Social Media Best Practices for Startup Businesses

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:23:34 +0000

Let’s imagine you are a one, two, three-man operation and your contemplating using social networking sites (SNS) to support your marketing efforts and ultimately generate sales in a short time.

It’s hard to ignore the power of communities as consumers spend 30% or more of their time online. Get ready to think it through as your begin strategizing, “how to incorporate social media into your marketing plan at day one.”

Get Your Cash Machine Ready. If you haven’t spent the time to build and host an E-Commerce website it’s now time to do so. There are many options to choose from beginning with hosted-subscriber based to custom add-to-cart scripts that you will need to evaluate with a techie to see what is a right-fit for your needs.

Your Value Proposition It would seem that this is an overlooked point in starting a business where value is not for the business owner not the intended consumer. Spend the time to find your sweet spot whether is to bring together the best in local brands to a global assortment that screams value for the money in an easy, convenient and secure E-Commerce site. It’s important to “Brand!” your products with your logo and website address to ensure continuity with your website to your consumer.

Here is a five(5) Best Practice Points in setting up your social media profiles in community networking sites.

1. Profile Picture Jazz up your Facebook profile picture with a collage of some of your available brands. It gives your fans a quick snapshot of the products you offer. On Twitter make a similar but different variation of the same logo.

2. Posting Schedule If you haven’t hooked up your website analytics like the free Google Analytics it’s now time to do so. In retaily, it’s important to post on those days which have the most activity which are most commonly Wednesdays at lunch hours. Of course check against your website analytics and post according to what you discover as your peak times. As far as frequency of posts, I would try for a minimum of two posts per day and increase frequency as needed.

3. Promotional Announcements Take advantage of both SNS platforms to announce and publicize upcoming and ongoing promos.

4. Product Roll-Outs Everyday use Facebook to feature a particular item on your E-Commerce website. For new arrivals and discontinued products use both Facebook and Twitter to grab attention of fans and followers to generate interest to your product line-ups.

5. Taking Orders When taking orders its best to use your E-Commerce website to process orders. It’s not ideal to take orders through Facebook or Twitter even though you can, you will be hard press later to manage your sales prospects from fans to followers where creating seperation gives an added feeling of trust and confidence for the online shopper.

ESSENTIAL RULES FOR USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:38:50 +0000

First, as small businesses often have no budget to create their own websites, setting up accounts and fan pages on social networking sites (SNS) is a quicker, more practical way to reach potential clients. In a few minutes, without a penny spent, you can already sell your goods online and promote your company without having to set up a website. Also, as SNS start sticking to templates, there’s not much room for customization. This means “it comes down to the product you’re selling versus the glitz and flash of your website.”

Second, people are increasingly putting their trust on peers and family and less on traditional advertising for must-buy products and must try services. And yes, a very good way to reach family and friends is through social media. With a good offering, a small business can fight it out with big players as long as it keeps its consumers satisfied. “Consumers are looking to peers for recommendations on products, services, health issues, and more via social media. Only companies that produce great products and services will be part of these conversations; mediocrity will quickly be eliminated.

However, online social networks are not the magic pill that could magically deliver sales. I will share ten things you must remember when using SNS for your business.

1. Don’t attempt to please everybody Your business either deals with another business B2B or serves consumers directly B2C. You must therefore have a deep understanding of what your market wants, to help you streamline your online and offline efforts. Design your SNS strategy around what will ultimately benefit your clients and highlight your strengths as a company.

2. Be searchable SNS is slowly replacing search engines as a tool for queries. Be on top of the search results list by putting your comapny name in the URL. In the headers or fan pages or groups. make sure that your brand is listed in the right category. All your promos and posts must have your brand plus relevant keywords for easy recognition among your followers.

3. Let customers know you have a fan page If you have your own website it must include links to your SNS accounts. You can use an interactive logo of the social media site to your “About Us” page and on every shareable content uploaded on the website.

4. Read the guidelines for promotions is social networking sites It’s a good thing most SNS have lenient rules for contests and freebies promoted on their platforms. But it is still important that you are aware of the guidelines to prevent unintentional breaches leading to a shutdown. For example, you need to get an approval from Facebook Inc. before launching a customized app for your fan page.

5. Concentrate on content. When you provide useful information to followers for free and with no strings attached sooner or later you will be seen as a credible source.

6. Post consistent frequent updates The popularity of social media has given birth to 24/7 marketing and it’s always on and updated real time. Therefore, you must not only have quality content you must also post regularly. Updates should be daily (yes, even on weekends) and occur a few times within the week.

7. Engage, don’t sell Social media have also modified the traditional functions of marketers. “A marketers job has changed from creating and pushing to one that requires listening, engaging, and reacting to potential and current customers needs.” Especially sales pitches thrown out to followers, no longer work–people are not buying those anymore. Engaging conversations, whether about the brand or not, are what consumers value more in SNS. Answer questions feature and comment on blogs, create polls, and join forums with themes relevant to your time of business. Contribute information that could enhance your credibility to readers. After all, social media is relational not transitional.

8. Bad publicity? Deal with it. Liking your page gives followers a license to bash you in public. Unsatsified cleints now turn to Facebook walls and Twitter hashtags to let companies know they are not happy with their products or service. ” The concept of responding to customer unhappiness is certainly not new, and not new on the Web. The difference with social media is the speed and ease in which this occurs as well as the sphere of influence…Good companies view it as an opportunity to prove to that customer they are willing to go the extra mile for them,” says Qualman.

9. Let consumers own you. Qualman says that another phenomenon brought about by social media is the braggadonian behavior of consumers. This “it’s all about me, me, me.” preoccupation is also channeled to brands they feel strongly about. If they want to own your brand and be associated with it, so let them. “The most successful social media and mobile applications are those that allow users to brag, compete, or look cool by passing it on.

10. Hire a dedicated social media/online community manager (OCM) A small business may see this as an additional expense, but experts hav long encouraged organizations to hire their own evangelist. The OCM must be independent, free from the pressure of sales quotas, and must report directly to a manager or executive who understands his role in the company. Skills wise, an OCM must be familiar with and can easily adapt to technology related to social media like analytics, aggregators, and content management systems. He must be able to assign and evaluate metrics. Converting numbers into insights that would be useful to the company’s marketing department and the management.

DBWorks.Pro | Diablo Blanco

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:13:36 +0000

Super clean with a great portfolio. Nice job Blanco!

IMO!

Like the Black & White
Nice and Linear

Needs More Hot Chicks
Needs About Me

I Dig This Band! The Big Pink

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:53:40 +0000

home

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:54:42 +0000

Industrial Design Jewelry Project

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:44:56 +0000

This project is in need of a talented industrial designer to dream up a unique minimalist wrist cuff perceived as fine jewelry. I am seeking a highly creative designer with an eye for minimalism to target and engage a young professional audience whom desire a need for modern, elegant, subtle and modern wrist cuff jewelry.

Project Requirements are:

Brief

The concept is a jewelry product as a wrist brace or wrist cuff for men with the quality and craftmanship of jewelry.
The product has the cache of swiss craftmanship and the mood of gorgeous northern european design. i.e. rado
The advent of smart phones and its utility beyond a “Clock” have created a void for great many men in the 18 to 35 year old age range who are more concerned about gearing up their fashion statement that goes beyond the watch. Who needs a clock! How about a minimalast “Apple-esque” wrist cuff/brace which offers some utility that speaks “modern quality high fashion” like an Apple product.
The cost of materials scale with the product design. As the customer demands more elegance the product can be more expensive and more custom in pattern design.
Lastly, it has to feel like a watch, but have none of its singular traits and also feel functional and appear as a masculine jewelry piece for everyday consumers.

Budget

Concept Design: 5,000.00 to 10,000 PHP
2D / 3D Model: Included
Prototype: TBD
Partnership: Seeking designer and jeweler collaboration for product prototype and future iterations

Function

Jewelry Centerpiece for a Man
Branding and personalization function for sophisticated executives
Kick-ass James Bond 007 Functionality

Design

Refined modern, sculptured with precision, european minimal design
Design inspiration: apple, rado, etc.
Open to suggestions

If you are interested in this project please drop me a message below or contact me. :>

Got friends who can design? Please click to share on FB or Tweet it. \\\\\ You Kick Ass! /////

Graphic Design Project

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:43:27 +0000

This project is in need of a graphic designer to forge numerous unique minimalist assets for Vulcan.ph. I am in search of a highly creative graphic designer disciplined in information design with minimalist tastes. Vulcan.ph’s target audience are senior executives, age range from mid 30′s and above whom possess the business acumen and financial capability to charter their “Pet Idea” for launch in the free market. This unique small sub-set of professionals are intelligent, savvy, highly specialized and successful. The downside is their taste for information is prone to scanning text for value in content and need visual queues and “no-brainer” call to actions in the design and messaging. The audience is picky! Therefore, the punch-line in our messaging and design must be modern, valuable, elegant, informational, and direct.

Project Requirements are:

Brief

Website with Super Sized Backgrounds, uncluttered navigation and brief content boxes
Strong messaging and “obvious to salient solutions” buttons and content
Heavy concentration of video to messaging to solution to sales penetration messaging
Rely on specialization of idea channeling to idea launch of entrepreneurs personal ideas

Budget

Design Concept & Image Elements in Flatfile PSD: 3,000.00 PHP
Programming of JQuery and CMS: 2,000.00 PHP

Function

Design

If you are interested in this project please drop me a message below or contact me. :>

Got friends who can design? Please click to share on FB or Tweet it. \\\\\ You Kick Ass! /////

MotoLifestyle Design Project

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:42:13 +0000

This project is in need of a designer to conjure up a unique “subculture” brand. The initial product is a unisex wrist cuff band. Vulcan is looking for a highly creative designer whom can identify with the motorcycle industry and its sub-cultures; big bikes, under-bones, and scooters. The product in mind provides utility for branding, personalization and lifestyle with the added benefit of being a safety device. The target audience varies, passionate about two-wheel action, have limited disposable income and really enjoy custom lifestyle products.

Project Requirements are:

Brief

The concept is to replace a watch with a bad-ass wrist cuff!
The product is trendy, steeped in moto ethos and disposable
The utility of the wrist cuff can provide custom branding, personalization and a light safety device
The wholesale product cost should be minimal roughly 100 to 200 pesos, so efficient selection of materials and functional design is a must

Budget

Design & Brand Concept: 5,000.00 to 10,000 PHP
2D / 3D Model: Included
Prototype: TBD

Function

Safety Light Device
Storage for ID Documents
Window(s) for Branding

Design

Up to 3 Design Styles
Modular Design for Motorcycle Use
Fashion Style is tough, trendy, durable at times refined and modern

If you are interested in this project please drop me a message below or contact me. :>

Got friends who can design? Please click to share on FB or Tweet it. \\\\\ You Kick Ass! /////

Scooter Make-over Project

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:41:01 +0000

Is it possible to turn a really cool scooter into a modern big-bike look? I think possible. Let’s make it happen..

If you are interested in this project please drop me a message below or contact me. :>

Got friends who can design? Please click to share on FB or Tweet it. \\\\\ You Kick Ass! /////

Facebook Commerce

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:16:15 +0000

Case Study for Migrating Web Content into Facebook and Develop a Social Hub for E-Commerce

Varsity was looking for a highly targeted way to engage with its audience, which would:

Brief

hit the student and young professional demographic of 18 –35 year olds
reflect the brand’s youthful, dynamic and lively qualities
continue to provide relevant and current information about deals, offers and activities, including, where appropriate, those from other Barracuda brands

Strategy

Establish where the target audience ‘lives’ from a social perspective
Develop a bold, market-leading plan to migrate all of Varsity’s online activity onto a social hub
Phase out the existing website, and redirect visitors to the new Varsity Hub

Tactics

Develop the Varsity Hub on Facebook, where 96% of students communicate and find information daily
Use the Hub to provide news, views and updates on the VCard (Varsity discount card), bookings, events, offers and student tour videos, as well as a bar searcher function and information about the link between Varsity and its mother brand, Party at the Pub
Repurpose existing landing page to redirect users to Facebook and allow them to sign up for the Party at the Pub newsletter

Results

Increased brand audience by over 30% in 1 month on social networks
Average daily users on the Facebook page increased 279% with the addition of the new content
Conversion to booking 2,074% higher higher for traffic reaching sister brand Party At The Pub’s booking page from the Varsity hub, vs. direct from its own website, proving that the content is highly engaging and telling customers exactly what they need to know

Website Address:
Varsity Bars
http://www.varsitybars.com
http://www.facebook.com/VarsityBars

Today, we feel we are swimming upstream with our old website with the rising of social media. I recommend taking advantage of your existing content and publishing your facebook personality to fit your existing company brand, ethos, staff and everything that you are proud of. Don’t be shy, ask for help from your current customers and start a brand new friendship.