The first thing you need to do is understand social media.  Break the term down to “social” and “media”.  It is a very social outlet, meaning it is supposed to be conversational.  People log in to these sites to have fun, contribute ideas, and learn new things.  They don’t come to these websites for a sales pitch or a commercial.  So if you set up a Twitter page for your company and only use it to post deals and specials, people are going to quickly ignore you.

The media side of the term describes the network-to-network communication.  But what sets social media apart from other media is that you have the freedom to communicate from one-to-one or one-to-many.  You are given the option to speak directly to individuals as well as the masses.  So it is important to talk to your “friends” or “followers,” so that you can build a good reputation with them.

Going off what I said earlier, people don’t want their social media experience to feel like a commercial.  Your ultimate goal may be to get people to visit your website or into your store, but they don’t want to be told to do so.  If you build a solid relationship with your social network, they are going to do that on their own free will.  Think of social media as a two-way street.  You need to contribute to conversations and express ideas to stimulate discussion amongst people in your network.  Failure to do so will quickly lead to a loss of interest in your company.

What it mainly boils down to is social media is a powerful asset to all companies when properly managed.  You just need to know and understand the fine line between having a positive presence online and presenting yourself as an infomercial for your brand.  Maintain the social aspect, talk to people, and gain trust in your community and the sales will happen on their own.

As I left the Corps and started running social media campaigns, the words kept creeping up in the back of my head.  I couldn’t put my finger on why I thought about the motto so much until it hit me: to be successful at social media, you need to be Semper Fidelis.

As social media has quickly become a dominant power in the business world, more and more companies are jumping on the bandwagon.  This is a great thing but it will make it more difficult for you to be successful due to all the other companies going after the same piece of pie.  Even if you put together a great campaign, it will take time for things to get off the ground.  Although it can be frustrating that you are not seeing a return on the assets you are investing, you need to always be faithful that the results you want will come.

That said, all the time in the world will not help you if you are not always faithful to your followers.  Although social media may appear free, time is its true cost.  In order to be successful you will have to dedicate a good amount of time to creating content, finding new followers and interacting with your community.  If you do not put in the time to foster and interact with you community, you will not see a return on your investment.

As I have said, the only reason a company should implement a social media campaign is to see bottom-line growth or to hit strategic marketing objectives.  Assuming that is the return you are looking for, it will take the dedication of being always faithful to see that kind of return.  As long as you use the words as a call to action, you’ll find the success you are looking for.

This is part four of five in the four truths of social media series.  To catch-up on the posts you have missed, or to sign-up for the remaining posts, we invite you to visit timeforarebel.com/blog and put us on your RSS feed.

The fact of the matter is that social media is set-up much the same way as a polygamist marriage.  Whether you are promoting yourself, or a brand you represent, you play the husband role.  As you grow your community, which we talked about in the previous post, it becomes your responsibility to care for and attend to your followers.  Each one of your followers is a “wife” with their own needs and desires.  It is your job to foster each one of those relationships to ensure you meet their needs and desires.

As just about any relationship expert will tell you, the key to a good relationship is communication.  You have to be able to start conversations, listen to what people are saying and respond accordingly.  If you do not start conversations, it is not communication.  If you don’t listen to what people say, it’s not communication.  If you do not respond to what people are saying, it’s not communication.  And if you’re not communicating, you’re not going to have those relationships for very long.

Now, I’m a realist and I realize that businesses are not going to use social media to simply build relationships.  As I have said all along, social media is a tool to grow businesses, which is exactly why communication is so important.  If you are properly communicating with you followers, you will be able to address any concerns that would prevent them from buying from you.  If you are properly communicating, you will enable your current customers to encourage other followers to buy from you.  If you are properly communicating, you will have proven to your followers that you are the business they should buy from.

Proper communication starts by simply addressing the problems your community has that you fix.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I invite you to checkout last week’s blog.  Once you start communicating with your community, it is a simple matter of dedication, which will be covered next week.  Until then, start communicating with your wives, it’s what a good husband should do!

This is part three of five in the four truths of social media series.  To catch-up on the posts you have missed, or to sign-up for the remaining posts, we invite you to visit timeforarebel.com/blog and put us on your RSS feed.

As nervous as I was, I knew I was prepared for the meeting.  I had researched everything I possibly could about the company, and its leader, before I even dared to step foot through the door.  I was prepared and was able to answer all of his questions before he even opened up his mouth.  I knew that he had problems in his business and I was just the man to solve them, all I had to do was prove it to him.

This is the scenario that I ask my clients to think about when they start their social media journey.  By thinking about the dream client, or customer, we are able to start defining who that person is and where they are located.   The simple demographic and location information is pretty easy to figure out.  However, the true definition of that dream customer is not who they are but what they want.

And this is how we start to form a community.    You define who that dream customer is, find out where they are located in the social media realm and then figure out what problems or desires they have that you can address.  It is their problems and desires that will become the basis of your community.  From there, you simply provide them information and tips about how to solve their problems or achieve their desires.  It’s as simple as that.

Okay, maybe simple is an overstatement.  In all reality, defining and creating a community can be very difficult.  However, if you start by thinking about what value you can offer to your dream customer and then offer bits and pieces of that value on a daily basis, you will be well on your way.  And do not fear about loosing business to your own social media campaign.

By creating a place of value for your dream customer, you will be the first person on their mind when it is time to purchase your service or product.  And, as much as we hate to admit it, selling stuff is the entire reason we built the community in the first place.  But, if you do want to sell stuff, you’ll have to have a community.

This is part two of five in the four truths of social media series.  To catch-up on the posts you have missed, or to sign-up for the remaining posts, we invite you to visit timeforarebel.com/blog and put us on your RSS feed.

While this may make social media seem like a lawless domain, incapable of providing bottom line growth, it is in the ambiguity of social media that you will find its strength. Although I cannot offer you a how-to guide, I can offer up the only constraints you will need to creatively grow your business.  These constraints are not the highbrow thinking of academics; they were simply created by the very users of social media.  All I have done is observe these users, over the course of working with dozens of different companies, and now present you with their truths:

It’s about community: The first thing I have my new clients do is describe their ideal customer.  I don’t care about the normal demographic listings; I want to know what makes them tick.  What keeps them up at night, what do they think about all day, what problems or desires do they have that you can solve?  As you start to answer these questions you will know what kind of community to create.  From there its about finding how to create this community by offering value to your audience.

It’s about communication: As any good relationship expert will tell you, communication is a two way street.  If you’re the only one talking, you’re not communicating.  For anyone that has ever been talked at, instead of talked with, you know how annoying this can be.  Luckily social platforms make it very easy to ignore the people that simply talk at you.  If you don’t want to be ignored then find a way to talk with your community, not at them.

It’s about dedication: Social media is quickly becoming a cluttered space, as every business under the sun jumps on the bandwagon.  This means two things for you.  First, it’s probably going to take longer than you think it should to grow your community.  Even if you are providing great value, don’t expect things to take-off over night.  Second, you will have to pay even greater attention to the community that you do create.  If you don’t provide the value and responsiveness that your audience desires, they’ll gladly and easily go elsewhere.

It’s about flexibility: As I said at the beginning, there are no rules to social media.  What has worked great for some of my clients has absolutely tanked for others.  Not only that, there are constant changes and adaptations that you’ll have to stay on top of.  To stay ahead of the game you will have to constantly test, measure and monitor your campaign.  Find what works for you and then find out how you can make it even better.

Over the next several weeks I will be covering each one of these truths in detail.  If you have any questions before then, just let me know.

Here is the official press release:

A celebration of spring blossoms at the Milwaukee Art Museum Third annual “Art in Bloom” event set for April 8-11, 2010

Spring returns to Milwaukee with the Art In Bloom tribute to art and flowers April 8-11, 2010, at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Showcasing the talents of nearly 40 renowned floral designers interpreting masterworks from the Museum’s Collection, the weekend brings together gardening, floral arranging, landscape design, and environmentally friendly practices beneath the wings of the Museum.

As Art in Bloom continues to grow, this year’s exhibition and programs include lectures and workshops with celebrity floral designers and master gardeners Ed Lyon, Melinda Myers, Bill Radler, and Kevin Ylvisaker; local horticulture expert Melinda Myers; renowned children’s book author Lois Ehlert; and many others. Visitors will also enjoy an expanded multi-vendor indoor marketplace, with original garden sculptures, and floral-inspired dining at the Café Calatrava Garden Room. Guests can also rub elbows with participating experts while supporting the Museum at the Cocktails and Blooms gathering on Thursday, April 8.

Founded in 1888 with holdings of over 20,000 objects, the Museum’s Collection inspires the floral designers of Art in Bloom with stunning works in all media by artists such as Gabriele Münter, Richard Diebenkorn and Georgia O’Keeffe. While the designs join their inspirations in the 100,000 square-foot Collection galleries, the brilliant white halls and auditorium of the Santiago Calatrava-designed Quadracci Pavilion afford the backdrop for the weekend’s events, programs, and dining.

“This event brings together so many wonderful sensory experiences,” said Dan Keegan, Director of the Milwaukee Art Museum. “Set against the stunning backdrop of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the sights and smells of Art in Bloom come to life in a true celebration of spring.”

Last year’s Art in Bloom event welcomed more than 11,000 people to the Museum over four days. With new additions to the expanded line-up of speakers and presenters, many of whom are from the region, this year’s event is sure to be an even bigger showcase of the area’s most talented floral designers and master gardners. Art in Bloom also continues the popular “Ask A Gardener” table this year, and will offer online ticketing as an added convenience.

Visitors to the 2010 Art in Bloom event will also be treated to a special nod to the Museum’s feature exhibition, Street Seen: The Psychological Gesture in American Photography 1940-1959, reflected in the landscaping of Windhover Hall. In addition, a masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, Raphael: The Woman with the Veil (La Donna Velata), will be on view at the Milwaukee Art Museum March 27 through June 6. Rarely lent from the Pitti Palace in Florence, Milwaukee is the last of three stops the painitng makes on a brief U.S. tour, and the only city in the Midwest or eastern part of the United States to feature this exceptional exhibition.

The presenting sponsor of Art In Bloom is the Wisconsin Energy Foundation. Additional support is generously provided by Garland Alliance and the Milwaukee Art Museum Garden Club. The co-chairs of Art in Bloom are Marcia Ferguson Velde and Nancy Hayer. The president of the Milwaukee Art Museum Garden Club is Carol Bessler.

For those of you who do not know, I am a social media guy.  I eat, live and breathe it, day in and day out.  Whether it is my social media presence, or that of my clients, I am constantly working to expand networks and build communities.

One of the questions my clients generally ask is what they can do to help expand their network.  I always suggest integrating social media invitations into their traditional marketing pieces to help build their community.  This way the consumer not only learns about you but they also connect to your community, pretty cool stuff.  Beyond the traditional forms of marketing, I also suggest they include links to their social media sites in their email signature.

Now, I am the subject matter expert, the one making these suggestions to my clients, you would think I would do this stuff for myself.  But, low and behold, I realized this week that my email signature didn’t include any reference to my social media sites.  How boneheaded!  As I quickly updated my email signature I realized there are two lessons that you can take away from my oversight:

1) If you don’t have links to your social media sites in your email signature, add them.  They are a great way to connect with people and share networks.  Trust me, just because I was so aloof to the concept, does not mean that it is not a valuable add-on.

2) Take a look at what you advise your clients, customers, colleagues or employees to do.  Do you follow suit in this action?  I know we would all like to say that we do but unfortunately that is not always the case.  Just take a quick second to run through what you ask of those around you to ensure you are meeting that expectation yourself.  I wish I had done this a while ago!

I’ve always said that if I can start a company than anyone can.  This just goes to prove that!

What Joel did, without even trying to, was create a community of programmers that were highly interested in his product.  He did this by not focusing on himself or his company but rather the industry as a whole.  This allowed him to draw-in over a million unique visitors a month that may have otherwise not had an interest in his company.  While he admitted it was hard to not give into the impulse of self-promotion, he saw it as the key to his success.

As Joel shuts down his blog, he does so having used it to grow his company from a single person, bootstrap company, to over 30 employees and millions in revenue.  Not bad for a man with a vision and a blog.  What interested me in the story though was HOW he did it.  Time and time again he pointed out that the only reason why the blog worked was because he didn’t focus on himself or his company, only on his industry.

This is an important lesson to take away.  Even as a seasoned blogger I sometimes succumb to the temptation to self-promote, although the times are few and far between, they show how easy it is to do.  All too often I run across blogs that have aired on the side of self-promotion and they immediately seal their fate that I will not return.  Even if the writer is amazing, witty and captures my attention, it is not worth sifting through the sales pitch.

This is even a problem that I will run into with my clients.  They will love the traffic and response they are getting and decide they want to through in a quick pitch for one of their products or services.  I try to warn them against the move but it is ultimately their blog and their company.  And although the results of this quick pitch might not be immediately felt, it is evident that repeated self-promotion leads to stagnated growth.  Even an expert in growing a blog’s reach, like me, can do little if the content is not what people are looking for.

I guess my mom was right; it’s not all about me.