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Archive for the ‘Social Media’ Category
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Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
Social Media Etiquette for Your Business
Friday, February 26th, 2010We’re pleased to share our first guest blog post by Enterprising Mom Eryn Gurnee Cadoff on using social media for business. If you’re going social, plan to join us on Tuesday, March 9th for our social media discussion and networking event. Get details and register today (early bird rate ends on 3/2).
by Eryn Gurnee Cadoff
As a Enterprising Mom – your time is valuable! After all, you’ve got a busy household to run, meals to cook, kids’ schedules to coordinate, laundry to do, and oh, yeah, a business! Whether you are a sole proprietor, run a franchise or direct selling business, or have a business with employees, entrepreneurial moms have only so many hours in a day, so you need to make the most of them.
Never fear – social media is here! You probably have a Facebook profile and a Linkedin profile as well, and some of you may even tweet. All three of these popular social networking sites serve a slightly different purpose, so here’s how I see them:
- Facebook
These are the people you already know – a great way to connect and reconnect with present and past friends and acquaintances. You can also “friend” customers and clients you meet along the way. - Twitter
This is for the people you have yet to meet! It’s like a big cocktail party and it’s your job to meet people and engage in conversation with those that interest you. - Linkedin
This is a network comprised mainly of professionals and/or job seekers supporting one another in business.
Depending on what type of business you have and whether you are a service provider, a sales rep, etc., you may find one site more beneficial than another. But wherever you choose to connect with your clients/customers, there are some definite DO’s and DON’Ts:
Profile Picture / Avatar
- DON’T have a picture of your dog, your child, something funny you saw that day, etc., as your profile picture.
- DO have a profile picture of you, and make it a nice one, you might even want to consider hiring another Enterprising Mom (we’ve got a couple of photographers) to take a headshot of you. When people are doing business with you, they like to look you in the eye. They feel a lot more connected with those people online who have faces.
Update your “status” to keep your name out there
- DO Provide good FREE valuable content that people appreciate
- DO Post helpful information and links – especially anything you might be a subject-area expert on.
- DON’T talk about your business all the time! This is a huge turn-off – people can defriend/unfollow/hide you in one click.
Be sure you engage with people and create a dialogue, instead of only talking about yourself. Make your posts about others, and become a matchmaker of sorts – give people helpful tips and refer business to others when you can. Think of social networking as the online equivalent of going to an in-person networking event – you wouldn’t just stand in a corner and shout at everyone who walks by “I sell ABC product!” “I’m the best at this!” “Buy from me!” Instead get to know people first and understand their needs! A great recipe for Social Media success – make your posts 80% about others, 20% about you.
It probably goes without saying, but….
- When in doubt about a post, ask yourself: “would you want your mother/child/boss reading this?”
- Remember, what you put on the web is permanent!
Follow these etiquette tips, and you’ll be on your way to being a social media star!
Eryn Gurnee Cadoff
Independent Stylist for Stella & Dot
Eryn discovered the incredible power and potential of social media while hiding out in her home office from her screaming kids. It’s probably been ~5 minutes since she commented on somebody’s status.
Connect with Eryn
Web Site | Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin
Interested in guest blogging for The Enterprising Moms? Please get in touch!
Connect with The Enterprising Moms
Web Site | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Newsletter
Great Use of Twitter: Georgetown Cupcake
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
With The Enterprising Moms’ social media event coming up on Tuesday, March 9th, between now and then we’ll be sharing various resources and creative uses of social media. Please feel free to share your own, both here and on the TEM Facebook page
While I’ve never had a Georgetown Cupcake, I’ve certainly heard of them. My first exposure to them was on a discussion list where someone posted their secret flavor of of the day. GC uses Twitter to announce a secret flavor of the day to their followers and offers 100 of that cupcake flavor for free. Just mention the secret flavor. Wonderfully creative use of Twitter!
I would love to see the figures on how this has impacted the foot traffic and sales. The owners, two sisters, will be the subject of an upcoming reality series on TLC!
Check them out. Not on Twitter? Even if you’re not ready to jump in with both feet, start an account just to observe and get a sense of how others are using it based on your own interests. You may just be inspired!
They’ve also got a dynamite web site with a neat feature in their intro
Know of others that are doing a stellar job with social media? Please share them!
Carolyn
Chief Enterprising Mom
Six Social Media Trends for 20…
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010Six Social Media Trends for 2010 – The Conversation – Harvard Business Review: http://ow.ly/SWNN via @addthis
NPR: Small Business Stories: N…
Monday, January 4th, 2010NPR: Small Business Stories: Navigating The Recession http://ow.ly/SG3r
Join us on 1/12 for ‘Setting G…
Monday, January 4th, 2010Join us on 1/12 for ‘Setting Goals and Intentions for 2010′ and get your new year off to a great start! http://ow.ly/SFtz
ADWEEK: Multitasking Moms in C…
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009ADWEEK: Multitasking Moms in Control: http://ow.ly/Otaf
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-10-18
Sunday, October 18th, 2009- FFX County area moms: Meet & Greet for self-employed, business-owner & entrepreneurial moms. Join us: http://events.theenterprisingmoms.com #
- DC Area moms: Forum on issues facing working moms. Special ‘bring-a-friend’ discount thru Thursday. Details: http://onrampsforum.com/ #
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EVENT: Coffee and Connections: Networking 1-2-3
Thursday, May 28th, 2009
What: Coffee and Connections – Networking 1-2-3
Where: Bus Boys and Poets – Arlington, VA
Date: Tuesday, June 9th
Time: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Networking events, social networking tools, one-on-one networking … What kind of networking makes the most sense for your business? What’s the most effective way to network? How can you leverage your network? What’s the best way to keep track of your contacts?
For Jennifer Folsom, the DC Metropolitan area Director of Momentum Resources, a boutique staffing firm specializing in placing professionals in flexible and reduced hours positions, forming meaningful connections is critical to her business success. Jennifer, a dedicated and highly effective networker, will share her strategies and tools for building and sustaining a powerful network in a fun and interactive format.
At this event you’ll learn how to:
- Select the appropriate type of networking events for your business and your goals
- Get the most out of social networking tools
- Make the most of one-on-one interactions and develop meaningful connections
Jennifer will also share tips and tools for managing your contacts and related information and will demonstrate the system that works for her.
Join us! Registration and details.
Member Spotlight: Angela Hazuda Meyers
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009Our member spotlight now shines on Angela Hazuda Meyers, of Meyers Marketing Strategy and Standing Room Only Event Promotion. Angela facilitates our monthly Marketing and Communications Group Meetings and will be featured in the spotlight at our upcoming Coffee and Connections event on May 12th.
Angela Hazuda Meyers
President/Owner
Meyers Marketing Strategy and Standing Room Only Event Promotion
Type of Business: B2B. Conduct B2B, B2C marketing programs
Industries: Marketing and Events
Product/Service: Marketing (Strategic, Executional, Interim & Retainer) and Event Promotion
Years in Business: 6 months
Ideal Customers/Best Referrals:
- Small–midsized businesses, non-profits and associations who need help growing their organizations.
- Small-mid-sized organizations who don’t have enough funds or work for a full-time marketing director, but realize they need the function filled, or firms who have recently lost their Marketing Director and need a stand-in until they re-hire the position.
Personally speaking …
I am so sad to say that right now I don’t have much to fill in here. I do a little knitting in the winter, I like to plan the kids parties with theme events and lots of fun activities, and I walk in the early AM with a group of women in the neighborhood and thoroughly enjoy my “adult time,” but other than that this is an area I am working on!
Home life:
I have a hubby of 5 years Patrick. We have a romantic story of meeting, falling deeply in love, he quit his job a month after we met so he could be stateside (after knowing each other for only 2 weeks) then moving in directly with me literally after the taxi dropped him off at my house and getting engaged a year later on top of the Eiffel Tower – but sadly not much romance post kiddos! I have 3 wonderful children: Grant (3.5 years old), Rhett (20 months old) and Charlotte (8 months old). They are fun and keep me hopping, most days it’s wonderful and other days it’s a handful!
Childcare situation:
I have full-time, in-home care. I attempted to go it alone without care, but with 3 under 3 at the time and now with them only 6 months older now, there was not enough quite time in the day to get any work done and not a quiet moment to talk to a client.
Motivation for starting your businesses:
A passion for marketing and helping other small businesses grow AND a desire to be more connected and present in my children’s days.
Greatest benefit of running your own businesses:
Flexibility. I try to fit in a few events with the kids during the day each month, we walk to preschool and back and I have lunch with them at least a few times a week.
Greatest success you had in the past month (personal or biz) and how you celebrated it:
I got 2 new clients for my business. I called my hubby.
On your nightstand:
A notebook to jot down late-night thoughts and to-dos and a few children’s book, Oh and 1,000 Places to See Before You Die – But it hasn’t even been cracked open (I got it for Christmas) and I certainly haven’t scheduled a trip yet!
The one tool, resource, or toy you just can’t do without:
Sneakers. I love getting out a taking a walk or jog to energize or blow off steam. I try to walk most days with the kids or at least get outside for a little fun.
Last purchase for self:
Blackberry
Favorite way to unwind:
Wine a little…
Best advise or tip you ever received (personal or biz):
My mom said – You need to start your own business. After positions in various companies I was frustrated with an organization’s lack of vision, inefficiencies and inability to execute. Many companies get in their own way on a regular basis and I want to help them advance.
Best thing about being an Enterprising Mom:
There are more than one BEST to this one…I love working for myself because I get to be involved with so many exciting businesses and work for a number of different clients, which is very fulfilling. It’s an opportunity you don’t have when working for one company. I also love showing my children how mommy works, getting them exposed to alternative work environments and in the future I look forward to them understanding that they can do whatever they want to do as they grow up.
Connect and learn more:
MeyersMarketingStrategy | Standing Room Only Event Promotion
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