Tackle Your Fears: Take the First Steps of Your Social Media Marketing Journey

The power of Facebook cannot be denied. With 500 million users, Facebook's numbers are almost double the population of the United States. We Facebook users spend more than 700 billion minutes a month total on Facebook, which boils down to about 20 minutes a day on average for each of us.

“But where do I start?” you ask. Or, “I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up with it,” I hear. Well then, I encourage you to embrace my motto, which is, “It's better to do it badly than not at all.” Rid yourself of your doubts and give it a shot. You can't ever possibly expect to become a master Facebook marketer until you start using Facebook. Don't feel bad if you're not using it to its fullest potential. Don't feel bad if you don't post regularly. Being seen on Facebook and making connections are your No. 1 priorities. The more you use Facebook, the more natural it will become and the easier it will be to integrate it into your day-to-day marketing plan.

Which brings me to your social media marketing plan. Yes, you need a plan, but it doesn't have to be time-consuming or involved. It should be a working plan that evolves with your experiences.

Before opening your own accounts, spend a few hours researching the Facebook pages, Twitter streams and LinkedIn profiles of your colleagues. Notice how they set up their accounts and journal your thoughts and any ideas your research may spark. It's especially easy to lose track of time on Facebook, so it's crucial that you set time limits for yourself. Set an overall daily limit and decide how many minutes you'll spend on each profile.

Next, choose your profile names. I find that it's best to use your real name as your Twitter handle. You're using social media to build relationships, and the more familiar your contacts are with your name, the easier it will be to translate the online conversation into a face-to-face encounter. LinkedIn uses your real name. In Facebook, you'll create a personal profile as well as a business fan page.

Now, start making those connections! For the most part (there are occasional exceptions), I don't friend anyone on Facebook unless I've either met them at least once or know I will meet them in the near future, or if we share a significant number of mutual friends. It's completely acceptable to follow anyone and everyone's Twitter streams, but you must know your contact to connect in LinkedIn, since it's designed as a professional tool.

You will be sucked into the virtual vortex in particular when you first open your Facebook account. Plan extra time into your schedule for this, but remember to set limits in the future.

As you use social media tools more and more, you'll learn how to unleash their powers and integrate them into your overall marketing plan. Keep your plan fluid and make adjustments to it as your experience grows. Measure your efforts. Check your website stats to see if you're driving traffic to your website via social media. Evaluate which topics generate the most activity on your website and blog, and what times of day generate a larger response. Make notes and adjust your plan accordingly.

Don't be afraid. Jump in and learn how to swim in the virtual waters.

Name: Natalie Napoleon Wi

Company: Allure West Studios

Address: 100 Mechanics St.

Doylestown, PA 18901 USA

Phone: 267/247-5858

E-mail: natalie@allurewest.com

Website: www.allurewest.com

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