How to use Social Networks for your business

Unlike a couple of years ago, today there are dozens of different social networks to choose from. So how do you know which ones will work for your business? Do you create a Facebook page, or a MySpace page, or do you jump on the Twitter circuit? What about all those other social networks like Friendster, Flickr, or del.icio.us and many others?social networking

Before you begin to use social networking for business, you need to answer these questions. First, do you have a pr marketing strategy? If not, do you have a pr marketing plan? Ok, if these are not in your business plan, then it’s time to develop a pr marketing strategy that includes social networking. It would also be an excellent pr marketing strategy to start a blog site for your company. All successful PR Clients have a solid pr marketing strategy that has social networking as part of their plan.

I have written about using of MySpace and Facebook as a means to market your business. And I wrote a lot on blogging, which in all should be a continued program with all companies and PR Clients looking to be successful in the next 12 to 16 months. Now let’s look at how you can use Twitter as a business tool.

What makes Twitter so exciting? When used properly, Twitter is a great way to reach out to new prospects and keep a trusted connection with existing clients.

Some important issues to know: Unlike the many other social networks, Twitter followers do not like in-your-face marketing. And unlike MySpace and Facebook, Twitter has “followers”. These are usually friends, and other people that you may not know directly.

The rules for using Twitter:

1- Don’t add people you don’t know. This new social group gets annoyed if you just add people who follow others you know. Start slowly, add people you know, and then let it build. The main reason people like Twitter, they can leave if they don’t want to follow you because of your content.

2- Look for people that are in your industry. If you find people that are recognized in your industry, or are smart, then getting them to re-follow you is easier. That’s provided you offer something they want to follow, or know more about. Remember, no one like spam, so don’t start the hard sell with followers.

3- Be genuine about your business. When you begin to tell about your business, tell it from the heart. Not like a sales pitch. Twitter followers will respond if they see you have a passion for what you do.

4- Be active. If you choose to use Twitter, you need to invest at least an hour or two during the week. Just like other social sites, keeping it fresh is important. But with Twitter, people follow because they feel they are getting up-to-the minute info about you.

Still want to Twitter? If not, at least build a social network that includes the blog site and the traditional Facebook site to keep your business alive. Need help with social networking? Then give Carson Marketing, Inc. a call at 949-477-9400. Ask for George Carson, he will personally assist you with your social networking needs.

Social Media keeps growing. Learn how to reach target markets.

Social media is not a fad. It keeps growing and now savvy marketers can target specific age groups and genders.social networks

If you are a local pr client that does Publicity locally in Orange County, or a national company, marketers can now reach their target age customers with social media. It used to be restricted to the younger teens and those who were in college. Sites like MySpace and Facebook were the main arteries to this limited age audience. But now there are many new social media sites that are catering to various age groups. Such as “www.econs.com”. It isn’t surprising that this site was established, because it reaches the 50+ age who are very internet savvy.

According to a study by Pew Internet & American Life Project, they estimate over 70 percent of Americans aged 50 to 64 use the web. And econs.com is one of the sites they frequent most often.

If your pr marketing strategy is to target the generation between Baby Boomers and Generation X (born in the mid-50s to mid-60s) then check out BOOMj.com. This social networking site will get your pr campaign noticed with them.

Another new site called lavalife.com is a narrow niche targeting women in the mature age of 45 and up. This is still a beta site, but as you can see, social networking is expanding. It is helping local companies like those in Orange County, or New York City, to specifically reach a selected audience. To get more niche, other sites are popping up. These include SisterWoman.com, and CafeMom.com. The later is identified with moms raising kids while SisterWoman is a social network for women to chat and connect with girlfriends.

Make sure your pr marketing strategy plan includes these social networks as well as a solid blogging campaign. This is another way to increase the branding awareness and build a solid branding company. To get your pr marketing plan on target, give Carson Marketing Inc a call.