The document discusses how small businesses can use social media to connect with customers and grow their brand. It provides tips on listening to conversations, engaging on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, creating and sharing content, and developing online relationships. The key recommendations are to listen first, be a useful conversationalist, build relationships over time, and make social media an integrated part of the business's marketing plan and website. Metrics like mentions, posts read, and links are suggested to measure social media efforts.

1. Small Business and Social Media

2. Thank you all for coming

3. My Story :Once upon a time

4. Today Thank you kk Social Media Swami for http://www.NetworkSolutions.com Thank you @kk

5. The media world has changed

6. The internet has surpassed newspapers and radio in popularity 92%) use multiple platforms 33% access news on their cell phones. 28% of internet users have customized their home page 37% of internet users have contributed to the creation of news http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-News/Summary-of-Findings.aspx?r=1

7. Strangers shape your brand reputation Word of Mouth has become Word of Mouse

8. Customers demand transparency This guy wants to make sure the book and the DVD are saying the same thing

9. Your brand may be created by others Never used a computer – Yet his brand exists online

10. You may even require rebranding Carefully curate your content Use the mom rule Your alerts will tell you tell you about new content Removed the pic of drunk young man to give him a chance to rebrand. I just used the keyword “drunk” in the Flickr.com search box

11. Once you have a web presence your business is global Web searches for a local business Searches on Maps

12. See the full study at http://www.GrowSmartBusiness.com

13. 25% Small Business use social media presence – Doubled since last year Network Solutions – University of Maryland Small Business Success index http://growsmartbusiness.com See the full study at http://www.GrowSmartBusiness.com

14. 1. Business Objectives to use Social Media Free (requires time commitment) Connect with customers Get ideas, trends, buzz Help your Search Engine Rankings Find peers and network Easy distribution of content Greater reach New Clients

15. 2. Process Integrate Social media into your marketing campaign Make your existing marketing collateral social Engage with your existing customers

16. 3. Measure what you care about Customer satisfaction/ Retention Traffic to your website New customers Facebook community Blog comments/ subscriptions Search results

17. Network Solutions Swami’s - 3 Word Mantra Photo: courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/metrojp/92038203/ LISTEN PARTICIPATE Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/redcarpet/50339009/ CONTRIBUTE Photo Courtesy: http://flickr.com/photos/presta/129832836/

18. Listening Tools : Who is talking Search Results Google Alerts Twitter Friendfeed Technorati BackType Alterian SM2 Radian 6

19. Use Google Alerts as a business intelligence tool Get alerted to conversations about your product Trends and competition Tip : Use Google alerts to get content ideas

20. What's in your search results 1 2 6 3 4 5 Concentrate on developing your top results

21. Demonstrate expertise and thought leadership Join Communities Comment on Blogs Answer Questions Thank reviewers of your business Look for guest post opportunities Show your expertise Appear in search Traffic back to your business

22. Become Visible : Be a publisher – Create content Website Blogs Microblogs Guest posts Articles Forums Communities Social Media Press Release Multi- Media Share your content Link to other web sites

23. Contribute Tell your story Make videos of your expertise Talk about your employees Share exciting events/news Rohit Bhargava’s says in “ Personality Not included” to follow UAT formula – UNIQUE, AUTHENTIC, TALKABLE

24. Blogging: Tell your story Session: Social Media & Health Care 4 .00 p.m

25. Share your happy moments

26. If chips can have their own page so can you!

27. Facebook Profile Page Add a newsletter sign up widget Give special Facebook offers Ask for feedback Ask website visitors to become your Facebook fan Encourage customers to join

28. LinkedIn Answers Groups Profile

29. Videos : Tell your Story New embed videos into Slideshare NEW Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera

30. Podcasts & Your Own Radio Shows Flickr photo Chris Penn http://www.flickr.com/photos/cc_chapman/452286042/ Or follow @ldpodcast

31. Photos- Flickr Tip : Your raving fans may be telling your story in pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonythemisfit/2455281003/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/2547430702/

32. Social Media press release

33. Document sharing Sites Docstoc : http://www.docstoc.com Slide Share : http://www.Slideshare.net Scribd - http://www.Scribd.com Tip : Add a custom offer for each channel and monitor traffic from these sites

34. Build online relationships offline

35. Offline Networking Conferences Local meetups Meetup.com Upcoming,org Create your own local event

36. Tactical Steps Claim your business on Yelp Encourage customers to review you on social networking sites Integrate Social Media components to your website Thank reviewers Special offers for Fans Add social media to your marketing plan

37. Make your email social Consolidate all your contact lists Tweet news about your email offers Make your email available online Tip : Add your social media links to your email signatures

38. Add your social media channels to your website Encourage visitors to join your social media properties

39. Make your product pages shareable Share options on product pages Tip : Encourage your customers to review your products. Offer them a coupon post sale.

40. Twitter Business Info here – Your conversations will lead your connections to your page Tip : Consider having a separate account for your products and tweet a special offers and blog feeds

41. Final Thoughts Listen first Conversation, not publishing or broadcasting Be a useful conversationalist Build relationships - one at a time Take a Leap of Faith and Jump In! Make it easy for people to give you their money http://www.flickr.com/photos/fwp-dawson/2821182851/ Photo Courtesy Fred Dawson on Flickr freds-take-on-the-world.blogspot.com /

42. Your Social Media Plan Setup Alerts Join and setup profiles in 3 social networks 15-20 minutes a day tracing the alerts and responding Choose 3 blogs on your field to read and comment Converse, don’t sell Answer questions and become an expert in your niche on LinkedIn 2 hours a week - Learn and write about the products you promote Measure your efforts How many times were you mentioned How many people read your posts Inbounds links Are your customers evangelizing Attend one local event a month Ask for help from the community if you need it

43. Proud to be a sponsor of Social Media Plus

44. Questions ? Shashi Bellamkonda [email_address] Twitter: @shashib Small Business Success Index : http://www.GrowSmartBusiness.com Network Solutions Blog : http://blog.networksolutions.com Unintentional Entrepreneurs : http:// www.UnintentionalEntrepreneur.com Gen Y Blog : http:// www.WhatsNextGenY.com Women Entrepreneurs : http://www.WomenGrowBusiness.com