Tapping into your Big Thinking Survey

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Permalink Reply by Steve Ulrich on November 28, 2008 at 1:11am

Hi Michele:

Here are my answers for your survey.

(1). I have the most incredible vision that social media is changing the way we communicate with each other, all over the planet. I predicted this 2 years ago while attending and presenting at a Gartner Group conference in Tokyo, and heard how Web 2.0 was beginning to take hold. This year, in February, I attended the "Social Media Telesummit, hosted by Leesa Barnes, and realized how Blogging, Podcasting, Social Networking (Facebook, etc.), Community sites like Ning, Ryze, and TBR), Social Bookmarking and voting sies (Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon, etc) , and Video sites like YouTube and GoogleVideo, were becoming so prevalent that the tipping point for public and business acceptance was happening for about to happen soon.

My vision for 2009 is that use of social media will absolutely skyrocket. Businesses large and small are beginning to use these platforms for client attraction, spreading their message, creating brand awareness, forming and joining groups around special interestes, and most of all creating the venue or opportunity for feedback, comments, sharing, learning, and connecting that bring our whole world closer together. The promise of the Internet may actually be reached with the advanced use of these platforms. In 2009 more people and business will become aware of this potential and start embracing it, their employees, vendors, suppliers, and customers as well. Think of the possibilities.

My use of social media will be to learn new platforms, be able to teach around those platforms, create awareness of my social media coaching, consulting, and education business that supports small business owners in using social media. This means using the plaforms I am helping to teach as the method to prove to clients that it works, by having attracted them. I will make more connections, create richer relationships, support business growth, and grow my business using these tools.

(2) My number 1 success tip is for social media users to ask questions, and get help for their queries. There is so much activity here that it gets overwhelming. Selling your services using social media is not the same as traditional Internet Marketing. It is a softer sell, creating the relationship and having people see you out because of who you show up as. People need to increase their awareness, cross promote using different platforms (like having your blog come through facebook), commenting on other people blogs, taking action whre they have been challenged. Ask question, ask for help, and help will be there for you. I charge for my services and that is my work. People will get the help they need, and they may have to pay for that help, and they will get the results they are seeking. There are many experts out there, many people who know much more than I do, that is why I will cointinue to study these platforms and direct people to where they can get specific help for specfic issues.

(3) The biggest challenge is the fear of doing things wrong. They have the account on facebook, now they don't know what to do with it, and they are afraid to reveal too much of themselves, join groups, make new friends, find out about and question folks they want to invite as friends, learn what they are up to and find ways to connect. They will come and learn about your business when they feel they know, like and trust you. It means being active, twittering, sharing who you are, and stepping up to show your expertise where needed. There is no wrong - not every strategy will work as well as others, but you have to take some risks, step up to getting education, taking the social media phenomenon seriously, and working with a plan on how to proceed. I can help work with their fears, and work with my clients to create a workable plan of action to use social media effectively in their marketing efforts. Sometimes people are told, get on facebook, you'll make money - where it might not be the best strategy for them, or they need to realize that offline and online marketing methods may need to be utilized.

Michele, again we can clarify my statements a bit better, and collectively get your answers in the shape you need them. Facebook invite coming rather quickly as I finish this note.

Steve

Permalink Reply by Michele Price on December 28, 2008 at 7:43pm

Steve that is great and so aligned with what I am doing for 2009 as well. Now I understand your reaching out to me as we have much to discuss.

I will be having Leesa Barnes on my radio show in Feb. She rocks!

Come on guys this is the place where we can collaborate and build much more success by going in the community together as a force of Big Thinkers.

Who else is planning on wanting to use Social Media 2009 and what are your questions.