How to Build "Quality" Communities on Your Fan Page

The biggest challenge and most often asked question I receive from my clients is how to build "quality" communities on their fan page.

Here's the secret:

Your fan page must be attached to your personal page/friend network. No stand alone fan pages please. As you build your friend network with your target market (key strategy), make a habit of 1-2x a week going into your fan page and "Suggest to friends." See, your main account at FB is your core strategy for building quality communities for your personal and fan pages.  You are feeding your fan page with these hand-chosen people from your friend community.

Make sure the person fits into your culture and mindset and they are real. I did have a fraud recently in my community who I luckily caught and de-friended, plus reported to FB.

Building quality online communities is much more than tangible tools. It's clarity in who is your ideal client/market with an energetic connection to who they are. Tangible with the intangible. Everything IS energy. Being energetically responsible with how you are thinking, feeling, and speaking sends your message out as your unique chemistry to your market.

By the way, I post tips, tools, and strategies on my NEW fan page daily. Please join me and the growing community at http://www.facebook.com/SocialMediaSavvy

Your True Purpose in Showing Up on Social Media in a Bigger Way

Can we talk? I want you to imagine I am sitting right next you.

I’m sitting at my computer right now reaching out to you via this medium online.  I am here 100%.

So let's get real, ok?

How's your social media marketing REALLY going? Are you building communities that resonate with you? Do you engage frequently with your communities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube?  Are you posting compelling info to create interaction?

Are you allowing the REAL you to show up through your postings?

Or are you hiding behind the computer hesitant to post something in fear it may come across not appropriate? Are you afraid of being "seen" in the wrong way?

One of my students in a past Facebook teleseries class said, "I feel so relieved. You (Marla) are giving us permission to just be ourselves while on Facebook and make it ok to shine the light on our brilliance while we serve our expertise to our communities."

She and many others are in BIG fear of appearing incorrectly or being too "boastful" about their business, their accomplishments, and their lives. This is the most common fear most entrepreneurs have. This trumps the technology fears many have by far.

And that is one BIG lie you tell yourself. (That’s ego not spirit.)
Here’s the truth: we are here to shine our lights to inspire others. It's not about you. It's about you showing up in the world in your most authentic way that inspires others to do the same. Social Media is a gift that allows you to do just that.

As you make yourself visible on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, -- you are marketing you as the brand. You have an obligation to expose your talents that can transform someone's life. This is your true purpose for showing up in a bigger way on Social Media.

Small or large - you are here to serve.

And this is where your personal brand comes in. I guide you how to be savvy & sophisticated in your presence - your virtual voice online - your image. It is then you give others permission to do the same which leads to thousands serving one another in a BIG way. I call this the Law of Increase; being a good steward of Social Media.

This concern must be dealt with before you even consider learning all the fabulous tools and applications on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. The tools won’t be effective for you until you allow yourself to be transparent and engage frequently on these platforms.
 
Isn't it time you stop hiding and step up to serve others by being the real brilliant you?

How can you do that?  Start by understanding the art of storytelling in your branding. Today in our “social reward economy” we are digital storytellers. Your life is a story that inspires and connects with others.  All your posts over time add up to form you, the brand.

Three reasons why storytelling is so important:

• People can relate to brands through their stories. Stories are humanizing. People connect with stories.

• People remember details and messages more effectively through stories.  Storytelling helps people create images in the mind and these images "stick" better than just talk. (So don't shy away from the colorful, quirky details that give your story character.)

• Storytelling conveys the unique evolution of you – the brand; people want to connect with you.

Personal branding in business today is not a luxury; it's a necessity if you are to deliver powerful marketing and generate serious revenues. Again, we live in a “social reward” economy. The more savvy you become in your social media marketing – the more income you will make. Your personality and everyday thoughts, feelings, and events create your brand in order to build the know, like and trust factor while using social media.

Key tip: your personal page on Facebook is paramount in your marketing.  Please do not leave this out of the equation because you may think you are not supposed to mix business with personal; quite the contrary. The fan page is 100% business; but it’s your personal brand that captures the emotional resonance of your relationships online. It’s you reaching out to others not a business.

When we move our offline life to an online presence (virtual world) we aspire to be as authentic and transparent as possible in order to build relationships that eventually convert to clients and customers.

I am encouraging you to raise your standards in how you market so that you are in alignment with the way our NEW economy is requiring us to be and do.  We aspire to talk “with” our communities not talk “at” them as we post and inspire interaction. That’s true engagement.

My clients consistently ask what’s the most simple way to begin to raise my standards and how do I inspire engagement?  I start with “content is queen” and even more so - compelling content is best!

Here’s a few “At-a-Glance” topics that will inspire engagement on Facebook & Twitter. Begin using this today:

TIP: (Be sure to post photos, videos, & links for more consistent placement in Newsfeed on Facebook; and use first person, conversational format)

• Current topics in the news (positive!)

• Fashion, movies, TV shows, celebrities, philanthropy, culture, books, music, art, comedy, social media successes

• Every day relationships: romance, family, children, friends, weddings,

• Personal triumphs where others were served well, too.

• Personal philanthropy/humanitarian activities – be sure to post photos and videos of you and other volunteers doing the activity for the non-profit. Post narration of the event in your posting.

• Inspiration

• Pets

• Travel, vacations.

Your personal branding success formula to monetize your Social Media is: Brand + Identify + Post + Engage + Build = Success.  I dare you to Step into the Spotlight with confidence, savvy & ease!



*******

Article excerpt from Marla’s high content eBook of small business secrets to help you thrive in our social reward economy, “Step into the Spotlight with Confidence, Savvy, and Influence; Innovate Your Marketing with a Compelling Personal Brand." 
More details about the ebook: http://bit.ly/PBInnovate

Lead more with your heart and less with your head; it’s the seat of your wisdom and core of your personal brand!

One of the best decisions I recently made going into the New Year last month was making the commitment to bring art, rejuvenation, yoga, massages, and flow back into my life consistently while setting the intention for all these to help expand my life and my clients.

My first action step? I took myself on an overnight solo artist retreat prior to New Year's Eve.

Well, the days following proved that listening to my intuition was spot on. My creativity soared as did my senses. I felt more alive, saw things more clearly, connected more with my heart, and had more physical energy than months prior.  Now, a few months into the new year and I am feeling more at “home” than I did over the last few years. I feel more confident and true to myself.

I had not painted art in almost 5 years (which was always a jolt for my creativity). During the retreat I was inspired to reconnect with this part of my authenticity I had long neglected.

So I stepped into Clara Berta’s art studio (the host of the retreat) and produced what I later named "Golden Sunset." I had no idea what I was going to paint, but with her guidance, this is what emerged. :)  

I'm encouraging you for 2012 and beyond to listen to your heart more and your head less. They work together but please allow your heart to take front seat. Why?

It's the seat of your wisdom.  

With that said, here are a few tips how to live your life more authentically, which will SHINE through your personal brand in all your marketing:

1. Invent your own life. Live according to your own ideals of happiness. Allow your imagination to set fulfilling goals for the New Year and have the courage to go after them till complete. 

2. Live passionately. Radiate your vital energy; it's contagious and inspiring to others while raising the vibration around you as you pay it forward.

3. Learn and evolve. Commit to continually learning something new about life, your business, and relationships. Evolve.

When you take care of your inner life, your outer life (and brand) succeeds.  Here’s to a fabulous year where lives are enhanced and dreams are realized because of we heeded the call of our hearts.

#                                  #                                  #

How can you INNOVATE your business to excel in today's NEW economic climate? Find out in “ Innovate Your Marketing with a Compelling Personal Brand;
Small business secrets to thriving in our social reward economy” HOME STUDY PROGRAM

Click here for more details --> www.yourcompellingpersonalbrand.com

Who has time for ALL that?!

Definitely one of the biggest concerns I hear or read often when it comes to Social Media for entrepreneurs is “who has time for all that?”

Trust me, I understand! Hang on. There is a method to the madness! 

Honestly, you are not meant to do “all that” and you just need to implement a strategy and a system that streamlines your time; not overload it.

I know easier said than done? Let me make more sense of this for you. One of the main elements in my coaching personal branding for social media success is making sure my content has a streamlined approach for my clients (besides recommending hiring a virtual assistant). I never want to overwhelm them; but I am also realistic in the time it takes to innovate their business marketing (and mindset) to match today’s savvy consumer (and their needs) for our “social reward” economy.

To illustrate my point, I ran across a Facebook posting from my online mastermind group page that speaks directly to this “time” issue. I know you will relate and I know this will take the edge off the frustration.

Q: “How do you manage it all? (Facebook) I know there are tools to automate your posts, but how do possibly find the time to reply to (or even just read!) the responses? If I’m posting frequently, so is everyone else I follow. So again, a time thing; how do you possibly really follow all the people you follow and if I am not really reading what they post, how can I expect them to be reading what I post?”

A: Phew! That’s sounds exhausting, right? Well, it is when you don’t have a strategy or system.

First - as long as we are “mindful” and strategic with who we accept in our friend community – meaning who matches our target market profile and those of like minds (you are building the right audience for your marketing and networking), we will have intelligent, caring, interesting posts to interact with. However, let’s take it a step further to address the time and overwhelm issue, which is the motivation for this question. You may have seen it but have no idea what they are and how they work to your advantage; custom and smart lists.

Creating lists is the core of your time saving and savvy strategy on Facebook. Here are tips in how to create them and how to use them. Hang in there – this is kind of techy so I will try to make it easy to follow.

1. First compose a list of categories for your lists. Name them on a word doc. Maybe your lists could be clients, networking event on Feb 10, vendors, mastermind group (name), potential clients, etc. You create the name.

2. Now you are ready to create time saving lists! You can add certain friends to lists by hovering over the Friends button at the top of their profile (Timeline) and selecting from the list names that appear in the drop down list. If you don't see the name of the list you're looking for, click the option to show all of your lists or choose in just starting choose” +new list” to create one. A check mark will appear next to the list you add the friend to.

3. You can also choose the list (or create a new one) you want a friend to be in as you accept a friend (This is assuming you know where friend requests are on your profile account) After you click “confirm” when accepting a friend, hover over “friend” button that replaced the “confirm” button and the same lists (or +new list) will appear for you to add them to a list.

4. The same process is available when you send a friend request from a profile. FB will give you the option to add them to a list as you send the request so it’s ready to be added once they accept.

5. Now you should have a host of lists you make as you grow your community. Keep adding friends to lists. You also have the option of the smart lists that are already made by FB. Those are close friends, acquaintances, family. When you add an important person to the close friends smart list you will receive a notification each time they post so you can stay on top of their conversations. Be selective who those will be. This is one of several ways to save time and follow those most important to you.

Here’s more how you save time following people and staying on top of what they post so you can engage:

Once your custom and smart lists are set up you can use them to read only their posts in the newsfeed (home) by clicking on a list on the left side of your home page (newsfeed). All your lists should be listed. This allows you to “filter” the newsfeed to see only their posts. I recommend you do this 2x a day for a few minutes to stay in touch with your most important people. It’s a discipline that helps build your business; it’s not idle time.

This is the time saving strategy. Since FB is a networking/marketing tool and relationship building tool – time invested is revenue producing time – not wasted time. The only time is a waste when you have no strategy or system to who and what you are doing.

If you can’t find your lists on the left side of the home page – try this: go to http://www.facebook.com/bookmarks/lists and then click on each one you want add to your favorites section on left column. This will initiate the lists section too to be added to home page.

Make sense? I hope so! By creating a new discipline for your marketing – you will save time and begin seeing your community grow with quality people who you can serve and they can serve you, too.

What do you post as a persona brand? That’s another article! Happy posting and building relationships!

For more advanced personal branding and Social Media strategies, go for my free subscription to my STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT ezine at www.eCreativebiz.com featuring innovative branding and social media marketing strategies, creative inspiration, and success mindset tips for the savvy entrepreneur. Plus receive Marla's high content article,"7 Benefits to Having a Clear, Compelling Personal Brand Positioning You as Client Attractive."

Do I mix my personal friends with business contacts on Facebook?

The blending of your business brand as your personal brand is the secret to excelling in your marketing today. This allows you to be a savvy, innovative brand connecting with people worldwide and positioning you to have a global business. Sounds exciting, right?

It is exciting, but there's one challenge.

Many business owners are still of the mindset that personal and business are separate and truly don't have a clearly defined personal brand. No worries. No fault of your own. We all come from the same mindset and training. It’s those who step up and INNOVATE their brand to speak to the sophisticated consumer will progress.

In today's "Social Reward" economy, every business owner needs to think of himself or herself as a brand; it's no longer an option, it's a necessity if you are to succeed in your marketing using Social Media.

Why?

The abundance of savvy consumers today requires an authentic relationship online. They want to get to KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST you before they consider hiring you, buying from you, or recommending you.

By delivering a well defined personal brand in all your marketing channels (website, blog, ezine, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube) you are poised to win. Then the quality of your postings and content become more compelling and "marketable."

Furthermore, when you build the right audience for your message with a clearly defined personal brand, you are now poised to thrive in our Social Reward economy.

Building the right audience for your social media requires a specific strategy of being very selective and clear who you will allow into your communities, especially on Facebook.

I have had several business owners comment they prefer not having their personal friends mixed with their business clients and customers. I recommend you keep them all in your friend community and just be very savvy in your postings (I coach specifically how to do that) plus know your purpose to using Facebook is business savvy more than personal. Remember, you are delivering the authentic you as a brand for people to get to know, like, and trust first which leads to business contacts and potential clients to serve.

This is personal branding style marketing in our Social Reward economy. It’s OK to be you in front of all people. That’s virtual networking and how SEO is now measured. The game of marketing has changed. Time for innovating.

However if you still prefer keeping them separate, here are two solutions:

1. Create another FB main account (Timeline) under a version of your name, perhaps add the middle initial so it’s easy for your friends to find you and use that solely for your personal friends.

2. Use the custom list option for each of those “personal” type postings by creating a “private friends” custom list and be sure to choose that list (bottom right hand corner of the update box) whenever posting.

To give you a sense of clarity why this style of branding today is so important, I’ve spelled out 3 of my 7 benefits to having a clear, compelling personal brand which makes you “client attractive.”

1. You are seen as an innovative business that is on top of their game thriving in our Social reward economy. (Impression of increase)

2. You will know how to implement the key strategy to capture public interest, tell a compelling story and convert that market into a loyal audience.

3. You will know how to clearly communicate in an authentic voice in ALL your marketing channels (website, social media, blog, ezine, and emails) to your existing community and potential new clients or customers so they FEEL connected to you before they choose to buy or hire you.

Learn the other 4 benefits and inspiration during our upcoming Spring evening “Beauty, Bling and Branding You Lifestyle event" – Networking, shopping, and guest speaking by Marla Dennis & Laura Weintraub for professional women. Date and location TBA. Sign up for UPDATES by clicking here..

Gratitude,



Marla :)

Glam, Bling, & Social Media Style for 2012!

I’m coming to you from my solo artist retreat nestled in a beautiful home in Los Angeles. I gave myself the gift of solitude to help create and begin planning my 2012 programs, goals, products and vision. I think I just created a ritual I will carry on for years to come! I’m loving this.

I found this lovely retreat via airbnb.com. What a great find! Homeowners offer up their homes, rooms, apartments around the globe for travelers wanting a more personalized place to stay. A few days prior to finding this, I sent a request out the Universe (Spirit) and clearly defined my vision for my retreat day. This was more magical than I imagined and certainly much more artistic.  My bed and breakfast host, Clara Berta, who owns “Villa Berta,” is a beautifully talented renowned abstract artist who opens up her home to film productions, photo sessions, travelers, and locals wanting a piece of heaven.

One of the several creative programs I am planning is

 a kick-off to 2012 with “Turn Up the Volume on Your Personal Brand with Glam, Bling, and Social Media Style for the New Year!!” An Evening of Make-up Artistry, Jewelry, and Social Media Savviness for the Woman Entrepreneur.  

 
Laura Weintraub, South Bay’s renowned beauty expert and style director of Classy and Chic Make-up Boutique, is my co-producer for this inspiring evening event scheduled for January 26th. This New Year South Bay (Los Angeles) kick-off event is designed as an elegant evening of networking, make-up artistry education, and strategic social media training for the entrepreneurial and professional woman.

The purpose of our “Turn Up the Volume on Your Personal Brand with Glam, Bling, and Social Media Style for the New Year!!”  event is to inspire women to create a clear, compelling and powerful personal brand for business success to thrive in our Social Reward economy. 

One of the more brilliant tools for your brand delivery today is Facebook’s new Timeline. The basis of my personal brand coaching is the power of digital storytelling. Our Timelines makes it easy for you to do just that! I was thrilled when I saw the creativity of the new layout! I will be teaching more about that in the Jan 26^th event.

Laura will demonstrate her signature Airbrush Make-up design to enhance the inner and outer beauty of today’s dynamic, success-driven woman. I'll be delivering my signature creative personal branding/social media presentation inspiring women to be savvy, smart and strategic with their marketing for 2012.

So, as I dive back into my planning here at Villa Berta, please SAVE THE DATE and mark your calendars for Thursday, Jan 26^th from 6-9 pm at a "to-be-determined" location in the South Bay. Add magic, color and vitality to your 2012 goals by sharing the evening with Laura and I! Registration details coming next week!

In our “shareable” world, our clear, compelling personal brand is our best asset to thrive in our new economy; and what better way to refine that brand than to learn from the experts who can help illuminate that brilliance and beauty from the inside out!

Happy Fabulous New Year,

Marla 

7 Benefits to Having a Clear, Compelling Personal Brand Positioning You as Client Attractive

The blending of your business brand as your personal brand is the secret to excelling in your marketing today. 

This allows you to be a savvy, innovative brand connecting with people worldwide positioning you to have a global business. 

Sounds exciting, right?

It is exciting, but there's one challenge. Many business owners are still of the mindset that personal and business are separate and truly don't have a clearly defined personal brand. No worries. No fault of your own. We all come from the same mindset and training of past strategies. It’s those who step up and INNOVATE their brand to speak to the sophisticated consumer will progress.

In today's "Social Reward" economy, every business owner needs to think of himself or herself as a brand; it's no longer an option, it's a necessity if you are 

to succeed in your marketing using Social Media.

Why?

The abundance of savvy consumers today requires an authentic relationship online. They want to get to KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST you before they consider hiring you, buying from you, or recommending you.

By delivering a well defined personal brand in all your marketing channels (website, blog, ezine, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube) you are poised to win. Then the quality of your postings and content become more compelling and "marketable."

Furthermore, when you build the right audience for your message with a clearly defined personal brand, you are now poised to thrive in our Social Reward economy.

To give you a sense of clarity why this style of branding today is so important, I’ve spelled out 7 benefits of having a clear, compelling personal brand that makes you “client attractive.”

1. You are seen as an innovative business that is on top of their game thriving in our Social reward economy. (Impression of increase)

2. You will know how to implement the key strategy to capture public interest, tell a compelling story and convert that market into a loyal audience.

3. You’ll have the skills to be an innovative digital storyteller creating raving fans for your business.

4. You will know how to clearly communicate in an authentic voice in ALL your marketing channels (website, social media, blog, ezine, and emails) to your existing community and potential new clients or customers so they FEEL connected to you before they choose to buy or hire you.

5. Your expertise & personality translates to savvy online content resonating with your target market profile.

6. Your Google rankings will be higher due to recent “content” requirements. Search engines are now seeking “emotionally based” content for priority ranking. This translates to SEO - (Search Engine Optimization)

7. Your personality is power. No one can duplicate who you are. As a result, you take yourself out of the competition. It doesn't matter if your competition is down the street; when you reach out to your market in a personal way OUTSIDE of the office and nurture that relationship online via your social media, blog and custom personality-driven ezine, you hedge the competition and build more loyal followers. In today's overly saturated market, you MUST be consistent with your online marketing to build the know, like & trust factor. (Even if you think it's not necessary).

What is the value of these 7 benefits for your business? PRICELESS.

The more savvy your brand and content – the stronger your SEO allowing people to find you online easier and more efficiently. Remember this: the more online content and “online real estate” you have – the easier it is for people to find you; hence your business growth and bottom line.

The 7 benefits set you up to win by BUILDING MOMENTUM and converting to revenues when used with an effective marketing system.

As the "new" breed of entrepreneurs today, we are being rewarded by being social and personable in our marketing style and content. We are bringing our conversations online to make friends and fans in a casual but respectful, savvy manner. Hence, Social Reward economy.  

The end result: Up to 3-6 months of consistently implementing the strategies and tools learned, you will experience a more quality email list, a growing online and offline community of loyal clients converting to more revenues.

How can you INNOVATE your business for today's economic climate? Find the solution in my 

Home Study program, "Innovate Your Marketing with a Compelling Personal Brand!" Click here for details.

Gratitude,

Marla
Your Personal Branding and Social Media Savvy Muse!

 

Personal Branding Expert, New Thought Speaker, Creative Strategist
Step into the Spotlight!
Marketing, Mindset & Money Mastery coaching programs
www.eCreativebiz.com

 

Monetize your personal brand! Get your FREE branding, online marketing and social media savvy tips with Step into the Spotlight monthly ezine for Creative & Lifestyle entrepreneurs and Dentists at www.eCreativebiz.com