I don’t tend to send out newsletters every single day. That isn’t just because it takes a lot of work to put a newsletter together; it’s mainly because I know that I don’t need to inundate my audience with information.

In my line of work, I can wait to blog every few days and send a newsletter every week or two. Unlike a news outlet, my information doesn’t change hourly. I realize that and so I use social media to stay connected, but not to inundate my readers with STUFF.

Unfortunately, there are many companies that haven’t gotten that message yet. Those places practically spam their customers and prospects with daily “news” that isn’t really news at all.

In order to avoid becoming a pest, you need to use social media to your advantage. And that means you have to keep a few factoids in mind:

1. Social media success happens over time. Be patient. You can’t send out 100 tweets today and expect to be a success by tomorrow.

2. You want to build real relationships with your social media contacts. Don’t just “collect names”. You can have 1,000 fans on Facebook and not one of them may be really reading what you write. Develop true partnerships and make sure you reciprocate.

3. Spam is hated. It really is. So stop spamming. Always ask yourself, “Would I want to receive this information?” If the answer is “no”, you might want to rethink your strategy.

4. Oh, and that brings us to the point that you NEED a social media strategy. If you’re just blogging, sending out newsletters, and doing Facebook updates “when you feel like it”, you’re not taking advantage of these powerful marketing tools.

There’s nothing wrong with hopping on the social media bandwagon. Just make sure you pay your dues or you’ll be seen as a hobo just riding the rails!

You’ve been marketing, marketing, marketing but it’s just not producing the results you expect or desire.  And you cannot understand it!  You love your logo, you adore your website, you enjoy your social networking sites… what’s wrong???

Perhaps it’s not your audience… maybe it’s you.

Many times, we fall head over heels for our own marketing items and strategies.  They seem so great!  Our websites are gorgeous and Flash-intensive, our postcards are four-color with attractive pictures, our billboards have a picture of our grandkids.  But, see, that’s the problem.  These are all marketing items that you like, but they might not be resonating with your potential customers.

You’ve lost sight of the real “bullseye”, the actual target.

It happens frequently in marketing.  We become inwardly-focused rather than asking, “What does my client need to know?  What does he or she want to see?”  Many times, his or her expectations aren’t what you would expect.  In fact, many times, they aren’t what would appeal to you in the least.  But you still have to implement them if you want to remain competitive.

It isn’t a crime to like your marketing, of course.  But if it’s not producing anything in the way of sales, leads or interest, it may be time to ask yourself the tough question:  “Am I marketing for them… or am I marketing for me?” 

Make sure your marketing is targeting the right clientele.  Leave a comment right now and I’ll email you to set up a FREE 30-minute discussion about your marketing today!

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October marks one year that I’ve been blogging and I have to tell you…it’s been an interesting journey!

The biggest challenge I had to overcome was staying on message while making sure the message was current and relevant.  (I’m certain this can be a struggle for even the most seasoned blogger.)

Once I figured out what to say, I began to learn a lot about my audience and what information they want to read.  (I quickly learned this blog wasn’t about “me” at all!) 

It took me almost six months to realize that the more information (aka value) I offered in my blog, the more my readers interacted with me. (I’ll never forget the first time someone I didn’t know actually commented on one of my blog posts.  It was a great day!)

Through blogging, I’ve “met” Business Owners and Executives from throughout the United States, Mexico, and even Morocco!   Some have even become clients.

For those of you who haven’t incorporated blogging into your marketing plan, I would strongly encourage you to consider it.  Through blogging, I’ve been able to receive incredible feedback about my blog posts, website, and overall service offerings that has made a significant difference in the way I market my business.  I wish the same for you.

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