the right way. Quality always wins over quantity as humans relate with people who respond and connect..slowly winning the social trust.

Follow us on @iridiuminter or my personal twitter @sbharatam.

Image Source: Jon_Marshall’s Photostream on Flickr

Social Media Marketing is nothing but using Social Media as a platform for your marketing endeavours. It is the new way of marketing that has this unique ability to let consumers market for you, beautifully aligning your offline and online marketing. The industry gurus call it WOM (Word of Mouth) marketing. Social media in its real essence is interactive in nature, so when a company starts interacting directly with their customers, customers / stakeholders fundamentally tend to relate more with the brand and indirectly become brand ambassadors for such companies.

These customers then spread their marketing messages organically. Most successful social media compaigns include consumer engagement, corporate transparency and community building.

So many companies now have blogs, newsletters, accounts in various social networking sites like facebook, twitter, myspace, linkedin etc. this is solely for the purpose of giving their consumers a real time view of what is actually happening within the company. Building trust by engaging in conversations and creating transparent avatar is what these companies are successfully doing in their social media marketing activities.

Companies who restrain from using social media marketing are missing out on the huge coverage social media has to offer which no other traditional marketing tools have to offer. And guess what….it is extremely cost-effective low cost marketing platform with a reach you cannot comprehend, if you have something fresh to voice …it gets heard ! that will help you derive huge consumer following and build your brand credibility that traditional media alone can no-more promise.

Follow us on @iridiuminter or my personal twitter @sbharatam

People by their very nature are social. Companies, businesses thrive on people and their opinions. No surprises then, that Social media has it own reasons to evolve with more and more social networking sites mushrooming every single day. Whether you like it or not, accept it or not, there is so much being said about you- with or without you. If you choose not engage, you are simply giving up the ability to manage and influence what’s being said…

It has become an imperative need to listen to what your stakeholders are saying about you in this social space before planning any marketing strategy. In a recent global CMO survey, over 90% of companies confirm that they are allocating over 25% of their marketing mix budgets to social media / digital marketing initiatives. They are understanding this critical need to participate in continuous consumer interactions that engages users with opportunities to share their opinions.

There are so many online social networking sites from facebook, twitter, orkut, flickr, digg, technorati, myspace, linkedin, picasa and so many more. When you search for Social Media on Google you get 210,000,000 results. Whaoo!! This can be rather intimidating for someone who is just looking at implementing this very popular phenomena people just cant stop talking about in the business context.

@iridiuminter, having the depth and breath of social media for over a decade, @iridiuminter digital strategy team enjoys placing the social footprints for our clients everyday with a robust relevancy and reach that delivers tangible online growth engines for them.So, it is time to question your marketing plans and explore the new dimensions of online growth opportunities right now.

In my bid to share the knowledge and experience on Social Media Marketing and Monitoring, I will take you through these stories in my upcoming series and help you set your fortress of Social media.

Follow us on @iridiuminter or my personal twitter @sbharatam.

Why LinkedIn? A Case in Point..

If you have your personal profile on LinkedIn, by now, you know the dynamics of a trusted professional network and the 6 degrees of connection between you and the world.

• Ask yourself, how is your company engaging your stakeholders through LinkedIn. Start building your company profile
• Just having random topic for discussion board will not do the work, you need a network engagement strategy to talk about what the market is bending towards. Once you have your share of like-minded people who start listening, you then begin talking about what matters to you.
• There is never a better way to get new potential employees that you really seek
• Having more conversations, will directly improve your Google search results

You might find this short video helpful, with due credits to Common Craft. They do come up with the coolest presentations that are very easy to comprehend. Watch this video to get a better idea of Linkedin.

Follow us on @iridiuminter or my personal twitter @sbharatam.

I completely look forward to this epic forum since it is undoubtedly Asia’s largest leadership conference with a diverse mix of inspirational experts from the industry. Flooded by the outpour of registrations,  NILF boasts of a record registration of 1650 delegates this year from countries all over the world and India. This is going to be one opulent event with the stalwarts of the IT industry who will be present there.

Exactly this time around last year when the economy was caught in the clutches of recession the theme of the event was mainly focussed on how to tackle the downturn. This year holds particular importance as the industry recovers from the financial slowdown, we look forward to new times, new dimensions, new outlooks and the opportunity to explore new directions which is also the theme of  this event this year ‘New Times, New Ideas, New Directions’

Do check this out….

1. The NASSCOM EVENT online destination: http://indialeadershipforum.nasscom.in
2. NASSCOM EVENT BLOG : http://indialeadershipforum.nasscom.in/blog
3. NASSCOM EVENT NETWORKING PORTAL : http://indialeadershipforum.nasscom.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=76&Itemid=92

You can also avail the live updates from NILF from : http://indialeadershipforum.nasscom.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=207&Itemid=262

Hence, just to stand out from the crowd, this article refutes this supposition. There are ways and means of generating leads thru social media.

Marketers and business owners have tried in the recent period to leverage their presence on social networks and media sites – to build brands and also to find new leads. However, their tendency to focus on isolated Web 2.0 strategies often has been the cause of their failure.

Some of the positives that have come out of a strategized presence by B2B owners have been:

o Find and nurture new leads
o Find higher quality leads
o Avoid undesirable clients
o Stay connected with industry contacts
o Find potential partners

A simple but sure way towards success is highlighted here – by a current Direct Marketing practitioner.

The attempt is not to advocate any specific approach as the “be all end all” but only to trigger each business owner to see and adapt to her own need.

The experience of this successful practitioner is quoted verbatim – to avoid the expected losses in translation or interpretation.

So here goes:

1. Facebook

Rosenthal launched the ‘What I Saw at the Direct Marketing Revolution’ Facebook group in November 2007. It has since grown to 1,150 members – one of the largest direct marketing groups on the network.

Members discuss topics such as “Fascinating Direct Marketing Test Results” and “What Essential Tests Should Direct Marketers Run to Stay Up to Date?” There’s also a job exchange.

A. Strategy: Network
Mostly, Rosenthal participates in ‘What I Saw at the Direct Marketing Revolution.’ He contributes to discussions, starts new topics and interacts with group members. It’s been a great way to meet people in the industry, he says.

B. Benefit: Find New Business
“This Facebook group is emerging as a new business source… [We also make] all sorts of interesting industry connections and referral opportunities where we’re able to team up with different organizations,” he says.

C. Challenge: Follow Conventions
Facebook is not a free-for-all. There are rules – some of which have broadsided a few marketers. Save yourself a lot of trouble: Read the terms of service.

“For example, if you launched your identity on Facebook as [your company’s name], I think you’d be in violation on the terms of service because you’d be posing as someone else,” Rosenthal says.

Also, prominent bloggers have had their Facebook accounts canceled for exceeding the 5,000-friends limit. The cap is designed to thwart spammers, Rosenthal says.

2. The Blog

Rosenthal launched his blog, Freaking Marketing, in January 2006. He adds about two posts a week to help “spread the shop’s philosophy,” he says.

A. Strategy: Evangelize
On the blog, Rosenthal tries to convey the company’s “philosophy, our attitude, our priorities, our beliefs.” He also features some of his agency’s work and embeds videos created for clients.

B. Benefit: Higher Quality Leads
“[The blog] is really a filter that sends out a message that attracts like-minded people and even eliminates the people that wouldn’t be good clients… If people go through the blog, they’ll get a good idea of what the shop is about, they’ll know a good deal about me and it really allows for a better fit [with clients],” he says.

C. Challenge: Promote the Blog
Rosenthal spreads the word about his blog by:
-Advertising it to his email database
-Submitting posts to social media sites, such as Digg
-Forwarding posts to bloggers and reporters
-Mentioning it on other social networking platforms

3. Twitter
Rosenthal started using this free micro-blogging service in early 2007. His “tweet” frequency ranges from two a day to two a week, and he has about 400 followers, he says.
A. Strategy: Micro-evangelize and Personalize
“As soon as there are any developments in the shop, or a new post on Freaking Marketing, or an interesting addition to ‘What I Saw at the Direct Marketing Revolution,’ [my followers] know about it,” he says.
In addition, Rosenthal includes tidbits about his daily life to connect personally with his audience.
“I just go on there from time to time and talk about literally what I’m doing, what’s going on in my life. Sometimes I’ll mention that it’s a beautiful morning and my little girl just asked me to go for a ride on the bike,” he says.

B. Benefit: Spreading the Word
The benefits Rosenthal sees to using Twitter are similar to the benefits from blogging. It allows him to convey his company’s philosophy, promote its work and connect with people on a personal level.

C. Challenge: Finding Followers
Rosenthal finds most of his Twitter followers by subscribing to streams of other people who return the favor. Others come by naturally, by finding Rosenthal on the Twitter website, or by linking to his stream from his blog, Facebook profile or LinkedIn profile.

4. LinkedIn

Rosenthal created a LinkedIn profile about three years ago. He now has more than 250 connections, keeping him in touch with former clients and contacts throughout the industry.

A. Strategy: Build Directory
LinkedIn is more of a social directory than a socializing tool. Rosenthal’s main tactic is to know where to connect with former clients and industry contacts. However, he occasionally uses the service to answer direct marketing-related questions, he says.

B. Benefit: Keep Track of Contacts
“A lot of our clients are at software companies, and the turnover at those places is really extraordinary. So, an advantage is — once they’re a LinkedIn connection, no matter where they go, you know where they are,” Rosenthal says.

C. Challenge: Finding More Contacts
Rosenthal suggests allowing LinkedIn to run through your email contacts to find people already on the network. Compatible platforms include Microsoft Office Outlook, Yahoo! Mail and Gmail, he says. Also, any time you meet a new person, send them an invitation to join the network and become a connection.

6 Key Takeaways for Your Strategy

1. Link to all of your social platforms — everywhere
Every one of Rosenthal’s profiles links to his profiles on other networking sites. Together, the tools find new clients and contacts, teach them about the business and keep in touch with them over time.

2. Devote yourself to genuinely connecting
It’s important to focus on making conversation, not sales, when you’re on a social network. “If it’s really a veiled attempt to just push out your product, people are going to pick up on that and they’re going to know you’re not authentic and they’re going to dismiss you right off the bat,” Rosenthal says.

3. Allocate enough time
This strategy’s greatest obstacle is the time required. Rosenthal says it takes about five hours a week to maintain the four tools, but it “varies wildly.” If you have a blog, you have to maintain it. In this milieu, few things look worse than old content.

4. Be choosy with your networks
It’s easy to go overboard with so many available networks, but resist the temptation. “Don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick your spots and do something where you’re able to make a meaningful contribution and not only get it launched but keep it going and do justice to it,” Rosenthal says.

5. Create a backlog
The quality of your conversations and blog posts will suffer if you’re pressed for time. To keep his content quality high, Rosenthal writes enough blog posts to have a backlog of entries he can rely on in emergencies.

6. Mention your social strategy. Again.
Always promote your social strategy. A quick mention, such as, “I’m also on Facebook, if you ever want to connect there” or “We also have a blog you might be interested in” to people you meet in your industry can help build your network. And, if you have a house email list, use it

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