Social Media for Accountants

Social Media for Accountants Social Media for Business Helen Cousins for Wexford Chartered Accountants Business Networking Group www.xbs.ie28.06.11 © Copyright Helen Cousins, Xcel Business Solutions 2011

Social Media28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 3

Wexford *BNG – Topics of Interest Social Media Usage (Chartered Accountants BNG, Wexford) 120.0% 100.0% 80.0% 60.0% 40.0% 20.0% 0.0% Twitter for business Facebook for business LinkedIn for Blogging as a business professionals tool * BNG = Business Networking Group28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 4

Social Business? Online platforms that allow people and businesses to interact with each other and build relationships (B2B and B2C as well as social relationships) Also known as Web 2.0 Social Media gives rise to conversation marketing It takes time (rather than cash) to use this medium to promote yourself or your business28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 5

Social Business? It’s social, not sales Quality not quantity Build your brand, value, loyalty, reputation Content – valuable to followers /customers It’s not about you Discounts, competitions, giveaways? If “they” come for yours, they’ll leave for someone else’s28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 6

What’s being said about your business? Have you Googled your name/business name?28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 7

Online reputation – “drunkgate” Source: Primary Position blog28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 8

If you have Social Media accounts… You should monitor reply moderate comments post updates engage & network28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 9

If you have Social Media accounts… The true cost is time These platforms belong to others Understand basics before you engage28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 10

Not ”doing” social media? You can’t control what people say You can control your response Social Media Policy Who What When Where28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 11

LinkedIn28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 12

What is LinkedIn? An online forum to connect (link in) with your business contacts It’s a bit lit a “live” business card holder integrated with a CV! - plus You can connect, post updates, send messages, answer questions, join groups, make and receive recommendations…28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 13

Why use LinkedIn? Most people aren’t looking for a job Build career network Find jobs / contracts / work / opportunities staff associates advisors / mentors investors28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 14

Complete Your ProfileUsers with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to receive opportunitiesthrough LinkedIn.28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 15

LinkedIn Active Networking Search for people you know Send connection requests Join groups comment on group discussions start a discussion Comment / share / “like” other updates Post an update28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 16

Groups28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 17

Comment in groups28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 18

ShareLikeCommentShare 28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 19

Profile & Recommendations28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 20

Seek Recommendations How? Ask! Personal choice • Once agreed – send request via LinkedIn Question: • How to encourage clients, who don’t use social media to leave references. Getting over any fears they may have about confidentiality (e.g. when talking about debt restructuring) Level of detail – at client discretion28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 21

Answer Questions28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 22

Answer questions in your niche28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 23

LinkedIn - how to…? LinkedIn Learning Centre LinkedIn Help Google your question Blogs Podcasts YouTube videos28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 24

LinkedIn Learning Center28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 25

Edit Privacy Settings28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 26

Edit Privacy Settings28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 27

LinkedIn Benefits Question: Has anyone achieved a business benefit from their presence on LinkedIn? Yes! Employers / clients routinely check LinkedIn28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 28

Raising Equity via LinkedIn28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 29

What is twitter? You follow people… People follow you… You only see tweets from your followers Pick interesting people to follow You can unfollow at any time You can block “spammers”28.06.11 30

What is twitter? Make connections Up to date: Industry & business news Network Build niche authority & reputation Soft sell28.06.11 31

What twitter is not… twitter is NOT a billboard for advertising your business28.06.11 32

What is Facebook?Facebook is a social networking website that allows people to: stay in touch with friends and family, “like” celebrities, politicians and businesses, by choice Post comments, views and reviews Organise and share “events” View and exchange photos It takes time (rather than cash) to use this28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 33

Status Update Sample Facebook post and guest answers on left Ask a question sometimes – helps to get a response You can make some offers – minority of posts28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 34

Facebook Business Page It’s against Facebook T & Cs to use a personal profile for a business Facebook can delete a profile if it is used for business • How do you know if it’s a profile? – If you are sending “friend” requests Have a personal profile first & set up page from there28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 35

Blogging Weblog Articles can be on anything - niche Food Business Fashion … Interaction via comments Tweets, Shares (Facebook, LinkedIn RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication’)28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 36

Not ”doing” social media? You can’t control what people say You can control your response Social Media Policy Who What When Where28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 37

Employers Beware!Read: McCarty & Co Solicitors - Blog28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 38

Employers Beware!28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 39

The end Thank You28.06.11 www.xbs.ie 40

Social Media for Accountants

by Helen Cousins

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