8 Ways To Grow Your Social Media Footprint

Last week I attended a free two-hour seminar on social media provided by Constant Contact (my new BFF). While it’s true that I went for work, writers are their own small business so YOU get to benefit as well. It is Techie Tuesday after all. 🙂

Look at this article from Business Week back in 2008 – Social Media Will Change Your Business. There’s a fun recap at how far things had come since 2005. (Light years!) Now compare it to the L.A. Times article this week, Social Media Giving Small Firms A Boost, which cites social media as a portal to success for small businesses.

Here are eight low-cost tips to help you expand your current social media footprint:

1. Voicemail
   If you haven’t added your Facebook address and Twitter username to your voicemail, you are missing out on some cheap easy marketing. Hundreds of people hear your voicemail each year and it could be the push they need to connect with you online.
2. Your website
   Does your website have clear links to your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn page? What about to your blog? If someone finds your website, you want to make it easy for them to find the rest.
3. Printed materials
   Do you have your social media information printed at the bottom of each letter and brochure you put out? What about on your business cards? It’s easy to make room in the address block for something so important. Try including this the next time you print any materials.
4. Email Signature
   Do you have all your social media info in the signature blog on your email? It’s amazing how many people will click that link if you make it easy.
5. Email marketing
   It’s a good idea to build an email list and use it for some email marketing. I didn’t say spamming. Once a month is fine for connecting. Once a day is not. Be sure to include all your links as well as a periodic promotion. You’ll be surprised at the results. Tools like Constant Contact can track this for you.
6. Signage
   Do you have a sign up at bookstores or tradeshow events telling your customers readers how to connect with you via social media? It’s likely you’re missing out on some contacts you could have made. When people are browsing these places, you’ve got a pretty captive audience. I’m discussing QR codes next week to expand this idea.
7. Business presentations
   Do you do any public speaking? Your social media contact information should be on each slide, in any handouts you provide and should also be verbalized at the beginning and end of the presenation.
8. Cross-promotion between platforms
   It’s a very good idea to be sure that your  customers readers can find you anywhere. The easiest way to do this is to list your social media information on each platform – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and your blog.

Remember, “Content is King” – nothing will replace good content. But Social Media is Queen these days and small businesses writers should cast their social media net as widely as they can.

Are there any social media marketing tips you’ve found helpful? Which platform has worked best for you? How many of you have joined Roni Loren on the Tumblr train or circled up with Patrick Thunstrom, Jami Gold and Kristen Lamb on Google+?

Jenny

Last but not least, are you ready to party???
Starting tonight at one minute after midnight EST (which means (9:01 pm on the West Coast!) a bunch of us are gonna light up the Row80 hashtag on Twitter and ROCK THE ROW to celebrate Round 3 and get ready for Round 4 of Row 80. I’ll have a new post up for the event this evening – I hope you get busy with it too because there’s prizes. 🙂

Click here to read ALL about it!