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Social Media Tips

  • 9 tips for Social Selling using Social Media

    Tips For Social Selling

    I was recently lucky enough to be invited to New Orleans to take part in the Sage Summit 2015, which included a huge variety of amazing and inspiring speakers on a whole range of subjects including social media and, in particular, social selling.

    Here are nine things I learnt about social selling on this trip: 

    1. Engagement is Key

    So many businesses use social media like a megaphone blaring out sales offers and suggesting products for people to buy that it can all feel like one big advert. Don’t do this. Social media is conversation made digital. Use these powerful tools to engage with like minded people who share similar interests. Talk with them. Grow with them. Have fun. Don’t be that guy at the party that’s all sell, sell, sell.

    2. Social Selling

    So… if you don’t sell using these social media channels, what is social selling? We all like to make up our own minds about what we want to buy don’t we? Everybody likes to buy and nobody likes to be sold. Social sellers understand this and never sell directly. Marketing on social media is more subtle and engaged with customers. You have to offer useful or funny content that helps people online and then fit your products into this. Social Sellers tend to offer content that leads to the product, not from the product.

    3. Buying is changing

    In business to consumer (B2C) buying 72% of the purchase decision is now made before the customer arrives at your store (57% in business to business or b2b). They will have seen your products on the internet, asked friends or used social media to actively evaluate price, value and best place to buy. Such customers are often in a state of anticipation looking forward to their purchase. You can help them enjoy their purchase with reassurance on price, quality and service. 

    4. Authenticity Matters

    People buy from people. It’s important that the voice you use online is authentic and real. People want a relationship with brands and companies. They don’t want to feel like they are just another dollar in the company’s coffers. They want to be nurtured, appreciated and cared for. The rewards for companies that do this well are great as social media users are statistically more likely to share their good experience, recommend you to friends and return to shop again.

    5. Be Good

    Try to avoid doing anything that people will hate you for. If you do this by mistake, acknowledge the mistake, apologise and move on. You don’t need to perfect or even outstanding all the time. You just need to be good and avoid being bad. People don’t return to bad restaurants. They will return to an okay or good restaurant. To be successful at this you need to have good feedback loops from your customers to your business so you know when things have gone wrong and can deal with them quickly.

    6. Ignore Trolls

    The internet is full of trolls. Trolls are different from a customer that has a genuine grievance and is angry, you must attend to these and turn their experience around so that they become fans. Trolls who just hurl abuse should be left alone. Ignore them and focus on your customers and fans instead. Filter the noise and don’t rise to any baiting.

    7. Being a Fan

    You must be your own fan of what you do. Social media is so much easier when you love what you do. It follows that you’ll then be authentic and passionate about your subject area and be able to share this with engaged followers. 

    8. Image is everything

    Create and curate beautiful images of your products and share them on your social channels. Instagram and Pinterest are very good for this. You can even create short videos using the images and post them to YouTube or Vine. A picture speaks a thousand words and great images are easy for your fans to share.

    9. Sharing is caring

    Writing great blogs, posting gorgeous pics and making useful videos all take time and effort by content creators. If you see anything good on the internet share it on your social channels. It’s a quick and easy way to say thanks to the author that adds real value to them and costs you very little. Following, subscribing and sharing what you like online will also improve your understanding of engagement on social media.

    So… if you like what you’ve read please do share it using the sharing tools above and tell me what you think on social media.

    How to get started with Social Media

    Marketing: Then vs Now

    10 Business Basics to get right before using Social Media

  • How to get started with digital marketing

    Digital MarketingWe’ve been using various types of digital marketing with both our businesss, Blue Eyed Sun and Ivy Ellen, for several years now with some success. I have also written on digital marketing in several magazines, on blogs and given talks at major trade shows. Here’s how you can get started with some key digital marketing tools along with some practical case studies:

     

    Strategy

    Check that your customer base or target customer base use social media. The easiest way is to ask which platforms they like to use. If you have an email list of your customers, many of the social networks have ways of using this to connect straight to them.

     

    Before you dismiss it as fad, you should be aware that 72% of all internet users are active on social media and it’s not just the young; 60% of 50-60 year olds use these tools to connect with others.    

     

    It’s worth having a website (even if it’s basic) and adding a snippet of code to it from Google Analytics, which will provide you with statistical data. Knowing who comes to your site, where from and how they use it will help you to manage your digital marketing effectively.

     

    Finally, social media is not like marketing in the traditional sense. Do not simply shout out your wares. Try to be useful, fun, informative and most importantly engaging. Ask questions, be friendly and be as useful as possible online. 

     

    Facebook

    Facebook has 1.39 billion users and is a free social networking site that allows users to create profiles, upload photos and video, send messages and keep in touch with people. You will need to set up a profile as an individual as well as a page for your business. Start by connecting with friends to grow the number of people following your page. Those pages that are most successful share images relevant to their followers. Remember to include your Facebook details on your till slips and carrier bags, etc.

     

    One of our retailers, Bijou in Elgin, uses Facebook very well to engage locally with customers. With a population of 22,980 their page has 4,462 likes and people actively comment on the pictures Bijou post of the delicious looking food (aka #foodporn) in their cafe and new products just in. They also engage with groups that discuss products they sell (like collectible teddy bears) in helpful, non-selling ways. 

     

    Twitter

    Twitter is an online social networking service, with 280 million active users, that enables users to send and read short 140 character messages called “tweets.” It’s popular with celebrities,  journalists and PR folk so is great for promoting your business and engaging with fans. Tweeters are more active web store visitors and buy more from tweeting retailers. Watch and listen before tweeting. Engage and interact in helpful ways and don’t be pushy. Never drink and tweet. Grow your followers by following those with shared interests.

     

    With a local population of 19,274, Gift in Lindley has almost 400 followers on Twitter which the shop uses to engage with suppliers and locals. They share or retweet local stories and show lovely pictures of exciting new products that have arrived in their shop without pushing them in a hard sell kind of way. They’ve also been able to boost their PR, grow their brand locally and win awards through using  Twitter.

     

    Pinterest

    Pinterest is an online visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests. With 70 million users worldwide it is the social network that is most likely to drive spontaneous purchasing. Referrals from Pinterest are more likely to buy and tend to spend more than those from Facebook. Pin products you sell on to your Pinterest page and link back to your website. Make your pins fun and visually stimulating to share your company’s personality.

     

    The John Lewis Pinterest page focuses on timely, relevant and useful content for their followers. For example, in January John Lewis created a page that included tips on nutrition and fitness as well as useful products that would help customers achieve their New Year Resolutions.

     

    Instagram

    Instagram is a fun, quirky application used to share your life with your community through a series of images. You have to download the app to your phone or mobile device and then take and upload images from it to your profile. Use it to tell the visual story of your brand. High quality images drive higher engagement. Try posting images of new product arrivals to your shop and aim to create compelling content. Use the # symbol before keywords relating to your images when posting. 

     

    The Dressing Room in St Albans uses Instagram to tell the visual story of their fashion boutique brand and share exciting new arrivals of products in store. They drive high engagement and offer compelling content that their fans love.

     

    LinkedIn

    LinkedIn is a professional, business orientated social network that strengthens and extends your existing network of trusted contacts. It’s great for controlling your online presence as a professional and is used by 50% of companies when hiring. It’s also a brilliant way of rising to the top of Google searches for anyone looking to connect with you or your business online.

     

    With over 15 million UK users I am amazed that more sales agents, suppliers and retailers don’t use LinkedIn. It’s the fastest and easiest way to create a professional, credible website for attracting new business to yourself. I also use it as a live address book to keep track of my professional relationships as well as to share company news and gain knowledge in relevant groups. Click to see: Blue Eyed Sun's linkedIn company page.

     

    Google

    Google’s social network is Google+, which is worth using if online search is important to your business. Registering for free with Google Business is an absolute must for retailers so that their shops show up on Google and map searches. Another service you can pay for is Google Maps Business View, which allows people online to walk off ‘Google Street View’ straight into your shop and wander around it in cyber space. If you do have an ecommerce site it’s also worth using Google Adwords for searches that are made locally to you for products you sell.

     

    If you look up Le Bizz in West Kirby on Google Maps you can wander around the shop via street view, which they paid to have done by Google Approved photographer, David Firth, at a cost of around £500. There is also software available that can connect this tool to ecommerce websites so that customers can click and buy online! Business View is great if your town has day-trippers who like to plan their day in advance and can check you out before they visit.

     

    Online Marketplaces

    Ecommerce is a fast moving, competitive environment and small retailers will struggle to compete for the top spots on Google searches against bigger retailers and online marketplaces. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is incredibly involved and time consuming to take on. I believe the race to to the top spots has been won by the big marketplaces like Ebay, Amazon, Not on the High Street and Etsy. It’s easier to set up an account on them than to run your own site.  They have pre-established customer bases with millions of visitors each month. They’re powerful on SEO and are cheap and easy to list products on. 

     

    Emailing Lists

    A really powerful way of connecting with your customers is to send them an email which offers them deals they want or information they’ll find useful. We use software called MailChimp to contact our customers before trade shows or when we have clearance sales. The software helps our emails to look good, monitors click throughs and avoids emails getting blocked in SPAM filters. They are always packed with useful bits and pieces and are not all about selling our cards. Try not to bombard your customers with these or they will unsubscribe.

     

    Summary

    Be aware that digital marketing is a beast that needs feeding on a regular ongoing basis. It’s good to have a strategy for your content and a plan for how you will deliver it. People love good images and helpful, funny or interesting insights more than hard sales tactics (although they also like a good special offer too). Make sure you plan a system that allows you to keep up with digital marketing and be patient as social media networks take time to grow. 

     

    10 Business basics to get right before using social media

     

    Read more social media tips on our blog here

     

    Discover our top ten business tools

  • Marketing Then vs Now

    Marketing: Then vs NowId like to introduce you to two fictional independent retailers: Hank and Bob. If you met them in a social setting, like a party, youd have completely different experiences of them because they both operate in contrasting ways. By the end of this post you should have a better idea of the differences between marketing then vs now as shown by Hank and Bob.

     

    Meet Hank

    Hank is a real salesman and has a lot of drive and focus. He loves to make money and his business is his means for doing this. He sees most people as an opportunity to make more sales. Hell think nothing of buttonholing someone at a party, whilst he takes them through the benefits of purchasing whatever it is hes selling that week. Hes learnt all the key sales techniques and is very good at it. Sell the sizzle, not the steak and all that jazz. Unfortunately, hes often so in your face that hes the one many of us might seek to avoid. Hank represents the old style of marketing: loud, annoying, interruptive, insensitive and impersonal.

     

    Meet Bob

    Like Hank, Bob is passionate about his business. He has a hardware store and has always loved working with his hands and helping others. Bob is known in his community as the go to guy for DIY. If you met him at a party you might never even find out what Bob does unless you asked. Hes more likely to put you in touch with his Chiropractor to help you sort out your bad back than he is in selling to you. Bob is funny, endearing, interested in you as a person and in helping others. Bob is how marketing is evolving: hes engaging, meaningful, relevant, informative and personal. Hes also more lovable than Hank.

     

    Social Media is like a party

    What most people dont get about social media is that its not like old marketing of the past. Youre better off being more like Bob than Hank at these online gatherings. Actually, I think social media is better than a normal party because you can join in the conversation with anyone there discussing any topic you are interested in at any time. Youre not restricted by location and you dont have to get buttonholed or caught up in irrelevant chit chat if you dont want to. Even when you do, it could still benefit your business as users of social media are more likely to visit brandswebsites and are more likely to purchase than those who arent using these tools. On some social media platforms, like Pinterest and Instagram, users also tend to spend more than others.

     

    Whats important to remember when using social media is that it is not about selling and shouting out your wares like youre at a fish market. Most businesses using these tools are standing with a bullhorn blaring out special offers, deals and product offerings. Who cares? Imagine doing this at a party! Youd just be annoying.

     

    Social media is about engagement with a community that is relevant to your business. So, if you are a retailer in a small town for example, it helps to connect with other businesses on your high street as much as it does to build your own list of consumer followers. You can then cross promote (rather than just self promote) by sharing things with like minded people across your networks and helping to put people in touch with one another. If you want to enjoy a party and show people a good time be fun, be interesting and be genuinely helpful.

     

    Customer Experience

    Were living in an age of commerce where experience dominates consumerssensibilities. Customer experience is the predominant way businesses can add value to the goods or services they sell. Most importantly authenticity of experience affects who consumers buy from and what they choose to buy. Our stories are a way of communicating this authenticity. Lets take another look at our retailersstories:

     

    Hanks Story

    Hank grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. His mother raised him single handedly whilst holding down two jobs after his father left them. They never had any money for treats or nice toys. As Hank raises his own kids, he wants a better life for them and this drives his focus on sales. His story is one of rags to riches. Because Hank is ashamed of his past, people miss out on his authentic self. This is a pity as it could be inspiring for others and it could draw customers to him.  

     

    Bobs Story

    Bob grew up building things with his father who was very handy and could fix almost anything. His mother was a nurse. Bob learnt his handyman skills from his dad and his compassion and community spirit from his mum. He has a son of his own whom he likes to surprise with new bits and pieces of DIY kit from his store when it comes in. He and his son enjoy building tree houses, go-karts and the like together just as he did with his father.

     

    The effect of narratives on our brains

    How do you feel about both of our retailers having read a little bit more about their stories? Do you find yourself endeared to them? Do you feel closer to them? Does anything about their stories resonate with you? Perhaps you didnt like Hank as much at the start and now that you understand him a little better you can relate to him. You might even think Bob could learn a thing or two from him about selling and perhaps Hank could learn about contribution from Bob.

     

    Our brains are hardwired to relate powerfully to stories. Character driven tales consistently cause something called oxytocin synthesis. Studies show that the amount of oxytocin released by the brain as a result of narratives predicts how much people are willing to help others. Oxytocin is often referred to as the trust hormoneand building trust with customers is essential to all businesses.

     

    They say that trust is won in inches and lost in miles. Kind, considerate, helpful information and interaction with your community are the foundation stones of building trust in this new era of marketing. As we experience more of Bob and Hanks stories this sense of connection grows.

     

    Authenticity is more important than spinning a good yarn about your business that isnt true. You dont have to be warts and all, but you do have to be real. Its more important to understand the story of your organisation (and then focus on fitting that into your marketing strategy) than simply setting up social media accounts and blaring out offers in the hope of boosting sales.

     

    Your story has to resonate, have meaning and engage with your audience. People want more personal experiences with their favourite brands. They want to share passions, experiences and values with your business. How much people engage with you, your brand and the story of your business affects trust levels and repeat custom. 

     

    New Marketing

    This new environment opens up a host of opportunities for smaller retailers to win against the big boys. Think about what drove your organisations founders to take the risk of starting the business. How they hoped it would benefit their community or even the world at large.

     

    Use narrative techniques like surprise (show something unusual that arrived in stock in your shop this week) or suspense (what secret launch you are planning next week). Think about the stories of your staff, suppliers and customers and how they fit with your brands story. Use these to engage your audience and add value to your communities.

     

    Use your social media accounts to be helpful by posting things that people in your community want to see or will enjoy. Engage with them by asking questions, answering questions and sharing. Its ok to say what you do and to mention that you have special offers from time to time. Just dont ram it down peoplesthroats with every post. Marketing is not what it was and its time to adapt and reap the benefits of offering your customers and community a more valuable experience of your brand online. 

     

    See all the slides from my recent talk on Marketing your Retail Business

     

    Click here to read all of our blog posts on Social Media

  • Innovative Ways to Market your Retail Business Online

    Slides from my digital marketing seminars at the 2015 Spring Fair International trade show. Learn how to market your retail business online using social media and other innovative ideas. This presentation is interactive. Click on images, logos and underlined text to go through to relevant webpages on the internet.
    Please feel free to share it with anyone you think would be interested. 

     

  • Social Media for Retailers - What's all the Fuss About?

    Here are the slides from my talk on social media for retailers given today at the Widdop Bingham showrooms in Manchester. I will be writing further info into this post in August, which you will also be able to read in that month's edition of Progressive Greetings trade magazine. 

    In the meantime, you might also like to read:

    How to set up a Twitter page for your retail business

    How to set up a Facebook page for your retail business

    How to get started on LinkedIn

    Two simple steps to get yourself to the top of Google

    You might also be interested in these small business social media stats from Sage: 

    Sage social media infographic
    This infographic was produced by Sage UK

  • Two simple steps to get yourself to the top of Google

    Google Homepage

    When we search for businesses these days we no longer use the yellow pages or the phonebook, instead we turn to the internet. In the UK we make 135 million searches a day and Google is our number one destination of choice for finding anything or anyone.

    Often we don’t just use the normal Google search. If I’m looking to buy a specific piece of furniture I’ll type it into the Google Image search to help me locate a photo of what I’m after. If I look for a local card shop I’ll open up Google Maps to my location and enter ‘greeting cards’. We don’t just search from our PC’s anymore either, now we use phones, tablets and other mobile devices.

    For years it has been incredibly costly and time consuming to set up and develop your website using SEO (search engine optimization) techniques so that you show at the top of Google on searches. These days there are two simple steps you can take to get people to find you easily and you don’t even need to have a website. What’s key is to take control of your personal and business digital identity online using Google and other social media tools.
     

    Step 1 - Google Places

    The first step you can take to get to the top of Google is to register your business with Google Places. You’ll need to set up a free account on their system if you have not already done so. They will post out a verification code to your shop to ensure that it is you. Once you’ve typed this in and registered with your shop’s key categories, your business will show up when someone searches on Google Maps in your high street for those category terms. Most importantly when someone searches for your shop name, your details will show up with opening hours, address, phone number, etc. When you control this info on Google (register for Google+ whilst you are at it) and other social media sites, you don’t even need a website.

    Step 2 - Register on LinkedIn

    Being found is so important in business these days. I know a paper supplier who recently had a graphic designer, that was starting a card publishing business, track her down through Google and LinkedIn. The supplier had moved to another company and they had lost touch. The opening order was over £5,000 and could easily have not come her way had she not been registered on LinkedIn. The lesson here is clear: You must ensure that you and your business are easy to find online.
     
    Which leads me on to the second step: Register your name and your business name on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a directory / social media platform that I recommend all retailers, sales agents and industry pros register their details on. Search any personal name on the Google and you are likely to have a LinkedIn profile show at the top of Google. If you control your LinkedIn account you control what they find and ensure that people find you and your business easily. If you want to know more about LinkedIn read How to Get Started on LinkedIn and 15 Tips for Using LinkedIn for Business.
     
    It’s not just being found that is important when taking these steps. Digital identity is becoming very important as logins and even payments in all sorts of places are starting being made via Facebook and other social media accounts instead of current methods. Your digital identity is your presence online as a person and as a business. You need to control it, even if only by owning your web address and social media account names. Using them is great, but make sure that, at the very least, you register your name and business name for them as you don’t want anyone else using them to their own benefit.
     
    Register your business on Google Places and on LinkedIn today. In two simple steps you will start rising to the top of Google when people look for you, your business and what your business does.
     
    Read more social media tips here:
     
  • 15 Top tips for using LinkedIn for your business

    Blue Eyed Sun on LinkedIn

    Following on from my earlier blog post on How to get started on LinkedIn, the professional social media network, here are my top tips for using LinkedIn for your business:

    1. Use a professional looking photo not a company logo for your personal profile

    People do business with people, particularly in our industry, so be sure to use a nice photo of yourself on your profile. Logo’s are impersonal and that’s what Company pages are for on LinkedIn. So don't use a logo and avoid leaving this part of your profile blank. Your photo is a way of people in your network ensuring the profile is yours and your connections dramatically increase with a nice picture.

    2. Use your full name - it’s makes you easier to find and you won’t look like a spammer

    Similarly don't use abbreviations. If you are known as Steve Smith avoid setting up your account as Steve J Smith, Stephen Smith, Mr Smith or worst of all S. Smith. Stick to the name people are most likely to search for when looking for you.

    3. Don’t just connect with anyone. Build a network that is strong and relevant to you.

    I once accepted an invitation from a fellow wedding industry pro on LinkedIn via our wedding stationery business Ivy Ellen. He then proceeded to work his way through my connections inviting them all to connect like one might do on Twitter. As in life, this is a big no-no on LinkedIn. The etiquette is to ask to be introduced by your mutual acquaintance if you'd like to connect with someone on LinkedIn that you haven't met before.

    4. If you’re not a friend, don’t say you are. People don’t like it and tend not to accept.

    Similarly, if you are not a friend then don't say that you are just to connect with someone. These days you can follow LinkedIn profiles and companies until you are introduced by a mutual acquaintance or meet the person you are trying to connect with.

    5. Customise your connecting invitations and make them relevant to the person you are inviting.

    The standard invite if you don't amend it says "I'd like to add you to my professional network." It's much nicer to receive a request saying "Hi Jeremy, It was great to meet you at Spring Fair. I'd love to add you add you to my professional network." I think we all find it helpful when we have reminder of how we know the person (unless of course it's your spouse ;).

    6. Personalise your LinkedIn url

    This is also known as a vanity url and the result looks like this in your web browser: www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycorner It's good for making yourself easy to find on Google (ie. SEO). To do this move your cursor over Profile at the top of your homepage and select Edit Profile. Click Edit next to the URL under your profile photo. In the Your public profile URL box in the bottom right, click "Customize your public profile URL". Type the last part of your new custom URL in the text box. Click Set Custom URL.

    7. Avoid linking your tweets to LinkedIn

    The majority of LinkedIn users are not time rich and appreciate good quality content that relates to their career and business interests. If you link your Twitter feed to your LinkedIn profile you can end up filling the latter with a load of useless garbage. The networks have different uses and users. Use them accordingly.

    8. Only post relevant links to your groups

    As per the last post, respect other people's time. If the blog post you've just worked so hard on is not relevant or useful to one of the LinkedIn groups you've joined, then don't post it to that group. Similarly if you find something that other members of your group might find helpful do post a link in your feed and to any groups that might benefit from it. Over time you will become a trusted and valued member of the group by doing this.

    9. Engage with others on your network

    Social networks are all about engagement. They are not about blasting your message out there with a loud hailer. So interact by answering people's questions and by posing questions. Respond to any comments on links you post and remember to thank people if they share, comment or like what you do.

    10. Double check your spelling and grammar before posting

    It's a professional network so do your best to look professional. If you are dyslexic then have a friend review your profile and fix any typos for you. Always read through your comments before posting them to correct and minimise any errors.

    11. Make your skills and expertise key-word relevant

    LinkedIn is one of the top twenty most visited websites in the world so it's strong for SEO on Google. If you want people to find you for the things you do make sure you get those search terms into the skills and expertise section of your profile (and elsewhere if possible).

    12. You have an invitations limit of 3,000 - use them wisely

    Amazingly you currently only have 3,000 invitations that you can send out so be sure to focus on inviting people that you know and will be relevant to the network you are trying to build online.

    13. Make sure that you complete your LinkedIn profile

    Almost half of LinkedIn profiles are 100% complete which is hugely helpful for those who want to follow you or connect with you for business opportunities. You'll need to ask some people for written referrals. Endorsements are actively encouraged on LinkedIn and are easy to do for others. I find that the more I recommend others for things the more I am endorsed in return.

    14. Set up your Company Page

    Setting up your company page is useful for anyone looking to find your business online. I think it's especially useful if you don't have a website as it's a quick, easy and free way of your business having a web presence online. People who like your business can even recommend you and you can post dynamic up to date contact on your company page too. Here's an example of a LinkedIn business page: http://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-eyed-sun-ltd/

    15. Regularly visit the LinkedIn site

    Check in with your groups each week and comment on posts in your group. You can also post links to your blog posts and update images of your product offering. If you keep your profile up to date and accurate and over time your business will naturally begin to see the benefits.

    Once you are up and running with LinkedIn it is extremely powerful for targeting prospects, suppliers and business opportunities. You'll see what I mean once you get going with it. In the meantime, I hope you find this blog post useful and look forward to connecting with you on LinkedIn if we already do business together or have met through the industries I am involved in.

    How to get started on LinkedIn

    How to set up a Twitter page for your retail business

    How to set up a Facebook page for your retail business

  • How to get started on LinkedIn

    Blue Eyed Sun on LinkedIn

    Recently we looked at how to get started on Twitter and how to set up a Facebook page for your business. Today I want to show you how to get going on LinkedIn.

    I think LinkedIn is the most under rated social media tool available. It’s an incredibly powerful way of connecting with literally millions of professionals. It’s also easy to use and has recently become a lot more content rich with the ability to add images, video and other media to your individual or company profile. In effect, it’s a great way to have a free website representing you and your company in a professional way online. People can follow you, connect with you, send you messages and it’s a great source of business information. You can also recommend companies and users and build a profile that grows your credibility within your industry. Greeting Card Agents and Card Retailers in particular would benefit greatly from this free platform.

    Before you start, make sure you have a nice professional looking digital photo of yourself, a digital copy of your company logo and some images of your shop or product offering. Then head over to www.linkedin.com and enter your contact details and a password to get started. Complete your details on the next page including the company you currently work for and click Create My Profile. On the next step you can add your email address so that LinkedIn can easily connect you with people already in your email system. They won’t do this without asking you first and you can skip this step. Next confirm your email address. You can also tweet or facebook message that you are on LinkedIn and invite people to connect with you. The penultimate step allows you the option of signing up to the premium service should you wish to. Lastly you can improve your profile by updating your experience, education, photo, skills and expertise and details.

    The most important parts of your profile are your photo and your current workplace. I recommend keeping your profile focused on industries relevant to your current businesses and keywords for SEO purposes. Your education, etc is only relevant if you’d like to reconnect with old school friends in a more formal way than via Facebook. You can customise yourLinkedIn account at any time by hovering your mouse over the Account & Settings icon at the top right and selecting Privacy & Settings.

    To add a company page to LinkedIn, move your mouse over the Interests menu at the top and select Companies. Click Add a Company at the top right of the next page if your business is not already listed. Follow the instructions and once you have set up your company page you can add a nice image of your shop or products. See our Blue Eyed Sun page here for an idea of how it can look: http://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-eyed-sun-ltd/

    Good luck setting up your LinkedIn profile and company page. Have fun playing with it and if we do business together or have met through the industry do connect with or follow me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremycorner

    15 Top Tips for Using LinkedIn for your Business

    To find out more about setting up your company page you might like to watch the LinkedIn training video below:

  • How to set up a Twitter Page for your retail business

    @Blue_Eyed_Sun on Twitter

    You might find it useful to read my blog post Social Media for Retailers - How to Get Started before you proceed. Also take a look at 10 business basics to get right before you start using social media to ensure you put first things first in terms of your business focus.

    What is Twitter?

    Twitter is a free online real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news about what you find interesting. At the heart of Twitter are small bursts of information called Tweets. Each Tweet is 140 characters long. You can follow anyone on Twitter and anyone can follow you.

    How to set up a Twitter page for business

    Simply visit www.Twitter.com and enter your name, email and password then click sign up for twitter, it’s that easy. Create a good password with letters and numbers and choose your username that works best for your business. This will be your Twitter handle, like @IvyEllen for example. You don’t need to use the @ sign when doing this. You can change this at any point, I would advice getting the best username you can for your business and sticking with it though.

    Next you will be taken through a couple of steps which start by showing you what a tweet is. You can skip any of these steps by clicking the grey ‘skip’ link on the bottom left. Twitter then recommends some people to follow (you can unfollow them easily later if you wish). You can also search for people in your industry to follow like @Blue_Eyed_Sun for instance. Lastly you can automatically add contacts from your Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL account to see if any of them are on Twitter.

    Next add either your square logo or a square image of yourself and copy and paste your bio text. This is really important as you are much less likely to be followed if you do not have a bio or an image (aka an avatar) on your account. And that’s it, you are up and running. Congratulations!

    Before you move on to finding more people to follow, I recommend that you click on the cog next to the search box at the top and go to settings on the drop down menu that appears. Then click profile on the left hand side of the next page. Here you should add your website address and location. This will help you to come up for people searching for you or companies like you in their area. Lastly, can also add in your landscape picture for the header on your twitter page here.

    A good tip for getting more followers is to follow lots of people. If you want card related businesses go to @Blue_Eyed_Sun and look at the people we follow and the ones that follow us. You can then easily click the follow button next to them. Over time many of them will follow you back. If you are a retailer, one of the things to look out for on Twitter are local twitter feeds. These days there are twitter accounts that list special offers, events, etc from most areas across the UK. They will often retweet your tweets to their followers when you use hashtags at the start of local phrases in your tweet.

    It’s important to tweet fairly regularly rather than not at all because more sophisticated users will unfollow accounts that appear not  to be active and you don’t want to lose followers. Having said that the main thing to do when you start is to listen and interact. Twitter is all about engagement. Be interested, be interesting or be funny and you will do well. You can use the search facility on twitter to search for tweets and users using keywords on topics that you are most interested in.

    Something to watch out for on Twitter are messages saying “Have you seen this photo of you” or “Somebody is saying bad things about you” with a link. When you click on the link it takes you to a replica of the twitter login page and when you type in your details they have access to your account. They then spam your followers with the same messages. Don’t worry if this happens to you. Just login and change your password to something secure and that usually fixes the problem.

    Good luck with your adventures on Twitter. I will be posting more tips in the coming months so be sure to follow us and keep reading our blog. Thanks for visiting!

    Click on the link below to read more about...

    How to set up a Facebook page for your retail business

    How to get started on LinkedIn

    Why is social media so important for business?

    Watch the video below and visit http://business.twitter.com/twitter-smaller-businesses for more info...

  • How to set up a Facebook page for your retail business

    Blue Eyed Sun Facebook Page 2013

    How to Set up a Facebook Page for your retail business

    You might find it useful to read my blog post Social Media for Retailers - How to Get Started before you proceed. Also take a look at 10 business basics to get right before you start using social media to ensure you put first things first in terms of your business focus.

    What is Facebook?

    Facebook is a free network of online profiles of individuals, companies and characters. At the heart of Facebook is the news feed where users can post, share and discuss information, videos, photos, websites and stories. Users can follow any companies pages, but can be selective about who and how they connect with one another.

    How to set up your Facebook page for business

    Start by visiting Facebook at www.Facebook.com. If you have never used Facebook before, click on the link below the green Sign Up button which says Create a Page for a... business. Local Business or Place doesn’t work so well for the UK, so from this page choose Company, then Retail and Consumer Merchandise from the drop down; after which you can add your business name and contact details. Tick the terms agreement check box and then click Get Started.

    Next you will be prompted to set up a Facebook account. If you already have one you can log in here. After this you will be prompted for a description about your business and to add your business website. You will also be asked to verify if the organisation is real and if it will be the official page of your business on Facebook. Say yes. Then click the Save Info button. After this you will be able to upload you square company logo / avatar. Then lastly you will be able to enter the URL you would like for your business. For example ours is www.Facebook.com/BlueEyedSun. Interestingly when I want a shortened version for marketing www.FB.com/BlueEyedSun also works. Once you have chosen this and clicked the blue button your page is set up. You can then like your page, which will in effect be your personal account that you set up earlier ‘Liking’ your business page. You will also be prompted to post an update. I recommend posting about anything that is of interest to your audience / fan base. For example, you can add pictures like www.fb.com/bijouelgin do with food from their cafe each week. You can ask questions or share news and information.

    A good way of adding likes to your business is to ask friends and family to like your page. Reach out to your customers via flyers, printing your social media details on your till receipts and by offering deals which are only available to those who like your page.

    The way to change between your business FB Page from your personal account at anytime is to click on the cog at the top right and choose your company or name from the drop dow menu. The icon on the left of this cog is always the user who is viewing the page. Ie if it is your personal photo / account name and you are viewing any page on Facebook which you then like, you will be liking it as you personally and not as your business. It’s worth keeping a close eye on this as you may not wish to mix business with your personal posts on Facebook.

    If you click on the Facebook logo at the top left it will always show the news feed of your friends and or the companies you follow. If you click on your avatar or on your page name it will show the posts and interactions from your page only. You can easily add your landscape photo of your products or shop by clicking on Add a Cover on your profile page.

    A word of warning: Do not set up your business as a personal page, this is against the rules and you could have your account deleted at any point. Customers don’t like it either as it means when they connect with you that you can read the personal feeds on your wall.  You cannot change between the two later.

    I follow a lot of card related and retail businesses via my Blue Eyed Sun page and regularly check my news feed to see what they are up to. It’s lovely to see what our customers and competitors are up to and engage with through this medium. You can like pictures they have posted by clicking on the like button or leave a comment under their posts. You can also share anything they have posted by clicking share.

    The key thing to bear in mind with social media is that it is very much about engagement more than followers or 'likes'. By being active on Facebook you are being available to engage and being referable to boost your business. As Oscar Wilde famously said, “There’s only one thing worse than being talked about, and that’s not being talked about.” If you are not on Facebook or Twitter you are very much not allowing your business to be talked about.

    Click on the link below to read more about...

    How to set up a Twitter Page for your retail business

    How to get started on LinkedIn

    Why is social media so important for business?

     

    Check out the video below and visit www.facebook.com/business/ for more info.

     

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