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Benefits of Social Media Marketing

More online conversations about your brand
A successful Social Media Marketing campaign leads to a lot more talk about your brand online. When your message works with your users, they will spread your message more effectively than tradition methods.

Quick turnaround
Hitting a front page of major social video, news and bookmark sites will send you huge amounts traffic and almost instantly. This doesn’t mean the traffic will equate to conversions, but it should generate momentum in the right direction.

Low costs
A comprehensive SMM strategy may provide a partial or full replacement of traditional advertising and marketing at a fraction of the costs.

Impact on search engine rankings
SMM campaigns bring you large amounts of backlinks that benefit your ranking in search engines.

Compatible with traditional Marketing
No one says you have to approach and embrace SMM full on. SMM campaigns can be run along side traditional marketing and advertising.

The power of recommendation
Would you rather buy from a faceless company or from a company that people recommend? We know that initiators and influencers play an important role the buying process and you can reach these people with SMM.

Sidestepping ad blindness
Traditional online advertising methods, such as, banner ads are seeing drops in the level of their effectiveness. As ad blindness increases, social media marketing has the potential to send visitors to your website without traditional advertising methods.

Read the rest of the article at http://socialmediatrader.com/social-media-marketing-for-small-businesses/

New Customer, New World

Where is the New Customer? He's in the New World.... Are You? - Jeffrey Gitomer

The customer is making a comeback - slow though it may be. And when he (or she) returns, you're going to notice a change. A big change. FAIR WARNING: How you prepare for the new customer will determine your long-term success.

REALITY: While your customers were away, online has officially taken over. It's the new showroom and comparison shopper. You can chat, or phone in a heartbeat. You can see every option and some you never knew existed. It's fast, it's accurate, and anyone can choose anything, any time of the day or night.

Yes, the Internet has been there for a few years, but it has taken a firm hold as a trillion dollar option for consumers and customers every place in the world. Your world.

It's a different world now. We are not going to "recover," per-se. We're going to revive and revise. And you can be in it, or watch it pass you by.

Here are some examples of "different" on the business side. Car dealerships, stock brokerages, insurance companies, banks, homebuilders, commercial real estate agents, residential real estate agents, and mortgage lenders have all revised and restructured their business - and that's the short list.

And the customer is different too. Way different.

Let me give you the details of what the new customer (both business and consumer) looks like: (NOTE: I'm using "he" but I also mean "she.")
* He's going to decide somewhat slower. He's been hesitating for more than a year.
* He's angry about the value of his home, and the value of his investments.
* He will not be doing business the same way it's been done before.
* He will not be banking the same way he banked before.
* He will not be advertising the same way he advertised before.
* He will not be buying a car the same way he did before.
* He will not be buying a home the same way he did before.
* He will not be investing the same way he did before.
* He's online. Checking out your website - and your competitor's website.
* He's socializing. Telling everyone what's happening in his world and the world.
* He's Tweeting, Facebooking, and Linked-In-ing. Social media is still a firestorm.
* He's blogging about his experiences with you, for the world to read.
* He's YouTubing about his experiences with you for the world to watch - by the millions (any questions United Airlines?).
* He's Googling, not yellow-paging.
* He's texting. A lot.
* He's using his mobile device to do damn near everything.
* He's WiFi-ing in his hotel room, on the plane, in Starbucks, and at home.
* IF he's reading a paper, or getting the news, it's online.
* He's as likely to watch The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, or listen to Howard Stern for news as he is to watch a network "news" person read a tele-prompter.
* He's purchasing after midnight. By the billions.
* He's looking for ease of doing business with you.
* He is value oriented, but will look to price as part of the decision.
* He wants a relationship.
* He wants, needs, and expects GREAT service after the sale.
* He does not want to wait for anything or anyone.
* He needs help and expert advice.
* He's looking for ideas and answers.
* He can check your price and your facts in two seconds or less on Google.
* He knows as much about your product as you do.
* He knows MORE about your competitor's product than you do.
* He can pay right now IF you can take a credit card online.
* He expects someone to answer the phone when he calls that can actually HELP.
* He is SICK of off-shore call centers, erroneously called "help desks."
* He is SICK of you telling him how important his call is while he stands on hold.
* He is SICK of your recorded hold message.
* He demands the truth. All the time.
* He no longer trusts the institutions he used to hold sacred.
* He expects you to be as computer literate as he is.
* He needs to be understood and feel your sincere concern.
* While you are qualifying him, he is qualifying you.
* If he needs a referral or recommendation, he'll go to Craig's list or Angie's list or Google or his next door neighbor, or anyone else but you...UNLESS you have video testimonials online.

As you're thinking about (and making excuses about) these statements, you better be thinking about your answers and responses to them. And you better be making the strategic decisions and game plans to make them happen.

The economy is coming back - BUT NOT TO THE WAY IT WAS. Don't take my word for it. Ask any daily newspaper.

After reviewing these statements, ask yourself this BIG question: Will your new customer buy from you, or your competition?

Reflect on 2009 Prepare for 2010

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on your business's progress over the past year and plan how you want your business to develop. Do you want increased success in 2010 or the chance to enjoy the success you've achieved more? These top 10 New Year's resolutions are designed to help you strike a better work-life balance, so you can achieve a truly satisfying success in the New Year.

1) Learn how to delegate and do more of it.

There are so many things to do when you're running a small business.  Determine your Personal Return on Investment, and decide to let someone else do some of the tasks for a change. Delegation is the key to a healthy work-life balance.

2) Promote your business regularly and consistently.

Too often the task of promoting a small business slips to the bottom of the to-do list in the press of urgent tasks. If you want to attract new customers, you have to make promotion a priority. Make a New Year's resolution to hire a marketing expert, or take the time to create a marketing plan on your own.

3) Make business planning a weekly event.

Planning is vital if you want a healthy, growing business.  Business planning lets you take stock of what worked and what didn't work, and helps you set new directions or adjust old goals. Set aside time each week to review, adjust, and look forward - or even better, make business planning a part of each day.

4) Learn something new.

Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension of interest to your life - another important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become customers, colleagues, or friends.

5) Join a new business organization or networking group.

There's nothing like talking to other business people for sparking new ideas, refining old ones, and making contacts. Whether it's a group specifically designed for networking or an organization dedicated to a particular type of business, in person or over the 'Net, making the effort to be a part of a group will revitalize you and your business.

6) Give something back to your community.

There are all kinds of worthy organizations that make a difference in your community. Make a New Year's resolution to find a cause that matters to you, and give what you can. Make this the year that you volunteer or make regular donations to the groups in your community.  

7) Put time for you on your calendar.

It is to take the time to recharge and refresh yourself; a healthy work-life balance demands time out. All work and no play is a recipe for mental and physical disaster. So if you have trouble freeing up time to do the things you enjoy, write time regularly into your schedule to "meet with yourself" and stick to that commitment. If you won't invest in yourself, who will?

8) Set realistic goals.

Goal Setting is a valuable habit - if the goals lead to success rather than distress. Make a New Year's resolution that the goals you set will be goals that are achievable, rather than unrealistic pipe dreams that are so far out of reach they only lead to frustration.

9) Don't make do; get a new one.

Is there a piece of equipment in your office that's interfering with your success or something that you lack that's making your working life harder? Whether it's an old fax machine, or the need for a new employee to lighten your work load, make a New Year's resolution to stop putting off getting what you need.

10) Drop what's not working for you and move on.

All products aren't going to be super sellers, all sales methods aren't going to work for everyone, and all suppliers or contractors aren't going to be ideally suited to your business. If a technique or a product or a business relationship isn't working for you, stop using it.

Achieving a healthy work-life balance is like maintaining a good relationship; you have to keep working on it. But if you apply these New Year's resolutions throughout the year, your success is guaranteed!

To read more go to http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/management/a/bizresolutions.htm

Ring in the New Year with New Savings

The New Year is fast approaching so why not set up your business for success in 2010.

The BizUnite Marketplace has exactly what member-focused organizations need to begin the New Year.  We have a total of 30+ negotiated business programs that offer deals that you can't get anywhere else. 

These programs are designed specifically for our members to help reduce costs and increase profitability.  On average, small to medium sized businesses are saving $2,000 to $6,000 per year with BizUnite. That number represents savings on payment processing, office supplies, package delivery, wireless services, and payroll processing alone.

If you were not one of those business saving with us last year see what BizUnite is all about.  Inquire now and get ahead of the curve for the New Year.  For more information email hell0@bizunite.com or call 1-866-623-5784. 

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from BizUnite.

We're ready for the New Year.....How about you?

Time to Ask Customers Tough Questions

Most small business owners and sales managers avoid conversations that could result in negative feedback. But sales guru Scott Messer says unpleasant truths are essential for planning

Nobody likes asking—or answering—tough questions. But sometimes that's just what small business owners need to do with their clients, and year's end is a good time to do it, says Scott Messer, a principal and coach at Sales Evolution outside Philadelphia.  Messer, who has been working with small businesses for more than a decade, says plowing through "scary" questions helps entrepreneurs develop lasting, personal relationships with their customers that ultimately improve sales.  He spoke recently to Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow.

1. Do entrepreneurs sometimes avoid talking honestly with customers because they fear getting an earful of complaints?

People don't like getting bad news. That's what makes it hard to ask questions that are really keys to identifying what's going to happen in a relationship. The truth is there, but asking the questions and discovering the reality is tough.

2. You recommend that small business owners, or perhaps sales managers, touch base with all their clients, or at least their key clients, sometime before the end of the year. Why?

With 2010 right around the corner, now is the time to talk to clients and set the stage for the new year. It's all about relationship management. But sometimes the most difficult relationship is the one that's rarely talked about: the relationship between the business owner and himself. A lot of business people are great at their craft, or they're technical wizards, but when it comes to communicating with customers, they're weak and untrained.

The process we go through with our clients is "guess-free" selling. You don't need to guess about whether your customers will be buying from you next year. The answers are there: Your prospects and your clients know the answers. You just have to ask.

3. What are the scary questions you believe need asking, at least once a year?

One of them is, "If you were giving us a report card, what grade would we get?" Now, you've got to put a caveat on that and make it clear you're talking about things other than price, which you probably can't change. But ask clients to rate you and your company based on communication, performance, and all the things you need to know about.

4. What else would you ask during this year end conversation with clients?

"With 2010 around the corner, what do you think you'll do more of, less of, or just plain differently next year?" It's a planning question. You want to know what's changing for your clients, what they've been tasked with, what objectives they need to meet, and what personal goals they're aiming for.

The core of the question is, "How can I help you? How do I make you look good, make your company more productive, and help you achieve your corporate goals?" When your clients believe you have their best interests at heart, they'll buy whatever you're selling. And they'll pay more for it, because you're the safest person to buy from.

5. Why would you ask about personal goals, and who would you direct that question to?

Ask whomever you deal with at the client company: a business owner, a buyer—it doesn't matter. The reasons people buy are to solve a personal problem or to meet a personal objective or goal, even if it's at a business. People get tasked to do specific things. If they improve operating efficiency or bring on a successful new module, they'll get a bonus or their business will grow.

6. You said no one likes to get bad news, but I suspect no one likes to give it, either. How do you get people to be really honest in their responses?

You need to give them permission explicitly up front. "I realize I may or may not like your answer, but I need to know how you feel about this." Business communication is about human interaction. Being "professional" has killed more professional service opportunities than anything else, because people are trying to be so professional they won't ask the core questions.

The good news is that you can get to the truth in a professional way. Give them some truth serum. Out of context, these questions may seem hard, but they're not so bad when you put them in a context where you're looking to engage and not put people on the spot.

Karen E. Klein is a Los Angeles-based writer who covers entrepreneurship and small-business issues.

BUSINESS WEEK: SMART ANSWERS DECEMBER 11, 2009, 11:25AM EST

Tap the Power of Partnering with Your Business Neighbors

Have you stopped to think that some of your best business partners could be located right in your city or town? You might even be looking at one or two of these businesses now, right out your office window. Or perhaps you pass them every day during your drive home.

Because they are located in your community, they could offer unusual opportunities for cooperation like these:

• Joint Sponsorship Opportunities: Team up with local businesses to organize and/or fund a series of concerts, clean up a local park, or raise money for a local hospital or charity. Shared sponsorships help you market cost-effectively while supporting your community at the same time.
• Barter Services: If you are a CPA firm and you need advertising help, could you offer accounting services to a marketing firm in exchange for marketing services? If you look around, you can find ways to conserve cash through cooperation.
• Share Equipment You're Not Using: Perhaps you have computers or office furniture that have been sitting idle since you made layoffs last year. Could you lease or lend these assets to a local business that needs them, in exchange for services or other equipment? There could be untapped value in the idle equipment that you pass every day.
• Market or Advertise Cooperatively: If you are a retailer, create joint promotions with other retailers in your area. Give out coupons in your electronics store for discounts at the tire retailer across the street, for example, and have that retailer return the favor.
• Find Ways to Share Service-Providers: Save money by using the same trash-removal company – or the same company for landscaping or snow removal.
• Maximize HR Resources: If you are downsizing, perhaps you can find ways to help place former employees with other companies in the area. Or perhaps other companies are making layoffs and you need temporary staffing. If you communicate with other employers in the area, you may find ways to reduce the cost of hiring - and lessen the impact of firing - at the same time.
• Share or Barter Real Estate and Office Space: You could have unused office space that a neighbor company needs, or vice-versa. Or maybe you have an outbuilding that another business could use as a storage facility. Idle square footage has value.

Your local Chamber of Commerce or other business association can be a great place to find partners for programs like these. But if those organizations aren’t good choices, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone to call the heads of other businesses in your area. Set up a lunch, or arrange an after-work meeting for a group of local businesspeople.

To learn more about small business savings opportunities, contact us at hello@bizunite.com or 1-866-623-5784. We just saved a Manchester, NH YMCA $31,000 a year on its credit card processing fees!