I wanted to do a post on Web 2.0 and Social Media because of the changes that Vemma recently made to our Vemma and Verve website. There have been many new features added to the Vemma site to enable Web 2.0 functionality.
First off what is Web 2.0? The simplest easy-to-understand definition would be websites, meaning 2.0 second generation of websites with the idea that the content is provided by the users, not by the site administrators. So if you take a site like YouTube, that’s a perfect example of a Web 2.0 site. All they did is build the infrastructure, let you and me and everyone else do all the work, and they cash the checks. It’s a pretty good deal for YouTube. So Web 2.0 just simply means it’s user created content. Web 1.0 are first generation websites that are created with static information with no user interaction.
Go a little bit further about social networking sites and that social networking sites are sites primarily designed or engineered for people to connect with each other like dating sites, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn and Plaxo to name the big ones.
So now lets get down to how to market and successfully grow your business on social networking and social media sites. First off here’s what social media marketing is NOT.
- It is not about interrupting people.
- It is not about controlling the message. That is what Web 1.0 is for.
- It is not a way to friend or follow people to spam people with your Vemma URL. That is what MLM castoffs are doing to create a horrible perception of the MLM profession.
- It is not about throwing up on people.
So what is social media marketing really about? After learning by experience and making all of the above mistakes here is my take on what it is really about. Social media marketing is about building relationships, telling stories, giving value, being relevant, being real, creating things that people want to share, building communities and knowing your prospects and how you can honestly help them. The role is to meet people, expand your warm market, stay in touch with your friends and family, stay in touch with your team, reconnect with lost friends, and communicate easier across the world. THAT’S THE ROLE!
Here is the most important thing: BUILD ONLINE EXACTLY LIKE YOU BUILD OFFLINE.
You go out and live your life online just like you would offline. You find people with common interests and make friends. Don’t throw up on them. They don’t need to hear about amazing super juice the minute you meet them. Do you do that offline? No you build relationships.
You FORM people online just like you do offline. The acronym of FORM is:
- F – friends or family – ask about their family
- O – occupation – ask about their occupation
- R – recreaton – ask about what they do for fun
- M – message – how you can enrich their lives
When it is obvious that you understand their problems your friends and followers on the social networking sites are going to be fascinated by you. So lose the whole sale thing and get out of sales mode and get into education mode. STOP spamming people with your URL when you first meet them!
Well put! FORM your social friends like new people you meet offline. Have patience and take Vemma out of the picture for a minute and communicate with them like friends. Educate them so they will SEE the need. DON’t SELL! I have heard this many times. People like to buy but don’t like to be sold.
Tyler & Mimi, great post, education on this topic if strongly needed. I think there are 3 main things that people miss when first introduced to social media and networking online:
1) It is no different than networking at a traditional, face-to-face networking event. You’re meeting new people, discussing, asking questions, giving feedback, engaging with others, and building relationships. With Twitter and Facebook and all other sites we should be replying to others as much, if not more so, than we’re posting.
2) Time and effort spent networking online should always and will always be an add-on to the time and effort we already give to our businesses. I worry that people will replace the time they spend building the business belly-to-belly by sitting in front of their computer screen. If we’re dedicating the time it MUST be on top of everything else we continue to do.
3) Content is king. Yes, the point of social media is to build relationships and network using online tools. However, if you’re not providing any valuable content to the world, you will have a hard time gathering a following. Content is blog posts, videos, etc but can be as simple as a couple quality tweets a week about a subject you’re passionate about. Create quality content, then discuss and engage and share it with others.
Very much looking forward to continuing to share the power of networking online with more and more Vemma brand partners. It is by no means a necessary element of building a Vemma business, but if members choose to, it can be incredibly powerful!
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[...] in them rather than pitching your MLM. For a good article on the subject of social networking click here. – 9. Don’t quit your day job – Keep right on doing what you are doing so you have the [...]