Charlie Cook's MArketing for Success Insider's Club

Social Media

How Social Media Can Threaten Your Business

By Shakira Brown   |   March 18th, 2010

It was the tweet heard around the nation. Movie Director, Kevin Smith, tweeted that he had been booted off an Southwest Airlines flight. He was mad because flight personnel said he was too fat to fly.

He tweeted during the ordeal and posted pictures of himself. It happened faster than any news crew could have reacted without being on the flight poised for the story. Twitter is a PR liablity to be reckoned with. » (Read More)


I’m A Twitter Expert – Right!

By Charlie Cook   |   March 9th, 2010

This past week I’ve been interviewing the top experts in Social Media, the people who wrote the book on using Facebook, LinkedIn, Video, Blogging and Twitter. And in an effort to find an expert on Twitter I thought what better way than to use Twitter itself.

Whoops!

When I used www.search.twitter.com to look for a “Twitter Expert”, almost every person I found » (Read More)


Building Your Network – And Keeping People Interested

By Kim Sheehan   |   February 21st, 2010

Word of mouth marketing only works if you have people to talk to. This simple fact is someone given short shrift in word of mouth marketing advice today. How do you build your own network and keep people interested and involved? I have three recommendations: make it easy to join, make it worth their while, and once they get there, give people a reason to be in the network. » (Read More)


3 Important Facts About Twitter

By Shakira Brown   |   January 18th, 2010

Twitter has become a public relations juggernaut. It allows you to create a following of people to consistently send messages to about your business efforts. But as with any public relations effort, you must be careful what you say, especially about your competitors or other business leaders.

Reality TV Star Kim Kardashian may be learning that saying something negative about a product on Twitter could lead to litigation. » (Read More)


Social Networking: Is This Really The Goal?

By Rachel Minihan   |   January 16th, 2010

I was on Twitter the other day and @JamesFeudo posed the question, “Which do you like better.  Networking online or offline?”  It struck me as interesting, because when I think about networking, I think that it is most effective when our online and offline worlds collide – when we leverage one to make the most of the other.

First, here’s how I see the offline world closing in on the online world.

Imagine walking in to a conference.  During the brief period before the structured content begins, you had three good conversations and collected an additional 10 business cards.

Great work!  » (Read More)


How To Use Social Media In Your Sales Process

By Laura Roeder   |   January 12th, 2010

We usually talk about social media for marketing and promotions, but what about sales?

I’ve had great success with friending prospects on social media sites as part of my sales process. It’s important to note that some people use facebook only for personal use and aren’t comfortable connecting with business associates there. People have different boundaries for different sites, so don’t take it personally if your friend requests aren’t all accepted.

The social networking site that’s a definite business safe zone is » (Read More)


Social Media Works For Dell – Will It Work For You?

By Charlie Cook   |   January 8th, 2010

I have to admit I’ve been a skeptic of social media. Every time I hear someone talk about spending an hour a day managing a Twitter account, Facebook or any other of the social media sites, I cringe.

For the most part it seems like just one more distraction for small business owners who already wear too many hats and are challenged to stay focused on their marketing. As a business owner my hands are full already and if I have any extra time I’d rather be biking or skiing. How about you? » (Read More)


Your Social Media Plan For 2010

By Rachel Minihan   |   December 30th, 2009

2009 was a big year for social media!  YouTube starting seeing 1 billion hits per day.  Facebook topped the 350 million users mark.  Twitter became the most used word in the English language. And, the big search engines recognized the power of the micro-blog and incorporated this content into their search results.

Watching all of these successes, the message has come through loud and clear that social media/networking/content is now a significant platform on which we, as business owners, must be present. » (Read More)


Twitter Direct Messages For Dummies

By Laura Roeder   |   December 26th, 2009

Have you ever been on twitter felt unsure if you should send a communication as a direct message or @ reply? I’ve got your answer.

First a little refresher course – @ replies and direct messages are the two main modes of communication on twitter. For a detailed explanation of @ replies, check out the article Demystifying The Twitter @ Reply.

On to direct messages! Unlike @ replies which are public, direct messages are private. Only you and the recipient can see them. They will not show up for anyone else, including in a Google search. » (Read More)


Follow Me Already!

By Rachel Minihan   |   December 16th, 2009

I just hung up with a frustrated colleague.  I had invited her to follow one of my new Twitter accounts and she quickly called by phone (I know, I know – that’s sooo 2008!) to say, “I’ve been using Twitter for two months and I’m providing quality content.  I only have 24 followers.  You just opened that account and you already have that many.  How can I get more followers?!?!?”

Before we go any further, let me digress and mention that using Twitter is NOT all about how many followers you can collect.  It is about the relationships that you build.  » (Read More)


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