In 2001, a skinny kid named Takeru Kobayashi devoured fifty hot dogs in 12 minutes — double the previous world record. The guy weighed a whopping 131 pounds. Yet he took down competitors three time his size and changed the sport forever.
How did he do it?
He did not just stuff hot dogs into his mouth faster than everyone else. Not even close. His massive success came from thinking strategically and going beyond the obvious. He removed the hot dogs from their buns He broke each dog in half, so he could fit the whole thing into his mouth at once and he dunked the buns into a cup of water to make them easy to chew and swallow This is a classic case of working smarter, instead of harder.
Most people, whether they actively use it or not, would agree that social media is a powerful attraction tool. Business owners and marketers alike know that social media has become one of the most important marketing channels, allowing an organisation’s message to be communicated to the masses with just a few clicks of a button.
There is a common misconception, however, that managing social media is easy. It does not have to (and should not be) hard, but it should take some work. In today’s article we will teach you five ways you can make social media work for you. Effective social media does not just happen by chance. Having a plan will greatly improve the results you will see from social media marketing. Your social media should be working for you, rather than you work for your social media.
Here is how:
Open up
Beyond the ‘sharing’ functionality, consider allowing anybody and everybody to be able to rate and comment on all the products and services on your platform.
Listen better
Set up a free account with Google Reader and start feeding into it RSS feeds for all key/important terms (companies, brands, key management people, competitors, industries etc).
Read more
Use Google Reader to also organise all the key blogs in your industry. By reading, listening, and following them, it will make you smarter and sharper. You will know what your competition is up to and be able to think of ways to beat them.
Listen even more
Use Twitter search, Google Alerts and Google Blog search to hear what people are saying about you, your competitors, and your industry. Tip: Every result will usually allow you to create an RSS feed. Do this and bring the feed into Google Reader. This way you will have one area where every time anything is mentioned, you will be able to see it in one, united, and easy-to-manage location.
Respond, respond to everything
Become the de-facto expert, do not sell, do not push. Be helpful. Be likeable. If you are knowledgeable and helpful, people will buy from you.
Look at your current social media performance. Are you getting all you should be from it? If not, start implementing these five key points to make your social media work for you!
Eliot Kelly is recognised as a serial Entrepreneur, and has been featured on CNN, BBC, BBC Three’s Be Your Own Boss and an extensive list of magazines and articles. His four books have been translated in over 7 languages and are sold in 29 countries, recently being shortlisted for Best Self-Help and Best Advice Books 2019 by The Author Academy. He is regarded as a top Sales, Business and Leadership Management Coach who creates opportunities for his success partner’s through financial literacy and life skills training. He is also a Professional Speaker and continues to inspire present and future entrepreneurs around the world.
