Social Media for Professionals:- Accountants, Coaches, Designers, Real Estate Pros, Mortgage Pros, Law Practices...

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn …you’ve been hearing about these online social networking sites on a daily basis and may be wondering:

• “What exactly is Social Media?”
  
• “Is this just another fad?”
• “Can it ‘really’ help me grow my business?”

Social Media is a fundamental shift in how we function on the planet on both a personal and professional basis. As Socialnomics author Erik Qualman states, “Social media touches every facet of business and is more a function of good business ethics.”

The widespread adoption of social media, which began making mainstream traction in 2007, is the largest paradigm shift in how professionals approach their potential clients… and how consumers approach businesses. We’re literally getting to the point where, if your prospects cannot find you on Facebook or Twitter at minimum, you may as well not exist in their eyes.

Yet so many businesses are still stuck using “old media” because they simply don’t fully understand the power of new media, nor how to effectively integrate it into their overall marketing plans.

If we look at old media - traditional marketing – it’s interruptive; we’re constantly interrupted while watching TV, listening to radio or even while driving. In fact, “old style” internet marketing with pop-ups, pop-unders, forced opting in, and big flashing banner ads is also interruptive and generally not effective any longer.

By contrast, new media marketing involves and encourages participation by both the professionals and their target audience.

Old media is flat, one-way; there’s no interaction. The message is typically designed and delivered with zero input from prospects or clients. Whereas social media is two-way – multi-way, even.

Companies like Starbucks and Best Buy are leading the way in engagement through social media marketing. Nike, Vitamin Water and Threadless are great examples of “crowd-sourcing” – having your target market actually help you co-create products!

Together, we are literally reinventing and redefining communication and how we market and sell our products and services.

Social media is the dynamic new marketing phenomenon that has changed the business landscape and it is absolutely here to stay.

Successful social media marketing puts the focus directly on your prospects and customers; the emphasis is on building relationships in creative ways.

A few stats of two of the most popular social networking sites:

FACEBOOK:

• Over 480 million active members.
• Predicted to be over 600 million by 2011… or sooner.
• The 2nd most trafficked website in the world – second only to Google. Facebook has, on a few occasions, ousted Google and taken the #1 spot. [Source: Alexa.com]
• The largest photo-sharing platform. Two billion photos are uploaded per month.
• More than 50% of Facebook users in the U.S. are over 35 years old. [Source: ComScore].
  

TWITTER:

• Popular social network, news source and viral marketing tool.
• Grew by over 1900% in 2008 to 2009.
• Over 100 million members.
• Politicians, brands, big companies and celebrities now embracing Twitter.

These numbers and stats are staggering. If you're not active on the top social networks, you risk being left way behind and you're may well be losing business on a daily basis. You simply must get active now, at least on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter.

But there’s a right way and a wrong way to approach social media marketing. If you do it wrong, you could risk your reputation, and potentially do more harm than good. I’ve certainly come across a number of horror stories out there – some by renowned companies too, who just didn’t “get” social media!

I’m delighted to introduce you to my friends Ash and Brad – their book will help walk you through the crazy morass of conflicting information and easily put you on the right path to social media success.


MARI SMITH
- www.MariSmith.com
- Social Media Speaker, Trainer and Consultant.
- Author, Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day (Sybex, May 2010)
- Dubbed the "Pied Piper of the Online World" by FastCompany.com.

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CLICK HERE to learn more about the World's First book:
Social Media for Professionals

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“I’m delighted to introduce you to my friends Ash and Brad – their book will help walk you through the crazy morass of conflicting information and easily put you on the right path to social media success.”

Mari Smith
www.MariSmith.com
Social Media Speaker, Trainer and Consultant.
Author, Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day (Sybex, May 2010)
Dubbed the "Pied Piper of the Online World" by FastCompany.com.

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"With the ever growing technology & evolution of social media, business collaboration & customer connection via online platforms, there are thousands of 'experts' suddenly offering tips, tricks & advise on the subject that that has become what is now our day to day relationship builder in business worldwide.

How do we choose what to do & who to follow? By listening & learning from the Absolute Leaders of Social Media Science who build information based on what WE as business professionals need, because THEY have listened and consistently strive for our success via their own.

Ash and Brad ARE these Leaders! They have simplified & utilized all the learning elements we need to easily understand & confidently build successful social media marketing resources & profiles in 1 step by step user friendly guide. No fuss, straight up - it rocks!"

Kayt McGeary
www.kaytmcgeary.com
Director of Calkayt Services
'Innovative Intrapreneurial Business Solutions'
& Elite Essentials 'Personal Image Collection'

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CLICK HERE to learn more about the World's First book:
Social Media For Professionals

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