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Name of author Rick Baker, P.Eng.

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Social Media Confusion

by Rick Baker
On Jun 20, 2012

Many people who run small and mid-sized businesses struggle with social media. They have made major website changes, yet cannot confirm direct links between that work and new/expanded sales or brand-awareness. They have spent time on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media vehicles, yet cannot confirm direct links between that work and increased business.

Many small and mid-sized businesses have hired 3rd parties to develop social-media software and programs. Others have hired staff to do their social-media work. Some businesses have hired 3rd parties to act as them, delivering social-media programmed messages 'by agent'.

Much money has been spent. And, for many businesses there is little evidence to confirm the money has been well spent.

Social media programs work marvellously for some businesses. These businesses can illustrate clear evidence, proving money spent on social media has delivered ROI.  

However, for most businesses social media has delivered more confusion than profit.

Small and mid-sized businesses need to consider 2 questions:

  1. To what extent do consumers/customers/clients desire our product/service? Truly, how bad is our product/service wanted and needed? And, exactly when is it wanted and needed?
  2. To what extent have consumers/customers/clients enjoyed a series of positive and trust-filled experiences with us? [When strings of positive and trust-filled experiences are long enough they can be considered "relationships".]

With those 2 questions fully and accurately analysed, the next question is:

How, exactly, will these social-media vehicles expand or enhance our business in ways we can verify with measurements?

Will social media activity:

  1. Increase the amount consumers/customers/clients desire our product/service?
  2. Increase the ease and timeliness with which consumers/customers/clients can access our product/service?
  3. Increase the existing strings of positive experiences consumers/customers/clients have with us?

If the answer is "Yes" then:

  1. The social-media options should be compared and ranked against Sales and Profit goals,
  2. The best social-media option(s) should be selected, and
  3. Results should be measured against benchmarks to ensure the social-media cause is creating the expected increased-sales or increased-profit effect. 

 

 

Tags:

Marketing

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Thought Tweet #502

by Rick Baker
On Jun 19, 2012
Thought Tweet #502 Take a peek past the business of day-to-day life, catch another glimpse of your imagination.
 
The Thinking Behind The Tweet
"Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model." Vincent Van Gogh

Tags:

Thought Tweets

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Chapter 6

by Rick Baker
On Jun 19, 2012

Now, you have completed Chapter 5 and you know:

• your existing Norm (on average, how you feel while at work) and

• your desired Norm...your Goal for how you want to feel at work in the future.

Do not be concerned if there is a large gap between your existing Norm and your goal Norm. The distance is not something you need to worry or even think about. What's important is - are you committed to make one small step - a baby step - toward your goal Norm?

If you can state emphatically "Yes, I am!" then proceed. If you cannot state that then stop reading and return later, when you are prepared to make a commitment to a small change.

One Small Change

One small positive change will move you toward your goal...a higher, more-positive Norm. And, there are many ways to make one small positive change.

The simplest ways to increase the amount you enjoy your work are:

• You can remove one small work-activity you do not enjoy and

• You can add one small work-activity you do enjoy.

Start by looking at the small work-activities you enjoy the most….that’s the most-positive way to explore changes.  Consider only work-activities that contribute to your work goals.

Pick 5 from your list of small work-activities:

  1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  3. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  4. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  5. ____________________________________________________________________________________

Double check to make sure they are small things, preferably activities that do not impact on coworkers. Double check to make sure the activities contribute to your work goals [even though, only in a small way].

Now, for each of those 5 activities, write out at least 3 ways you can either do more of the activity or do a new variation of the activity.

3 ways to do more or do a new variation of Activity #1

  1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  3. ____________________________________________________________________________________

3 ways to do more or do a new variation of Activity #2

  1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  3. ____________________________________________________________________________________

3 ways to do more or do a new variation of Activity #3

  1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  3. ____________________________________________________________________________________

3 ways to do more or do a new variation of Activity #4

  1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  3. ____________________________________________________________________________________

3 ways to do more or do a new variation of Activity #5

  1. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  2. ____________________________________________________________________________________
  3. ____________________________________________________________________________________
From your list of 15 ways to do more or do a new variation of small work-activities you enjoy, pick 1...just one small change:
 
My 1 small change is _______________________________________________________________________________________
 
Commit to doing that 1 small change at least once a week...from now on.

Tags:

A Book | Emotions & Feelings @ Work | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things

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Thought Tweet #501

by Rick Baker
On Jun 18, 2012
Thought Tweet #501 Necessity, when imaged in a courageous mind, is the mother of invention.
 
The Thinking Behind The Tweet
We must not underestimate the courage required to think and act in new ways.

Tags:

Beyond Business | Thought Tweets

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Thought Tweet #500

by Rick Baker
On Jun 15, 2012

Thought Tweet #500 "It is better to be high-spirited even though one makes more mistakes, than to be narrow-minded and all too prudent."


The Thinking Behind The Tweet

In celebration of the 500th Thought Tweet...a wonderful Vincent Van Gogh quote.

Tags:

Hero Worship | Spirited Leaders | Thought Tweets

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It only takes 3 little improvements

by Rick Baker
On Jun 14, 2012

In light of the current economic situation, more than ever before, it is essential to perform work tasks as well as possible. When I say 'the current economic situation' I mean, most small and mid-sized businesses continue to face significant challenges in the areas of growing sales and growing profits. These challenges are both people challenges and process challenges.

During challenging times, small improvements in performance of tasks deliver, in relative terms, a large return on effort...including new sales and increased profits.

Also, small improvements in performance pave the path for:

• More small improvements

• Larger improvements

• Job satisfaction

• Workplace harmony and teamwork

These are all good things.

These all lead to increased profitability.

So…here’s a self-help suggestion:

Look at your 'normal work tasks' and work at performing 3 of your 'normal tasks' a bit better.

Measure the results of these 3 little improvements and observe how your business results improve...and celebrate those improvements along the way.

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things

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Copyright © 2012. W.F.C (Rick) Baker. All Rights Reserved.