This presentation, a beginners guide to social media for accountants, focuses primarily on LinkedIn. The presentation was developed to cater specifically for the needs of the Chartered Accountants Business Networking Group in Wexford, Ireland.

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

2. Social Media
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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 Group
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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 business
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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’s
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6. What’s being said about your
business?
Have you Googled your name/business name?
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7. Online reputation – “drunkgate”
Source: Primary Position blog
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8. If you have Social Media accounts…
You should
monitor
reply
moderate comments
post updates
engage & network
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9. If you have Social Media accounts…
The true cost is time
These platforms belong to others
Understand basics before you engage
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10. Not ”doing” social media?
You can’t control what people say
You can control your response
Social Media Policy
Who
What
When
Where
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11. LinkedIn
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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…
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13. Why use LinkedIn?
Most people aren’t looking for a job
Build career network
Find
jobs / contracts / work / opportunities
staff
associates
advisors / mentors
investors
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14. Complete Your Profile
Users with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities
through LinkedIn.
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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 update
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16. Groups
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17. Comment in groups
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18. Share
Like
Comment
Share
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19. Profile & Recommendations
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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 discretion
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21. Answer Questions
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22. Answer questions in your niche
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23. LinkedIn - how to…?
LinkedIn Learning Centre
LinkedIn Help
Google your question
Blogs
Podcasts
YouTube videos
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24. LinkedIn Learning Center
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25. Edit Privacy Settings
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26. Edit Privacy Settings
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27. LinkedIn Benefits
Question: Has anyone achieved a
business benefit from their presence on
LinkedIn?
Yes!
Employers / clients routinely check
LinkedIn
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28. Raising Equity via LinkedIn
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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”
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30. What is twitter?
Make connections
Up to date:
Industry & business news
Network
Build niche authority & reputation
Soft sell
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31. What twitter is not…
twitter is
NOT
a billboard
for advertising
your business
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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 this
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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
posts
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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 there
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35. Blogging
Weblog
Articles can be on anything - niche
Food
Business
Fashion …
Interaction via comments
Tweets, Shares (Facebook, LinkedIn
RSS feed ('Really Simple Syndication’)
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36. Not ”doing” social media?
You can’t control what people say
You can control your response
Social Media Policy
Who
What
When
Where
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37. Employers Beware!
Read: McCarty & Co Solicitors - Blog
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38. Employers Beware!
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39. The end
Thank You
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