Posts made in December, 2011

Too boring for social media?

Posted by on Dec 14, 2011 in Blog-Off, Social Media | 2 comments

Are some businesses too boring for social media? I’m talking about those industries people may describe as “traditional”, “safe” or “straight”?
Well, it’s currently that time of year when people start predicting what will happen next in social media and there is one thing I’m sure of: Next year will be the turn of the “boring” businesses to get social media.
Last week a businesswoman said to me after spotting one of my LinkedIn updates:
“You’re moving in good circles. Who would have said barristers would want or need social media training!?”

Barristers - not too boring for social media

She isn’t alone in thinking that. I’ve been warned off approaching certain types of companies because they apparently wouldn’t be interested in social media. Yet in the last few months, Status Social Media Marketing has trained power station suppliers, insurance directors and staff at a credit card processing company. I’ve been invited to speak to estate agents, turf manufacturers and architects.
It may have taken some time but the more traditional businesses are realising that they CAN gain from training in social media marketing. It’s dawning on them that using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogging is not just a medium for the service industry but for the business-to-business (B2B) market too.

Power stations - now loving social media

That doesn’t mean that the traditional businesses should be diving into as many social media platforms as they can. One of the most important things we teach is about having a social media strategy. Asking businesses, where is your market? Who are your customers? For many of the B2Bs, that means LinkedIn. A powerful tool where research shows the majority of people on it earn £55,000+ salaries. That says to me the people on LinkedIn are those with influence, those who make the decisions, those who can make a difference to your business. Many B2Bs are already on LinkedIn but few are using it to its full potential.
It’s always good to get feedback after a training session, especially from someone who’s gone home and put our teaching into action straight away. Emails like this one; from someone in one of the traditional companies we trained:
“Last night I searched through Linked in to find more connections. When I logged onto my emails this morning I had 26 new connections and one of them is an expert who advises all over Europe and I have arranged to meet him at Harrogate in January!
“Although this is only a small success and no extra business has obviously come from it yet, it amazed me that in such a small space of time this was possible and it certainly would not have happened without social media and without the training we had.”
Who says “boring” companies can’t use social media marketing? Not me!

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Gary Barlow and me

Posted by on Dec 8, 2011 in Blog-Off, Social Media | 2 comments

Gary Barlow and I have something significant in common. We have both improved with age. Do you remember when Gary was the “fat, ugly one” from Take That? Nobody fancied Gary – not when you had Robbie or Mark to oggle, or even Jason and Howard at a push. There was no doubt the bleach-blond haired Gary was the talented one but fanciable? Not likely.
Now of course things are very different. Every Saturday night during The X Factor, social media is full of remarks from ladies young and old enthusing how gorgeous Gary is. He has no doubt improved with age and you’d be hard pressed to guess he’s 40 years old.
That’s where me and Gary Barlow are kinsmen. I was an ugly muggly when I was younger – my lips were so large that my school nickname was Beaky. Kids used to shelter under them when it rained. My cheeks were hollowed, my hair greasy. Yet, like Gary, I’ve improved with age.

Skeletor - better looking than Mark Saxby

My big lips have returned to normal size and my face no longer looks like He Man’s arch enemy Skeletor. Just the other day two women assumed I was just 30 (I’m two months younger than Gary) and an old college friend remarked how life “had been kind” to me after seeing a recent photo (I’m taking that as a compliment!)
But was Gary really fat or were the others just thin? Was Gary actually ugly or the others better-looking? Was I as funny-looking as I remember being. Well the photos from my school days don’t lie and I’ll let you judge Gary’s early Take That photos…
What is undeniable is that Gary and I have reinvented ourselves. Whether by design or accident.

Gary Barlow before he was lovely

And reinvention is an option in social media marketing too. If you’ve started off your social media promotion with the aplomb of a Louis Walsh then don’t worry – you can become a Kelly Rowland. Make a new start by using Twitter the way it’s supposed to be – building relationships with your potential customers. Stop shouting at them and start interacting. Think about what they want, rather than what you want to tell them. The followers and the customers will soon mount up.
Facebook is a place for reinvention too. Not getting much interaction on your page? Try something different. Don’t just put status updates on it, post photos, videos, add polls, run a competition. Before you know it your fans will start coming back – Facebook rewards varied and consistent content by placing it on your fans’ newsfeeds.
Want to get more business through your LinkedIn profile? Post a daily status update, unconnect your Twitter feed, and interact with people in groups. After a few days check the “Who’s Viewed My Profile” feature and you’ll see how popular you’ve become.
So you CAN reinvent yourself. As Gary Barlow and I have proven. But let’s not get carried away. After all, my wife recently told me how I think I’m better looking than I actually am. And I’m sorry to say she’s probably right.
Want to find out more about Mark Saxby and how he looks now?

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