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Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru 
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Posts Tagged ‘social media’Ten Tips for Effective Networking In-PersonApril 23rd, 2011Nowadays, most people seem to be solely focused on social networking online. And, yes, while I am a firm believer that social media communities, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, are AMAZING tools for making connections and business building, I find that many clients I work with tend to forget about “the other” type of networking…attending industry mixers and professional association gatherings! Quite honestly, I find that attending in-person networking events can typically yield me positive business results faster than online networking. Therefore, I make an effort to include in-person networking in my business-building mix. But, I also find that people are not that great at using their valuable in-person networking time wisely. So I often spend time coaching my clients on networking at events so that they are comfortable attending and get the most out of them. That said, here are Ten Tips I recommend to make your in-person networking efforts a success:
Okay, now find some good association mixers and industry events in your area, and try to attend at least 1-2 per month. There is a very good chance you’ll reap the benefits of your networking efforts quickly, such as: See your connection database grow quickly; find new opportunities otherwise missed; and attract new clients to generate more income! And, here’s a great quote I’ll leave you with on this topic (but I can’t remember who said it): Take your offline contacts online, and your online contacts offline…I think that’s great advice. And if you have a helpful networking tip to share, please share it! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa  2 Ways Leaving Your Computer Can Get You More Business, Faster!July 20th, 2010Hi All! One of the first things new clients ask me is, “How can I get clients faster?”. They know building a social media presence needs to be part of their branding and marketing mix, but that can take time to generate leads and sales. So here’s my short answer to them, “Start speaking and network.” Some of you may be thinking, “Duh”. But I’m here to tell you it’s not something many people think of. I know many small business owners who stay huddled in-front of their computers “hoping” they’ll generate clients through Twitter and trolling around Facebook. They forget that part of social networking means leaving their home office and actually talking to other humans, in person. Public Speaking: One of the ways I get clients quickly is by speaking. I conduct seminars and workshops, and have my target audience for consulting and coaching sitting in front of me for a few hours. Basically, think of conducting a presentation as an audition. And, yes, I charge registration fees to attend my presentations, and I pack them full of great info, but there’s always several attendees who approach me afterwards who want to hire me to help them with their branding, marketing, PR and social media strategies one-on-one. So, I can generate revenue from not only conducting the actual seminar or workshop, but also from the attendees who hire me after. As long as speaking doesn’t totally freak you out, do it. And even if it does terrify you, but you want to try it, do it! I don’t care what your profession is, you can come up with at least ONE presentation topic that people will be interested in. So, think about that, and develop a presentation your target audience will benefit from! And, just fyi, the clients who I help develop speaking topics for, and who get “out there”, benefit tremendously. So, it’s not just working for me personally. Networking: When I ask most new clients how they are currently generating business, very few of them mention “networking” in-person. That’s unreal to me! There has got to be one or more professional associations in your area that have members who are your target audience. It’s also a great way to meet people for strategic alliances, partnerships, support, and referrals. Whenever I attend a networking event, I always walk away with leads OR with contacts who can refer people to me. And this results in getting clients faster. So, I strongly encourage you to investigate networking groups in your area, grab a stack of business cards, and go to their next event or mixer! As I say often, this all may seem like common sense BUT it’s not common practice. If you choose to try one or both of these strategies, you could see an up-tick in business faster than you thought possible. Sure, I love social media, and have benefited from using it in my business building mix, but the 2 strategies I just shared typically get me more business, faster. And they can work for you, too! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa The Ten P’s for How to Produce a Successful WebinarJune 03rd, 2010Hi All! I came across this helpful info written by the HUGELY popular Web Strategist, Jeremiah Owyang. The guy travels all over the world consulting with corporations on their web and social media strategies, plus he’s also an in-demand speaker globally and frequent media guest. He recently wrote an article outlining the Ten P’s that he recommends following to produce a successful webinar. Here’s 5 of the 10 tips: 1) Philosophy: Most approach webinars realizing they are different than all other mediums. Despite being primarily one-way they have a social element as attendees will interact with each other in the provided chat features, or on tools like Twitter. Secondly, many webinar producers don’t offer helpful content to the audience, and instead treat it like a sales pitch. Lastly, speakers that are great on stage in the real world, may fall short and appear lackluster in an online faceless webinar. 2) Purpose: Many webinar producers fail to pick a succinct goal, in fact this is key as it will define how you measure success. Some objectives can include: Thought leadership, association, customer references, lead generation, sales material, accelerating the customer life cycle, or education. 3) Planning: There are many decisions and steps that need to happen in this crucial phase. From deciding if the event should be recorded in advance, or done live, when to schedule the event (taking into account a global audience and conference and travel sesaons) and then selecting the right platforms between Adobe, Microsoft, WebEx, and Go To Meeting. One biggest fail point is not having the right hardware and software (including compatible browsers) and waiting to the last-minute-scramble to get this done. The truly savvy producers will integrate the webinar with existing community and tie with direct marketing systems and then funnel leads to the CRM system. 4) Professionals: There are many talent considerations to make during this performance. Just as you would bring forth the best speakers at your customer conference, you should apply the same thinking here. Your internal team will include the following duties, but keep in mind, often one person will conduct multiple duties such as: Internal Stakeholder, Webinar Producer, Coordinator, Marketer, Community Manager, and Technical Support of both the platform, hardware, and software. The performance team will include any of the following: Speaker, panelists, emcees, and should have a backup speaker. 5) Programming of Content: Once a kickoff meeting has been set in place, the internal and performance team should discuss content. The producer should offer details about the event, goal, audience, and suggest topics. Decisions around this being a one-off event, or an ongoing series needs to occur, as well as the presentation style (keynote vs panel, or some type of hybird). The hosting company needs to clearly think through the risks of ‘pitching’ wares as it will have both negative and positive impacts. BUT, don’t stop here! CLICK HERE to read his entire article and read the last 5 P’s!! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa 4 Ways to Sabotage Getting the Media Coverage You WantMay 14th, 2010Hi All! I recently wrote a blog about “How to Write a Killer Press Release & Where to Deploy It Online“. This is an impromptu follow-up to that topic, and was prompted by a consulting session I had with a client this week. My client is a (new) book author, so we wrote and distributed her first ever Press Release a few weeks ago. We deployed it online, and it was also sent to a targeted list of specific media we identified (newspapers, magazines, radio/tv shows and blogs). Fast forward to this week…she is very unhappy that her phone hasn’t been ringing off the hook with interview requests. I clearly explained that if it was “that easy” we’d all be featured in the Wall Street Journal or on The Today Show whenever we wanted. It takes effort! Here are the key tips and strategies I told her to do right after the Press Release went out…and as of this week she had NOT done any of them…hence the “not getting much coverage” issue. And, by the way, this is where most speakers, authors, small business owners and entrepreneurs drop the ball when it comes to getting media coverage through their PR efforts (so it’s not just her): 1. They Don’t Follow Up: When you send a Press Release to a targeted list of media, you have to follow up with them. And sometimes you have to follow up quite a few times. The media is bombarded daily with news, so you have to be the “squeaky wheel” to get their attention. Yes, it’s like doing sales calls, and it’s not the most fun thing to do in the world, but unless you have a Publicist to do it for you, it’s a task you must take on. It is critical!!!! 2. They Don’t Share With Their Social Media Communities: Once your Press Release is done, share the link to it on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. First of all, you don’t know who may see it and share it. Secondly, you have no idea who are all the followers your followers have. For example, on Twitter, I had someone retweet a tweet of mine about a Press Release. One of her followers is the host of a very popular BlogTalk Radio show, that reaches my target audience, and that person contacted me for an interview. I also was contacted by a reporter from the NY Times, and have been interviewed by her several times, because of a retweet. 3. They Don’t Post On Their Website: When you write a Press Release, create a page for it, optimize it with keywords and phrases, and upload it. Not only can it get found in search results for on-going traffic generation, but it’s important to share the news on your website. And even when the Press Release becomes “old” it can still drive traffic to you and attract media interviews for you. 4. They Don’t Post It On Their Blog: Use your Press Release as a blog post. It’s okay to occasionally promote news about yourself there. And if you’re on WordPress, and have added the All in One SEO Pack plug-in, this will also help get your news found online. So, there is your crash course in what to do AFTER your Press Release has been written and distributed. It takes EFFORT to get media interviews (unless you have truly earth-shattering news or you’re fairly well-known). But, the media is always looking for news, they have a lot of air time or pages to fill, so you can get your share of coverage if you’re consistent and persistent! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa I’m Conducting a Teleseminar Series in June: Branding, PR/Publicity and Social MediaMay 08th, 2010Hi All! This is a blog post for a bit of self-promotion. Hey! I gotta spread the word, right?? Here’s info about the really cool teleseminar series I’m doing in June…pulled from a Press Release I’m sending out to promote them: Lisa Orrell, The Promote U Guru, is conducting three teleseminars in June for small business owners, entrepreneurs, speakers, industry experts, and authors who want to build their brand awareness and increase sales. The three teleseminar topics are: Brand Building, PR & Publicity, and Social Media. Each one will provide attendees with tips, strategies and advice they can implement immediately, even on a tight budget. The Promote U Business Building Teleseminar Series will be conducted in June 2010, and the dates are: Promote U Through Brand Building, June 8th; Promote U Thru PR & Publicity, June 11th; and Promote U Thru Social Media, June 16th. Each teleseminar is from 10:00 am to 11:00 am PST. And, because these are teleseminars, attendees can attend from anywhere from their phone. Internet and computer access are not required. The event website with details of each teleseminar: PromoteUGuru.com/teleseminars “Lisa knows her stuff and so much fun to work with! I can’t believe how much she has improved my brand positioning, sales, marketing and social media strategies, and PR efforts,” shares one Orrell client, Karin Piper, Author of Charter Schools: The Ultimate Handbook for Parents. “So I can tell you the content she’ll offer in these teleseminars is going to be very helpful…no fluff!” The upcoming teleseminar series is being sponsored by: PersonalBrandingBlog.com, WeMeUs.com and 428Designs.com. And the cost to attend individual teleseminars is $29, or people can choose to attend all 3 for a special package price of $69. “Prior to launching my Promote U Guru business, I ran an award-winning ad agency in Silicon Valley for 20 years. So I have been helping larger companies with branding, marketing, PR and social media for a long time. But now I focus on working with small business owners and individuals, and my vast experience benefits them immensely,” explains Lisa Orrell, a Branding Expert, Marketing Consultant and Business Coach. “Plus, aside from being a business owner for over 20 years, I’m the author of 2 books and a professional speaker myself. So I understand the challenges of those individuals who are trying to promote their books, build a brand platform for speaking, and/or who are trying to grow their small business (in any industry).” Based on her 2 decades of business and marketing experience, Orrell has been interviewed by, or written articles for, a wide variety of media, including: ABC, MSNBC, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, NY Times, WomenEntrepreneur.com, U.S. News & World Report, The Silicon Valley Business Journal, China’s Her World magazine (for professional business women), PersonalBrandingBlog.com, BNET.com, and countless others. I hope to see you in my “virtual” classroom for 1, 2 or all 3 of my teleseminars! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa How Do I Find My Target Audience on Twitter & Get Them to Follow Me?April 18th, 2010Hi All! Many of my clients, and audience members in my seminars and workshops, ask this question: How do I find and get the target audience that I WANT to attract to follow ME on Twitter? As business owners, professional speakers, authors, consultants, coaches, etc. (whatever your business is), it doesn’t do you much good to have thousands of followers if most of them are people who would never have interest in your services, products, etc. I’m a firm believer that it’s all about quality and NOT quantity. But that’s a very hard concept for many people to grasp…everyone gets so hung up on “how many” Fan Page fans they have, how many Twitter followers they have, etc. But I can tell you that Twitter benefited me in many ways even when I only had around 100 followers…why? Because I had the “right” followers. I started building relationships with other experts (who followed me) who I am now doing strategic partnering with, online events with, etc. So even though some of my followers are not potential clients of mine, they will refer clients to me and we’ll generate revenue together by doing paid events together. And this may shock you, but a recent marketing report answered this question: How many Twitter Followers does it take to affect lead generation? Answer: At least 100. NOT 1,000! NOT 10,000! NOT 1 million! 100. Read the article with details by clicking here. However, as I was saying before that tangent, is that it IS possible to find the people you want to target for business on Twitter…the people who CAN become your clients or buy your products! Here are (3) ways that will enable you to find them: 1.) http://search.twitter.com : Type in keywords that describe the people you’d like to reach (example: Event Planners) and search results will come up. 2.) http://www.twellow.com: Twellow describes its service as a “directory of public Twitter accounts, with hundreds of categories and search features to help you find people who matter to you”. And it’s FREE! 3.) http://listorious.com: Listorious describes its service as “…makes it easy to find who matters on any topic with the best Twitter people search on the web. We empower thousands of people to curate Twitter by allowing them to tag their list in our Twitter list directory.” And here’s the basic benefit: You can find lists that other Tweeps have created that are of your target audience. So you may be asking yourself, “Great. I’ll find a ton of people to follow who I really want to follow me. But how do I get them to follow ME?” Short answer: Begin to follow them, and over time (if you retweet them a lot and send good content vs random junk), you have a good chance of them following you. And if they post questions or comments, reply to them. It’s all about being “social”! And I’d like to say “Thanks!” to Mirna Bard, Social Media Expert, for sharing the Listorious.com tip with me 🙂 OKAY! You have 3 ways to get you started on finding YOUR target audience on Twitter. Get movin’! Cheers & Happy Marketing! Lisa Why Having Social “Me”dia Syndrome Will Cause You to SufferApril 08th, 2010Hi All! As a Marketing Consultant and Business Coach, I speak with clients, colleagues, or audiences everyday who ask me why their Social Media efforts are dismal. To which I reply: “Have you taken the word ‘Social’ out of Social Media?” To which many respond with, “What do you mean?” People who approach Social Media as Social “Me”dia, struggle. So what DO I mean? Well, see how you answer these questions to see if you’re suffering from Social “Me”dia Syndrome: 1. If you have a blog, do you follow other peoples’ blogs and make (good) comments? Or do you just expect people to follow your blog and show interest in yours? 2. Do you really participate in the Facebook Fan Pages or Groups you’ve joined? Or do you expect everyone just to flock to yours? 3. Do you answer questions or provide solutions to people you follow on Twitter? 4. Do you re-tweet their tweets? 5. Do you thank people for re-tweeting you or following you? 6. Do you take the time to participate in #FollowFriday #FF on Twitter and give props to tweeps you really like so your followers will then know about them, too? 7. If you have a Facebook Fan Page, do you actually go there, daily, and post questions or helpful info that your Fans can respond to? 8. If you have a blog, do you invite Guest Bloggers to write posts and then source them clearly? 9. Do you reach out to people on LinkedIn, participate in Group Discussions, offer advice when questions are asked? 10. On your Facebook Fan Page, do you post interesting questions on the Discussion Board, let your Fans know, encourage them to answer the questions, and/or post new questions? If you answered “No” to more than 3 of these questions, you are suffering from Social “Me”dia Syndrome. You’ve taken the word “Social” out of Social Media and you’ve focused too much on the “Me” in Media. This means your branding, marketing, sales and lead generation efforts will suffer. And this means you and your business will suffer! Take 2 aspirin, shift your perspective, reassess your goals and efforts, and contact me in the morning. Chances are within a few weeks you’ll be feeling much better about your Social Media efforts…and the RESULTS!!! Cheers! Lisa Did You Know You Can ‘Outsource’ Your Social Media Efforts…Cost Effectively?March 29th, 2010Hi All! Okay, there is a God (or Buddha, or whatever you believe in). I had a great conversation with Eve Mayer Orsburn, CEO of an AWESOME company called Social Media Delivered (.com). Here’s the gist so you can wrap your brain around what her company does… You possibly: Outsource your design needs to a designer; or outsource your web needs to a webmaster; or outsource your PR needs to a PR consultant…so why not outsource your Social Media needs/efforts to an outside vendor, too? That’s what Eve’s company handles! They offer great package prices for small businesses (even one-person shops), but they also have large corporate clients who outsource their social media efforts to them. Here’s their Company Overview: Social Media Delivered offers consulting, training and marketing services specializing in social media campaigns for individuals and organizations. We leverage the power of LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and viral marketing to bring the right people together to get our clients goals accomplished. So, not only can her company help create or improve your current social media strategy, BUT (and here’s what differentiates their company from a company that ONLY helps with strategy!!!) they also IMPLEMENT…that means they’ll send tweets, keep your Fan Page active, keep your LinkedIn profile current/active, create blog posts, etc. Very cool! What an AMAZING niche she has! Everyone is so busy these days…so to be able to outsource your social media efforts to keep your outreach consistent and current, which in turn means making them more effective for you?? Fabulous. Check out their services and pricing, and see what you think! And they offer free consultations so you can contact them with questions… Cheers! Lisa
PART TWO: Your A-Z Guide of Social Media and Business CommunicationMarch 22nd, 2010Hi All!  Susan Young, President of Get in Front Communications, Inc. The following post is a Part Two of a Guest Article courtesy of the wonderful Susan Young! Here’s a reminder about “who” she is: Susan works with professionals who want to supercharge their communication skills, self-confidence and success. She’s the President of Get in Front Communications, Inc., a public relations and communications training company. Susan provides presentations and coaching on sales, Reading Body Language, Emotional Intelligence, public speaking, Social media and news. Visit www.getinfrontblogging.com andwww.getinfrontcommunications.com. Follow Susan on Twitter @sueyoungmedia. Here is PART TWO of her Guest Post which explains her tips N-Z… The way you communicate in your business relationships is directly tied to your revenues, reputation and success. Of course Social Media and technology are forcing us to set new rules, boundaries and etiquette. Here are the ABC’s of Outstanding Social Media and Business Communication: N is for notice the little things. Someone may Tweet or post a message about their birthday, the flu or their upcoming presentation. A few quick words wishing them good luck, or asking about the topic of their workshop helps build relationships. People appreciate being recognized. O is for own it. Be passionate about what you do. Your enthusiasm will leak into all of your spoken and written words. Friends, Followers and Connections will pick up on this immediately. If you don’t own it and love it, it’s time to re-asssess what you’re doing, and why. P is for professional. Use your profiles, posts and messages in professional ways. Present yourself online to prospects, clients and the world as a top-notch pro who walks the walk and talks the talk. This should be evident in all of your Social Media communication. It must be congruent with your traditional marketing materials, website, articles, and press releases. Q is for quit trying to sell. If you post a link that offers tips, make sure it leads to a page with the information you promised, not a sales pitch to buy your book or register for a webinar to get the tips. R is for rapport. Connect with people through your blog, posts, links, articles, e-zines and videos. Give them an opportunity to get acquainted with you. Developing friendships online is similar to real-life friendships. You connect with some people immediately and others take more time. There are a few you will never click with. That’s ok. Go for quality not quantity. S is for sharing. Share your expertise, insights, wisdom and assistance. That’s what the community of Social Media is all about. Be willing to donate the seeds of your intellectual capital, knowing you are building a brand and reputation that will eventually take root. In other words, share your smarts but don’t expect an instant Return-On-Investment. T is for thank you. Express your gratitude and thanks to others who provide helpful information, share your messages, posts and Tweets with their circles, and comment on your blog or Linked In questions. U is for use everything that’s available. Don’t get nervous. You don’t have to use all of the applications, gadgets, downloads and software at the same time and right now. Commit to learning a new technology or program and build from that. Use these tools to your advantage as you grow your business and online presence. V is for visuals. Social Media is interactive. There are different ways that people learn and communicate. Use a broad approach to include various styles and age groups. You can post an E-brochure on your site which allows people to see and hear your style and approach. You can record a video blog or podcast. Get creative! W is for write with clarity. Whether you are writing a white paper, a short blog post or a question on Linked In, use language that is clear, concise and compelling. X is for the “X-Ray Approach.” In order to effectively communicate and relate to people, you’ll need to get inside their heads and emotions. Read their materials, listen to their seminars and ask good questions. You’ll soon be able to diagnose their pain (challenge) and determine if your products and services will be the cure. Y is for yell if you need any help. People love to help. Periodically toss out your questions or challenges to the crowd and allow them to connect with you. Tap into their experiences, ideas and resources to help with your learning curve. Z is for zany. Sure I talk about being professional and sharing your personality, but you can let your hair down in a zany and fun way. For example, on Christmas, my blog post was titled “Santa’s Communication Pitfalls.” On Halloween, I blogged about “Scary Customer Service.” Maybe it’s not totally zany, put you get the picture. It’s ok to have fun! Communicating online requires us to write the line, walk the line, read between the lines and often tow the line. Are you up for it? It can be as easy as A-B-C. Thank you, Susan! Loved your Two Part article and I appreciate your support! Lisa PART ONE: Your A-Z Guide of Social Media and Business CommunicationMarch 18th, 2010 GUEST POST BY: Susan Young, President of Get in Front Communications, Inc. Hi All! The following post is a Guest Article courtesy of the fabulous Susan Young! Susan works with professionals who want to supercharge their communication skills, self-confidence and success. She’s the President of Get in Front Communications, Inc., a public relations and communications training company. Susan provides presentations and coaching on sales, Reading Body Language, Emotional Intelligence, public speaking, Social media and news. Visit www.getinfrontblogging.com and www.getinfrontcommunications.com. Follow Susan on Twitter @sueyoungmedia. Here is PART ONE of her Guest Post which explains her tips A-M…Part Two will be posted SOON! The way you communicate in your business relationships is directly tied to your revenues, reputation and success. Of course Social Media and technology are forcing us to set new rules, boundaries and etiquette. Back to grade school we go! Here are the ABC’s of Outstanding Social Media and Business Communication: A is for authenticity. In the case of Social Media and online networking, the old adage “Fake it ’til you make it” doesn’t work. Genuine is in; fake is out. Be yourself; be real. B is for brand. Every message, tweet, blog and communication should reflect some hint of your brand and who you are. C is for control yourself. Be careful not to slam or insult anyone online as it can come back to bite you in ways you never imagined. D is for dialogue. Get involved in the conversations, groups and chats with meaningful contributions that reveal both your expertise and personality. Communication is a two-way street. E is for Easy Does It. Before you jump into conversations or new arena’s, take a look around. Follow chats, Tweets and groups. Find the opinion leaders, and movers and shakers. Then slowly get involved. F is for forge relationships. Pay attention to your loyal followers, ideal client targets and competition. Thank those who Retweet or share your information with others and connect with them offline. Follow what others are doing and comment on their blogs and sites. Interactive is a beautiful thing. G is for Get in Front. This is about being proactive and making things happen. It’s not about being aggressive, obnoxious or “in your face.” It’s subtle marketing, branding and sharing value–online. H is for headlines. Catchy news-style headlines of 5-8 words (including keywords) that address people’s needs/challenges will attract readers and followers, and help your SEO efforts. I is for identify. Identify your niche. Identify your area of expertise and passion. Identify industry leaders. Identify trends in your field. Identify your ideal clients. Determine where they “hang out” online and go there. Watch them. We are in an amazing age where we have access to CEO’s, prominent business leaders and superstars that we never could have mingled with before. And don’t forget, identify your competition and watch them too. J is for just get going. Don’t whine that blogging takes too much time, or you’ll have to learn new technology. Look at Social Media and online networking as a breakthrough opportunity that the world has never experienced. Imagine the stories you’ll tell your grandchildren! If you want to bellyache instead of learn, get back in bed and pull the covers over your head. Everyone else is going places. It would be nice if you came along. K is for knowledge. Know your followers, why they connect with you and what you provide to them. Then give them more of what they want. If you don’t know, start asking them. L is for limit your personal life when doing business. It’s great to share your personal insights or “Lessons Learned” but too much information about your private life when you are online to build your business reputation can backfire and destroy your credibility. M is for mistakes. You’re bound to send out a message with a wrong link or misspelled word. Fix it if necessary, send out a correction or apology and move on. It happens to everyone. The nice thing about Social Media, especially Twitter, is that it’s a very forgiving community 🙂 Thank you, Susan! You ROCK! PART TWO of the A-Z tips will be posted soon! Lisa
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