Social Networking and Marketing

[Brendan]

I have recently read an article on flyingsolo.com.au (a fantastic site by the way, I recommend you download their ebook (http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p258818976_Small-business-ideas-newsletter-Australia-free-downloads.html) for free ) about using social networks like facebook, myspace, linked in, etc.. to promote your business.

This is probably something I have been doing for about 12 months now, pretty much since we released an ebook on the subject ( Appbid | Make Money on Facebook Now! (http://www.appbid.com/articles/ebook-how-to-make-money-on-facebook) ) .

I have found found that we have had some really positive results. One of the major ones has been getting in contact with people you haven't spoken to for years to find out they are looking for someone in your line of business.. I have has this happen on about 3-4 occasions over the past 12 months.. all leading to sales.

As well as that I have found it to be a great way to raise your personal profile and establish connections with others who are in the same boat as you, in fact AussieTycoon was started from a few friends we found on Facebook.

The best part about this type of marketing, is its free, and a fantastic way to meet new people..

So are any of you doing it?

[JJacob]

Hi Brendan,

We've looked into social networking through facebook and have a current page and group. Making a facebook application and maintaining it can get expensive. Do you have any suggestions?

Jacob

[J_D]

Brendan,

I've tried to through my self in the deep end of online networking etc, I am finding that because of my age and the age and stage of live most people my age are in, it's hard to connect with like minded, simlarly aged and positioned people.

JD

[Brendan]

Hey Guys,

There are a few different ways you can use Social Networking to your advantage, primarily due to the fact that you can find your target market very easily, but you just need to tailor your efforts towards what your business is.

For instance, say you sell a product - maybe Led Zepplin posters, then you could join a Fan group for Led Zepplin. Become part of the group get to know others in the group and add some value by contributing to the fan page. After a few weeks, people will get to know who you are and hopefully you have added some value to the community then you can try and offer your services.

It is important in this method that you become part of the community, if you just join and spam your product you are less likely to get any response, and in fact get shut down straight away!

Once you have become part of the community you can open up your sales pitch a bit more and offer a few other products related to that niche since you will already have the trust and acceptance from the community and sales will start rolling in.

I have had some success with applications, it really depends on what your niche is though.. You need to make sure your application suits your niche and acts as a sales funnel for your product or services..

For instance.. if you were looking to start an online training company in the stock market, you could have an application made that is like a quiz.. title it something like ' Want to make money in stocks? Find out how much you already know!? ' The quiz could then ask say 10-15 questions and grade the person on how much they know.. based on that result it would take them to your training page... and hopefully lead to a sale.

I guess the main problem people have when advertising on Facebook is advertising directly to their friends.. which is crazy.. your friends already know you are in business and if they are good friends should be marketing on your behalf anyway!

I hope that helps :)

[HWT]

Tried making a myspace page a few years ago, couldn't see the point in it. I ended up with a page just sitting there doing absolutely nothing - probably still is. We have several sites with varying degrees of easyness to market. One is unreleased (but has incredibly contentious content so will be very easy to market), one is local so word of mouth is more effective than the internet, and the third is largely unmarketed, unadvertised and just ... sits there, quietly producing adsense revenue. The traffic was rising every month until June this year, when it took a serious hit for no apparent reason. Marketing is not our thing.

[JamesGG]

Tried making a myspace page a few years ago, couldn't see the point in it. I ended up with a page just sitting there doing absolutely nothing - probably still is.

Hiya,

Thereis lies the problem for you, I think.

If your page is not active, people have no reason to come back. If they don't come back, they forget who you are.

I have just created a facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/House-of-Wealth/18946928479?ref=ts) page for one of my businesses. It is starting slowly, but should work nicely as we get bigger. It will, of course, be updated again in the next few days; I'll be using it as a blog, and the seminar that I am speaking at tonight will be recorded and available there before our main website :)

Cheers

James.

[HWT]

I've vaguely considered doing a meta-blog about my hobby site, the other sites, projects we have on the go but it seems hard to get it to fit properly as our projects are extremely different and I'd rather not have them associated with each other. I honestly wouldn't know what to put in a blog elsewhere other than drivel about my everyday life - which is currently so uninteresting I haven't even touched my webcomic for about 2 months, mostly because my time is currently being eaten by the IP but also because my life is on a very even keel and people who are just boringly happy don't make good blog material. Its much more fun reading about suicidal goths or people trying to change their lives. I have no intention of blogging about the IP, interesting as it is, as it would detract from my other content. It would have to be in a totally separate section (currently a thread on Somersoft since it seems to fit there).

Times like these you need a free marketing person to invent stuff for you. The site has been like this for years, it is always the secondary project when I have a gap in one of the primary ones.

Quite looking forward to Plan A being released, as I can wax lyrical about that for ages and it will be extremely easy to market. It is also the polar opposite of my hobby site - unique, controversial, profit-driven, strictly for adults and highly sexual, vs my hobby site which is just one of many sites of a similar nature, not-for-profit and completely clean and prudish. Sex is easier to sell.

[rexiedexie]

Hi Brandon and ALL

I have been doing the Social Networking for many years and it really works.

Even though I'm a member I do not use Myspace Facebook and many others, as they have too many restrictions.

I use Adlandpro, Ryze and a number of other proper networking communities where you can target people by their interests or locations and invite them to be friends and can contact them at no cost or even chat online.

The designers of these sites understand business. You can buy very cheap or lease Myspace Facebook software and start your own My Space type community, which many people do. This however does not mean you understand the need or requirements of online business people.

Overall this is a great way to get contacts and sales and make friends near you.

Visit my networking page.

Brandon contact me next time if you are intending to visit Melbourne

[debaron]

Social marketing does not only extend to those website it also includes blogs as well. I've seen alot of businesses these days setting up their blog and blogging about topics in their field. They may not be blogging about their products directly but just having a web presence, a voice that people can relate to makes their company seems more 'real'. Also, a blog presents the company with an opportunity to establish a more personal relationship with the reader (clients!) and provide your business with a chance to share your expertise and knowledge with large audience.
With all the keywords in your blog who knows how many incoming links that stumbled upon your website might lead to prospective leads.

[Davo]

hi, all
I am just new here and i will like to welcome myself to this forum.
I have been reading about this social marketing for a while and I think is the fastest and most profitable face of the world wide web (WWW).
The net is changing and is doing it very very fast what did work last month for example is not necessarily going to work today.
I had lots of failures in the Internet Marketing Business and I put them down as experience. I guess the more you try to perfect yourself the worst it gets.
Cont.......

[Brendan]

hi, all
I am just new here and i will like to welcome myself to this forum.
I have been reading about this social marketing for a while and I think is the fastest and most profitable face of the world wide web (WWW).
The net is changing and is doing it very very fast what did work last month for example is not necessarily going to work today.
I had lots of failures in the Internet Marketing Business and I put them down as experience. I guess the more you try to perfect yourself the worst it gets.
Cont.......

Hey Davo.. so what sort of IM have you done before, and did you work out why it failed? What do you think you learnt from it?

[Davo]

Brendan, Hi
Well, I tell you the kind of IM. Remember back then that every one was trying to sell those ebooks stuff?. Well that failed, plus some MLM that never took place.
I most likely to think that it failed because I was expecting to much to soon, I didn't give myself a bit of time to work it.
Some times when you are a total novice it may feel like if you are in a constant pressure suite. That is the way i was feeling at the time, anyway.
I have been looking at different avenues lately and maybe is getting a bit better.
Thanks very much for inquiries.

[moneymagnets]

I have recently read an article on flyingsolo.com.au (a fantastic site by the way, I recommend you download their ebook (http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/p258818976_Small-business-ideas-newsletter-Australia-free-downloads.html) for free )


Thanks for the tip on Flying Solo. It's a good site and I like the manifesto - reminds me of why I'm doing this (when I'm bogged down in details!)

Regards,
Karen