Since many of you on my email list are also small business owners, or are somewhat involved in the marketing aspect of your job, I thought it would be apropos to include a review of one of the business books I’ve read.
One of the challenges for us small business owners is keeping up with social media and really “getting it” when it comes to each one. And of course, there are always new ones popping up. This book is a good intro to the basics of social media marketing, with great examples and explanations of some of the most popular current ones. Since these platforms are in constant flux, some of the specific tips are no longer current, but that is the nature of reading a book about something as plastic and ever-changing as social media. However, the information is still relevant and the concepts can be applied to the current state of any media.
The author explains how social media content should be native to the platform. Meaning it is the appropriate way to tell your story in the context it shows up in. In doing so, he encourages us to focus on small bits, or micro-content, to build community. Accordingly, this should far outweigh the hard sell, which he refers to as the “right hook.”
Specific tips are given for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Tumblr. It is easy to feel a bit overwhelmed at first. The book is easy to read and you will get through it quickly, but it left me with a sense of urgency that I should do it all and right now. Keep in mind, the guy is a social-media marketer, who lives and breathes marketing. So, I calmed myself, and remembered advice I have heard repeatedly from other entrepreneurs: you might not be ready to pay someone else to do this for you, so for now, pick a few, perhaps between 1-4, that you can reasonably keep up with and do well. It is better to do fewer, and do it well, then to get into everything and not be able to keep up. Or worse, just burn up time and accomplish little. This book did inspire me to work on adding Pinterest and Instagram to my repertoire, and took some of the mystery out of how to get started and what to write about. I’m still working on those!
One of the benefits of participating in events or networking with others is that I often get tips on what to try, how to accomplish something new to me, hear what others are doing and what is working. Another handy way to get current tips is follow the author's blog. If you read this book or his blog and get something out of it, give me a holler and let me know! I’d love to hear it. Better yet, post it on your favorite social media outlet (and tag me, so I am sure to see it.)
Best of luck!
