This document provides 17 tips for using social media for business. It advises creating social media accounts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to engage with clients and prospects. While social media won't transform a bad business or operate without participation, it can help build relationships online if used strategically as part of an overall marketing plan. Interacting, participating, and having fun are emphasized, while spamming and inappropriate conduct are warned against. Face-to-face interactions are still seen as important to complement online efforts.

1. SOCIAL MEDIA and YOUR BUSINESS
Tips, Strategies and No Nos
Rancho Santa Fe Business and Professional Women’s Association
September 2009
WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHY SHOULD I USE IT?
Socializing, learning, sharing, creating relationships on line much
like we already do. In real time, interaction not 1 way. User generated
content. Like a cocktail party. It’s all about conversations and engaging
with others
WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA WILL NOT DO!
Transform your business if it is crummy or make you a great
business person if you are not
Bring you business overnight
Operate without your participation
Remain the same
MY TOP 17 TIPS
17. DO SOMETHING
Your clients, prospects, and competition are, so you need to understand
it and how it can and is being used. You don’t have to join every website
or spend every waking hour involved with SM. But do SOMETHING
16. MAKE A PLAN
You need to have a plan – what you are going to do and when.
Focus on WHO you are trying to reach – target audience??
Needs to tie into your overall business plan and goals

2. 15 . DON’T LIMIT YOUR THINKING ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS
AND HOW YOU CAN BUILD RELATIONSHIPS ON-LINE
Don’t get into the trap of thinking this will not work for MY business.
Instead think of how You can create and foster relationships like you
would off-line
14. GET A FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE
Over 300 MILLION on FB now. If you are on Facebook, create a
business page – go to F icon at bottom of profile or home page. Click.
Then Click on Pages at the Top and then CREATE NEW PAGE.
If not on FB, get there.
13. CHECK OUT TWITTER – It’s Free
Create and account and follow me – JDowler. Then you can see
everyone that is following me or who I am following.
FREE e-book I can email you
12. GET ON LINKEDIN – Your Professional Resume
If not there create an account and create your profile. Look for people
you may know who are there to connect with. Search by schools,
businesses and personal names
11. CONSIDER STARTING A BLOG, OR KEEP ON BLOGGING
Great for SEO and pulling up your rankings on Google, making it
easier for people to find you and your website. If you have lots of info to
share with consumers blogging may be right for you, and you can have
this as your website
10. PARTICIPATE AND ENGAGE – let people know you’re there
It takes 2 to tango and a two-way street. People won’t engage if you
don’t

3. 9. MIX BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL
It’s perfect OK to do both – you’re human. Business all the time can
work against you – folks want to get to know YOU not just your
business.
8. BEHAVE YOURSELF – can you play well in the sandbox?
Watch the bad language, slander, sex talk, jokes, confidential
information, being critical, racial slurs, other innuendos. Some folks
seem to forget where they are and what they are doing and saying on-
line
7. REMEMBER…THE INTERNET HAS A LONG MEMORY
The Internet never forgets – once you say it, it’s there for everyone to
see. You can’t hit delete and make it go away
6. HAVE FUN – if you don’t it will show
Social networking can be great fun, but if you don’t enjoy it, or act like
you don’t, people will know.
5. NO SPAMMING
No mass twitters, connecting with people just to build numbers, sending
email blasts to folks randomly. Don’t promote YOUR SELF in
responses to others tweets or comments on Facebook.
4. GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND – Google your clients and prospects,
your competition, yourself
Have you Googled yourself? Do it regularly. Check out your prospects
and competition. Suggest potential clients Google you.
3. KNOW WHAT YOUR ON-LINE REPUTATION IS AND MANAGE
IT

4. People WILL talk about you, refer to you, mention your name, and so
on. You NEED to know what is being said on-line so you can deal with
it. GOOGLE ALERTS for your name and business (and variations)
2. DON’T HOPE SOCIAL MEDIA WILL BRING YOU
BUSINESS…KNOW THAT IT WILL – attitude is key
1. DON’T STAY BEHIND THE COMPUTER…F2F IS STILL
IMPORTANT – don’t give up what is already working
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
JEFF DOWLER
RE/MAX ASSOCIATES
(760) 840-1360
JDowler@remax.net
www.JeffDowler.com
www.CarlsbadRealEstateNews.com
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Follow me on Twitter - @jdowler
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Available for individual coaching and planning sessions