Email signatures are a great way to easily share your social media information with people you know and new contacts. I have a few different signatures I use depending on the company and the situation around the email. This is a great way for people to quickly learn more about you, your company and your products or services.

There is a great service called WiseStamp that is available for those that use web based mail (Gmail, Yahoo, Windows Live and AOL). You can embed recent updates from your social media sites, recent blog posts or podcasts. This is a great free plugin! It works with firefox or flock browsers, internet explorer is not supported at this time. Want to see some sample social media signatures that have been created by others?

For Outlook users you can use images and links with HTML to share your networks. I have not found an easy way to integrate live feeds into a signature with Outlook. But the images and a compelling statement will get people clicking on your links!

What do you use for your email signatures?

I was just reading this months Facebook Ads newsletter and read this great case study and had to share the information with you all!

Cathy Bennett launched an online scrapbooking service in 2007. Cathy’s marketing efforts have been focused on driving traffic to her website and increasing awareness of her company. In 2009, she decided to create a Page, the free public profile that enables companies to share their business and products with existing and potential customers on an ongoing basis. She soon realized that she had a wide variety of people joining the Page, from moms to high school students.

So, she started advertising her Page with Facebook Ads. Cathy discovered that creating seasonal ads that were specific to Easter and Thanksgiving, for example, increased clicks. Also helpful was Facebook’s anonymized targeting that let her reach potential customers based on specific “Likes and Interests” listed in their Facebook profiles. Since 2009, the company’s website has received over 200,000 visits from Facebook users.

Cathy’s complete story about her scrapbooking company on Facebook can be found here.

Facebook ads can help increase traffic to your fan page, your website, a free teleconference, a product launch…and so much more!

Have you used Facebook ads?

Are you stressed over social media? You have been told social media is good for your business but you’re not quite sure how or what to do.

Social media leverages the power of the internet and its users! If you are passionate about your products, services and your industry you are ready for social media!

I work with coaches and small business owners to reach their audience, increase their online presence and develop a positive rapport.

Take a look around my website, learn more about social media and contact me with any questions you have. I offer a free consultation to discuss your questions and goals and how I can help you reach them.

So many businesses are seeing success with targeted Facebook ads. Facebook ads offer businesses flexibility and optimization of their ads. You can chose dates and budgets for your ads, as well as who you want to target.

What’s in an Ad?

The Title
No longer than 25 characters, is the bold blue headline. A strong title can include your business name, the name of a product, a call to action, or a target audience’s interest.
The Destination URL
Every Facebook ad must have a destination URL that is directly tied to the ad, so this may not be your home page. This is key to getting your ad approved. If your link is not revert to the ad you are likely to get rejected. If you want to promote something on Facebook (event, page, application or group) then you will need to chose the option “I want to advertise something I have on Facebook”
Image
It is highly recommended to add an image to your ad to make it more appealing to the eye. The ad system will resize any image you add to 110 by 80 pixels.
Body Text
This will appear just below your image and has 135 characters available. It should include details to your offer, product, service or event.

Targeting
The targeting options need to directly match your advertising goals. You can set a number of filters to assist you in reaching the best audience for your ad. Options include; Location, Language, Demographic, Education and Work, Likes and Interests, and Connection Targeting. As you edit each of these areas Facebook will update you on your estimate reach alone the right hand side.

The Like button on ads
Many ads will have the well known like button. This allows users to express their liking over ad. Their friends will also see this action on their version of the ad. There is an “X” in the top right corner where users can close the ad. These actions assist Facebook advertising improve their system.

Reporting
Once you run an ad you will have access to reports from Facebook on how you ad is doing. These reports include standard metrics like Impressions (the number of times your ad was shown) and Clicks (the number of times your ad was clicked on), and Conversion metrics. You will be able to view demographic and profile information on those that have clicked your ads, for example; age, gender, location, interests, books, etc.

Facebook has a webinar recording available to you on “How to harness the full potential of Facebook Ads and Insights”. Great information to those who want to run ads on Facebook.

If you would like more information on Facebook ads here is the resource center from Facebook.

I recently had the pleasure of offering a workshop to local women’s business group. We held the event at a great local cafe, Sertinos, where we enjoyed some wonderful food and coffee before the workshop. I covered Twitter and Facebook basics for all the business owners in attendance.

Check out a few pictures of the workshop on my facebook fan page!

Just a little food for thought, I found this group through social media! Had I not been on Facebook and meet another woman business owner and she not recommend this group I would not have know about them. I would have never had the opportunity to hold a workshop! If you are in the Tucson area and are a women business owner please check out Sharon Michael’s Group, Women Who Want To Successfully Work For Themselves

I often hear new business owners seeking a way to check their brand name availability on the social networks. With the high activity of social media it is important to check your potential branding. Here are two easy tools that will check the social networks for any name you may be considering.

User Name Check

and

NameChk

When you are thinking of a new product or new business you should run them through these easy tools and see if they are already in use. If they aren’t in use then go sign up and retain the names for when you are ready to use them…or they be gone before you get the chance.

I just watched this video that was recommend from one of my Twitter Followers and had to share it with everyone! This is the best 4 minutes of my day. Check it out.

Get your brand out there, monitor it and watch your brand awareness grow!

To Tweet or Not To Tweet? This seems to be a hot question with businesses new to Twitter. Why do I need to hear what people had for lunch, or that they’re walking their dog? Well these posts are allowing you to get to know the person beyond the virtual world. The majority of posts are not lunch or dog related, but rather helpful and useful information that you can then share with your followers. So how do you use this new social media platform? Lets take a look at some of the basic features to get you started.

The Tweet

This is a 140 character mini blog post. This will post will appear to each of your followers. This is a short summary on what is going on, what you are doing, something interesting you want to pass on and information you want to share.

Who to Follow?

Twitter is about connecting and networking. People will follow you and you can follow people. When you have found someone that peaks your interests you can follow them and receive their Tweet updates. When you are on their Twitter profile you will see their picture and just below will be a follow button. In one click you are their newest follower. Do you have to follow someone who is following you? This is up to you. You do not have to, but keep this little tidbit in mind. If you are not following someone they cannot direct message (private message) you in the future.

Finding people to follow:

Search on Twitter.If you know their user name, first name or last name this can be the easiest way to find them. To do this click on the Find People button at the top of your Twitter page.

Your other networks. If you are on Facebook, LinkedIn or other social networks check your connections and see if they are on Twitter. This is an easy way to get directly to their page and follow them.

Email/RSS/or Text follow. You can invite your connections to Twitter if they are not Tweeting yet. Send them an email with your information and invite them to join you. If they do not want to sign up for Twitter at this time let them know they can subscribe to your RSS feed and get your updates that way. To do this all they need to do is click on the RSS button in the right column and insert that URL into their RSS reader. The other option they have is to receive your updates to their wireless device as a text message. All they have to do is “follow [user name]” to 40404.

If you decide you do not want to follow someone any more, just visit their page and hit the unfollow button below their picture.

The Art of the @ Reply

You received a Tweet that must be shared now what do you do? Quite simple, from the Twitter interface click the little grey arrow to the right of that specific Tweet. Now you will be taken to a Tweet post that will display @ and their name (ie. @VAerin) Then be sure that you paste in their original message, if you have room you can add a statement about it.

I just want to send a message to one person. This is also a function of the @ reply. Just type in the post box @ and their username proceeded by your message. Now remember this is not a private message, your whole network will see this message.

Direct Message Anyone?

Now here is how you send that private message. To do this type a capitol D followed by a space and then the username, then of course your message. This will arrive to that user only.

Favorite Tweets?

Here is a nifty tool. You can use this in a few ways. I use this as a Twitter Testimonial Area. What the world are you talking about Erin? If I receive a thank you, a good job, a recommendation over Twitter I favorite it. Then when some visits my favorites they will see all the wonderful things I have helped with. The other use for this feature is to remember Tweets. Favorite it for future reference, because you like the quote or what ever reason you want to!

What other Twitter questions do you have? Please let me know here: http://premierevirtualoffice.com/contact-erin

I just read an excellent article from Entrepreneur and I have to share it with you. This article highlights some key benefits to working with a social media specialist. After the article I provide one more insight for you!

Between blogging, tweeting, Facebooking and updating a LinkedIn profile, it’s a wonder how a business owner has any time to answer e-mails and phone calls, much less run a company. But the time invested in social networking is well spent in this age where maintaining a social media presence can be a necessary piece of a successful marketing strategy.

Trouble is, as the number of platforms grows, so does the time it takes to feed and groom each account. Not to mention the front-end investment of setting everything up.

For those caught up in a social media blitz–and those contemplating taking the plunge–why not consider outsourcing? A virtual assistant can tackle those time-consuming tasks.

What Can a Social Media Virtual Assistant Do?
Many administrative professionals who provided support services such as correspondence, search engine optimization and event planning via the internet are now expanding to include social media. Now they can help with everything from recommending the right SM platforms and setting up profiles, to finding potential clients and networking groups and maintaining communication with them.

Conduct a Cost/Benefit Analysis
Busy business owners may be tempted to add those social media duties to an existing employee’s responsibilities. But Kimberly LeRiche of JK Virtual Office Resources cautions that keeping a personal profile on Facebook is very different than understanding how it can be used for branding.

“Unless they already have an employee who is well-versed in social media for marketing and increasing online visibility, the only advantage would be that they already know the business,” she says
Another advantage is cost savings. The business owner can save hours trying to add widgets to blogs or searching for relevant industry links and put them back into running the show.

LeRiche points out SM virtual assistants usually charge by the hour, only for the time spent working. Though average hourly rates vary, a 2007 survey from the Virtual Assistant Networking Organization lists median fees between $30 and $40 and information from AssistU indicates rates can go up to $70 per hour depending on specializations and certifications.

The hidden costs of full-time staff disappear also. Business owners won’t have to pay for employment taxes, benefits, office space or equipment. If the relationship with the SM virtual assistant doesn’t work out, their contract can be terminated without the expense of unemployment insurance.

“A virtual assistant is also a business owner,” LeRiche says. “They often view themselves as a partner in the success of their client’s business.” She adds that this dynamic creates an entirely different working relationship than the one between an employee and an employer.

Have a Plan
If analysis favors hiring an assistant, it is time to think about goals. LeRiche says it is important to determine if help is needed beyond creating and maintaining profiles, such as implementing an overall social media strategy. “Having an idea of what they want the SM assistant to do will help guide them to the person with the right skills, qualifications and knowledge.”

She says business owners should be comfortable delegating and communicating consistently. “It can typically take between 60 and 90 days for an assistant to fully integrate and understand the client and their business so it’s important for them to be prepared to provide information and be responsive during the early days of the working relationship.”

Find the Right SM Virtual Assistant
Dawn Pigoni, owner of Be Social Worldwide, says one of the best ways to investigate a potential SM virtual assistant is by checking that person’s existing social media profiles. “They need to show that they are participating in conversations and providing value,” Pigoni says, adding that they should also have excellent references. Active participation is the way for any business to grow quality content, Pigoni says, and if the virtual assistant is already involved, they are more likely to be able to do the same for the business.

Chris Brogan, president of New Media Labs, believes the assistant should understand the operations and online etiquette of the top social media sites, as well as the mechanics of maintaining a blog and other current tools. For novice users, Brogan advises asking for past results. “If the results simply involve using the tools themselves, skip them. Ask them to show business objectives that were met by their efforts,” he says.

Brogan also says the assistant should know when not to use certain tools. “This is worth more than someone who makes a business jump through every hoop like they’re checking boxes,” he says.

Avoid Phony “Experts”
“Unfortunately the rapid rise of social media has seen an equally rapid increase in the number of experts, gurus and evangelists,” Pigoni says. “If someone has to call themselves a guru, there is a good chance they are not.”

LeRiche recommend SM virtual assistants who clearly present themselves as business owners. Ask if they do this full time or in addition to working another job, and find out if they have clear policies and pricing structures.

Pigoni adds that having certification from the International Virtual Assistant Association shows a commitment to the industry standards.

Put Your Best Face Forward
Opinions vary as to who should be creating the social media content. Lon Safko, author of The Social Media Bible, says he had an intern do the administrative set up for a lot of his accounts. However, he says, “Social media is about authenticity, sincerity, and transparency. Having someone write your blogs and tweets can be dangerous unless you are honest about it.”

Safko says it can be done if an SM virtual assistant is open about the relationship, or if a busy executive dictates ideas into a digital recorder and the assistant transcribes them directly into blog posts.

Whether going it alone, or with the help of a virtual assistant, Howard Lindzon, entrepreneur and creator of Wallstrip, says, “We are in ‘Day One’ of social media and your customers are now everywhere. Knowing how to leverage the tools gives you an edge.”

Article provided from Entrepreneur

I would like to expand just slightly on this information. A well versed and educated specialist can help you learn the ins and outs of social media if you are not familiar with them. You can do the research, which can be quite time consuming, or ask a specialist. Most professionals will give you a consultation and offer you more information on social media. Then you can schedule an appointment where you provide more information on your business, why you want to participate in social media and if you are currently participating at all. If you do not know some of these answered asked your professional and they will help you.

I have been ‘hearing’ this question all over the Internet. It’s important for businesses to be a part of this explosive new era, Social Media Marketing. But before I get ahead of myself lets get to ‘what is social media?’

You’ve probably heard about LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, Twitter, Squidoo and others. All of these and many more encompass social media. This new type of communication is a unique form of Internet marketing which strives to build your branding. You participate by writing quality content and comments that match your communication goals with newsworthy and interesting material. Social media utilizes networking and user-generated platforms to communicate, while gently promoting a product or service.

Where is the best place to start? Have you heard the saying ‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket?’ This is true to social media. Start with about three to four networks. You don’t want to spread yourself too thin. The top three networks are currently Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. For the fourth network you may want to chose a niche site where your target audience frequently visits. You can also use your blog to supplement these networks with valuable content. You need to be sure you are sticking to your outlined plan as it is very easy to get distracted with all the applications within each network.

Creating your profile. Be sure you take your time when creating your profiles. Provide your website links, use your keywords and provide a good bio. This is your one chance to catch the eye of audience, make it a good impression. You can have a expert help you with setting up your profiles for optimum results.

Your business blog. There are many online platforms where you can connect with your target audience. Your business blog being one of the most important. Use your blog to incorporate different types of media such as audio and video. Then use the social bookmarking sites to spread the word about your content. Also look for niche forums, wikis and online communities that will bring you great opportunities. Other valuable places to share your content are Squidoo and HubPages. When posting on multiple platforms be sure that you are providing original content, do not copy and paste.

Analytics. The last part, and be sure not to skip it, is the analytics piece. You can use tools to measure your campaign’s effectiveness. You need to see what is working and what needs adjustment or tweaking. Analytics can take a lot out of your schedule but it is necessary. You can have your social media specialist create your analytic reports. Your specialist can then offer suggestions on how to improve your current campaign.

Social media will bring your brand to your target audience, you will interact with them and learn from them. Ask questions and you will see exactly what your customers are looking for. By being create and unique you will be off to a successful campaign..

This new era can change the way people see your business. It can get your name out there and improve or start your online reputation management. Now is the time to act on this new era before your competition does.

The only limitation is your imagination.