To be honest, I wanted a different title for this article.

Instead of using the word “wimp,” I wanted to say, “7 Mistakes of Social Media Wussies.” But, I wasn’t sure if the word “wuss” would cross the line of good taste. So how did I test “wimp” versus “wuss”? I went straight to social media itself, and posted the question on my Facebook page. I asked: “Is wussy a socially acceptable word? Or, like, kinda pushing it?”

And 47 comments later, well… as you can see, I decided to tone it down, with “wimp.”

But part of me wonders if I made a mistake.

Why? Social media isn’t about….Read more at http://www.soldlab.com/news/2011/9/15/7-mistakes-of-social-media-wimps-to-read-more-sales-news.html

are the ones that work.  

Here are my favorites, and why they work so well.

1.  Share personal stories about your life with complete strangers.

You can't just talk about authenticity; you have to reveal it.  This is the only way you will build a fan base for your blog or social media pages.  This is your reality show.  Sure, you can be shocking and over the top, which is entertaining.  But unless your name is Fred and your audience is little kids, my recommendation is to just use some social media wizardy and pull back the curtain.  

If you are tired of getting emails telling you that you have a new follower on Twitter and yet you want to know who you should or shouldn’t follow back, here is a quick tip. 

A few tips to immediately improve your facebook page for those of you using it for business. How to deal with those friends who send a little “too much information.”

Recognizing its importance is not enough to make social strategy a reality
Social media marketing has gained its place at the table. eMarketer estimates 80% of companies with at least 100 employees will use social networks for marketing this year, up from nearly three in four last year. By 2012, usage will be even greater, and, in turn, efforts are becoming more sophisticated.

Most companies now recognize a well crafted social media strategy is a vital part of the marketing mix. In fact, a study from Jive Software and Penn, Schoen & Berland found 78% of executives thought a social business strategy was somewhat or very important to...Read more at http://www.soldlab.com/executives-fail-to-focus/

1)    If all you do is show up with an “Entertain me circus boy” attitude. Get involved, start a discussion, give someone an AMEN but stop looking at the groups like they owe you some entertainment. Its up to you to create the experience.

2)    If your idea is to show up and throw up. People simply despise shameless self promotion. Plus you look like a tool. Seriously . . . you do!

Many companies I work with today are enthusiastic about diving into social media. It's shiny object syndrome at its finest. The problem I find most prevalent is that companies have no realistic idea about what it takes to launch and support a social media program.

It takes a lot more than creating an account and setting up a profile with the best of intentions to participate. Read more at http://www.soldlab.com/news/2011/8/4/5-things-to-consider-before-using-social-media-to-read.html

I like social media. I spend some time out here, and I have developed some nice relationships. Some of those relationships have turned into real personal relationships. Some of them have turned into business relationships.

The idea behind social media is connection, engagement, and sharing. It’s about winning friends, and sometimes it’s about influencing people. Some people struggle to understand this, mistakenly believing that they need to tear others down.

According to research carried out by eMarketer, US marketeers will spend over $3 billion on social network advertisements this year. That would mean that ad spend in this region would see growth levels of 55% in comparison with 2010.

The most recent forecast is a far more positive outcome than previous estimations, with the 2011 figures looking to beat initial predictions by some $1 billion. The rise will also increase...Read more at http://www.soldlab.com/social-media-advertising-2011/

When I was first exposed to Twitter, I was not just negative, I was militant. The idea that a 140-character message was an effective form of communication was ridiculous. The time-suck of all-day blathering about my life, my wife, my meals, my dog, and on and on was offensive to my mid-west work ethic. Worse, I found the constant reading of everyone else’s details and their pandering for micro-fame in the digital ether numbing and nauseating.

My marketing partner is a nag. A twenty nine year-old, social-media-addicted...Read more at http://www.soldlab.com/news/2011/7/28/tweeting-my-off-7-tips-for-using-twitter-to-make.html