Are you tweets starting to feel repetitive and a little stale? Here are 10 quick twitter tips that you can start implementing today!

1. Ask people how they are feeling. Seriously, go in and ask some of your followers what they are doing for the day, how the feel, etc. This is a great engagement technique and will guarantee that you get noticed.
2. Share content. Be it the latest happening on your blog, a juicy article you found online, or even just the latest stock report. Share it and ask people to retweet.
3. Re-promote some of your original content. Be it your first blog post or original mission statement, chances are your new followers never saw it in the first place and it serves as a good reminder for your seasoned followers.
4. Talk about the weather! Did the clouds just move in on your area of town and you want to spread the news to the folks 10 miles down the road? Share it via Twitter!
5. Just say hello. Sometimes it’s the simple things that capture people’s attention the most!

With an official website, business owners can relay their products and services to potential customers with just one click. For small businesses, Twitter is an ideal marketing tool because a few shout outs from time and time can actually bring in dozens of potential customers. It can also be used to build good relationships with potential business partners.

Facebook is also used to interact with customers and partners. It is also possible to search for other Facebook users that will be interested in the products and services of your business. Facebook Ad campaigns are a great way to target these audiences.

No matter the social network – your brand reputation is key to every aspect. Interact as much as you can with potential partners and customers. Inform them of your products and services, while not sounding too “salesy.” It is very important that you provide value to your network and not just a sales pitch. Over promotion is the quickest way to ruin your online reputation. Many times consumers take just a glance at company’s social networks to determine if they want to do business with that vendor.

The advantage of the Internet is that branding a business is done faster and easier – with just clicks of a mouse and tapping the keyboard of a PC or laptop. Maximize social media tools to get the best results for the business.

We are not just talking about posting tweets! We are talking about true business development using targeted social media marketing. If you think you know social media, wait until you attend this webinar! You will walk away with a brand new understanding!

In this exclusive FREE webinar you will learn:

• 10 Common Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Them
• The Keys to Building a Successful Referral Network
• Why Your Newsletter Isn’t Generating a Higher Return
• Why Twitter and Facebook Aren’t Enough
• How to Leverage YouTube and Flickr
• What People Want to Hear but Most Agents Fail to Deliver
• The Power of Social Selling

Sign Up for One of the Following Real Estate Social Media Webinar Sessions Today:

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

2:00pm – 3:00pm Eastern Time

7/13 Registration Link: http://bit.ly/RealEstateJuly13

Thursday, July 14, 2011

4:00pm – 5:00pm Eastern Time

7/14 Registration Link: http://bit.ly/RealEstateJuly14

Friday, July 15, 2011

11:00am – 12:00pm Eastern Time

7/15 Registration Link: http://bit.ly/RealEstateJuly15

We have three dates from which to choose. Seats are very limited, so sign up even if you do not know if you can participate. We are sending replays and a copy of the tips to everyone that signs up – even if they don’t attend the live webinar.

After the webinar we will have an open Q&A session with our CEO where you can learn exactly how to use social media with your business!

If you would like, you can also set up a free 20 minute strategy session where you can receive one-on-one social media coaching, just send us a message here!

Social Media for Real Estate Agents Webinar

Social Media for Realtors Webinar

This infograhic illustrates just how Fortune 100 Companies are leveraging social media.

[via]

The social media market is crowded. Make sure your brand stands out by leveraging expertly executed social media services. Learn how we can help!

There are millions and millions of people using twitter. In fact, there are over 200 million tweets sent out every single day. In order to effectively use this platform and ensure your messages are received by your target market, we have provided you with some quick Twitter tips!

Here are ten ways you can use Twitter for business:

Get Your Message Across without Constant Self-Promotions

Twitter allows you to communicate with many people and audiences, but this doesn’t mean you should use Twitter as a megaphone to just yap on about yourself. You need to think of creative ways to communicate your message without sounding like a sales pitch. Start by being conversational, and then start sharing a little more about your business.

Establish an Effective Network of Followers

Start by following people with similar interests to you or your business. You will find that soon people in this niche will start to follow you back. Send creative and informative tweets that people will want to retweet to their network. Often you will find that when people share your message, people from their audience will start to follow you!

Also, try following industry experts that tweet helpful tips.

Interact with Your Followers by Asking Questions

Tweet stimulating questions that entice people to respond. Include some fun meaningless questions, serious inquiries, and even try some test market research. Stay away from fuzzy areas that may offend people like religion or politics, unless your aim is to get people a little riled up.

Participate in Discussions

Social media marketing is all about open communication and engagement. Go out of your way to participate in discussions and threads. Benefits from participating in these venues include establishing brand presence, creating a stronger follower base, and more.

Respond Quickly to Questions and Concerns

A recent study in the UK showed that consumers expect businesses to respond to messages and complaints made through social networks in about 60 minutes. You don’t necessarily have to respond to every “hi” but make sure you respond to all the big stuff. Although, people always appreciate when you take a moment to say “hi” back!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Feedback

Not sure how your social media campaigns are running? Ask your audience. The quickest and easiest way to learn exactly what your audience wants to see is by simply asking them!

Use Twitter to Become More Visible

Did you know that tweets are indexed by Google? Did you also know that you can add Twitter feeds to your Facebook pages, websites, smartphone apps, and more? Don’t just limit your tweets to viewing in the Twitter interface. Try spreading your tweets to various places so that you can get more exposure.

Check Out the Competition

Twitter allows you to see part of the other team’s playbook! Take a peek at what your competition is doing by reviewing their Twitter feeds.

Keep Up with the Big Guys

Twitter makes the marketing playing field more level. Your company and the million dollar Fortune 500 Company are using the same exact platform – Twitter. Use Twitter to be innovative and connect with the same audiences.

Outsource if You Don’t Have Time

If you do not have the time needed to create tweets, send tweets, respond, research content, develop contests, promote your brand in the correct manner, monitor your competition, etc. Then you may want to look into outsourcing your social media services to a social media marketing company. This way you can focus on your core business, while the experts promote your brand. It’s a win-win! Need help with you social media? Try us!

Social media platforms are crowded. With the increasing influence and popularity of social media marketing, you may get lost in the crowd unless you develop something that tickles the taste buds of your target audience.

How can you add flavor to your social media strategy? Here three quick ways to keep your audience begging for more:

Update Your Content

Keep it like a trendy restaurant. Always add new and exciting things to keep the public intrigued. You want to meet halfway between the traditional McDonald’s menu and a grand buffet. Give them just enough to keep them on the edge waiting for more, but don’t overfeed.

Online content gets stale quickly. Consistently nourish your audience with tweets, blogs, videos, photos, and more. Unless users can anticipate frequent updates, they will most likely forget to visit your site.

Make Your Content Rich in Flavor

You want your social media marketing content be like a decadent desert with the perfect balance of flavors. This means you don’t want to overstuff your copy with keywords (too much salt), and you also don’t want to add so many ingredients and layers that things get too complicated for users to appreciate the flavor.

Your content should be unique, captivating, and optimized. Every time the viewer dedicates their time to reading your content, they should leave the experienced feeling rewarded and satisfied.

Give the reader something that they will find beneficial. Even when you are trying to promote your products, make sure not to come across “salesy”. Give them something to savor!

Experiment and Mix It Up!

So what if everyone loves when you cook with basil. Every now and then sprinkle in some rosemary, dill, turmeric, and heck, even a little cayenne!

With so much content available on the internet, you need to make sure that everything you create makes the reader feel like they have received the information in a way like never before.

Make sure to spice up your blog posts and website by adding video clips, pictures, audio, and more.

The takeaway from this article? When performing social media marketing for small business, keep it zesty!

Want to hire a personal chef to keep things spicy for you so that you can focus on matters out of the kitchen? Try social media services from the Social Media Management Mavens!

[Image Source]

Social media is great for:

- Branding
- Interaction
- Business Growth
- Sales
- Collaborations
- Audience Building
- Web Traffic
- Consumer Research
- And More!

So how much does social media actually cost? According to this infographic from Focus, social media marketing services can cost about $210,000 per year, but the benefits are outstanding. You also have to consider the significant time commitment when embarking on new social media efforts.

Quick plug for the Mavens – We not only perform the duties of social media marketing specialists for less than the cost of your average employee, but we also do search engine optimization, e-marketing, business development, graphic design and more! If you want to experience the vast benefits of social media without the cost, try our social media packages!

How we save you money:

Now on to the infographic!

[via Focus]

So what is there to look for in a social media marketing firm? That decision really depends on your business although generally, a good social marketing agency is one who can give you a fresh approach, offer unmatched skill, and provide solid advice for your business as a whole.

Qualities you should look for in a social media marketing firm:

1)      Creativity. Although difficult to judge under first impression, take a look at their website, their blog, social profiles, etc. Do they know how to express themselves in an engaging manner or are they stiff and boring?

2)      Response Time. Try sending them a test email. Do they respond in a few hours, a few days, ever? This is some insight into how they will respond with you as a customer.

3)      Social Awareness. Beware of the company that says you can make a million dollars from Twitter! Real social media service providers know that the first act of any social media campaign should be to engage with consumers. From there, the agency can help you generate leads for your company.

4)      Breadth of Talent. The best social media marketing companies do not just consist of just “social media marketers,” but also writers, business consultants, web developers, public relations specialists, graphic designers, and other staff members that can work together as a team to propel your brand.

5)     Enthusiasm. Do they absolutely LOVE what they do? Does the thought of posting a new blog genuinely send a tingle down their spine, or is it just part of the act? The right social media agency will eat, sleep, and breathe your brand. They will be a team dedicated to make your business shine, and they will love what they do!

The most popular social media sites today are Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. If you make use of these sites and expertly implement social media best practices, you can make a killing in the market.  By posting videos on YouTube, you’ll have a more true to life way of demonstrating your products and services to your customers.  Through Facebook, you can give more information and monitor how people respond to your brand messaging.  With Twitter, you’ve got constant communication with future and existing customers.

Of all the three sites, Twitter is a really good first step. Not only do you have a powerful medium for engagement, you receive consistent feedback and discussion that occur in real time. Plus, because Twitter is an open environment, your tweets can be indexed by popular search engines.

When you’re tweeting, you have to say something meaningful.  If you do not remember a single thing about Twitter – remember this. Twitter is NOT a platform to shout about the “wonderfulness” that is your product or business. You must engage and offer new, insightful information or your Twitter campaign will completely sink.

Top Ten Twitter Social Media Marketing Tips for Beginners:

1. No naked profiles! There is no bigger turnoff than a profile without a custom background.
2. Start conversing immediately! Do Twitter searches on interesting topics and jump into the conversation. This also provides more attention to your page while adding value to the network as a whole.
3. Converse but do not SPAM! Do not send out promotional messages for at least your first 20 – 30 tweets! Do not send repeated “salesy” messages. Just don’t do it.
4. Retweeting from some of your favorite profiles gets you into the conversation faster.
5. Follow people with similar interests. Often you will find these people will follow you back – hello network growth!
6. Search for friends! You can use their name to find their profile.
7. Update your page consistently! Your tweet starts getting old the second it is posted. No one wants to read yesterday’s news.
8. When commenting on other blogs, use the “comment using Twitter” option if they have it. This will get some traffic flowing to your new profile.
9. Research hashtags that are part of your interest group.
10. 140 characters means 140 character. Don’t create extended tweets. No one wants to read a four part message.