Using Pinterest for Business Promotion

Are you pinning yet?

Most people I talk to fall into one of three categories when it comes to Pinterest:

1. What is Pinterest?
2. Yes, but its artsy and creative and I'm not
3. Yes and I'm totally addicted - How do I use it for promoting my business?

1. What is Pinterest?

Pinterest defines itself as “virtual pinboard that lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes. Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite."

2. Yes, but its artsy and creative and I'm not  

I started looking at Pinterest because I wanted to share recipes, but initially I felt like it was just for creative and crafty people.  I really just ignored it for a while but people just kept talking about it all over the place, so I dug a little deeper. 


I started "pinning" (think of it like bookmarking) my blog posts and found that I was getting more blog traffic from Pinterest than Facebook or Twitter! (Simply put: more people were clicking on my links posted to Pinterest than those posted on Facebook or Twitter.)


3. Yes and I'm totally addicted - How do I use it for promoting my business?



First, build your personal boards - Use the getting started guides and start pinning things that interest you.  I have boards for Weight Loss, Social Media, Organization, Home Decor, etc.

Second, follow your friends (the getting started guides will help you find them) and others whose pins interest you. Also be sure to comment on others pins.  This shows them that you have similar interests.

Next, start thinking like your target market (Simply put: the people you want to attract to your business). What are your ideal clients interested in?  Home school? Scrapbooking? Weight loss? Workouts? Fashion? Party planning? What kinds of things would they appreciate?  Time saving tips? Money saving tips? You get the idea.  Take 5-10 minutes each day to pin things that would be helpful or interesting to these particular people you are interested in reaching.

So, how do I promote my business?


This comes last because I don't want you going into Pinterest giving your self a bad rap right off the start.  Well, I don't want you doing that at all.  By bad rap, I mean I don't want you to look like a slimy marketer.


Once you've established some followers and built some interesting boards, start pinning for your business.  Perhaps just adding some pins to the Products I Love board to start.  Don't add every product or service you offer all at once, spamming your followers with sales pitches and don't forget to keep building on your other boards too.

Ready, Set, Pin!

Enhancing your personal profile for business purposes

The Queen and First Lady

I have a confession to make. I judge businesses (and/or professionals) by their Facebook profile. Be honest, don't you?

In social media, this is where you make your first impression. I want you to think of your profile just like you would your business card. When you meet someone on the street, you introduce yourself, shake their hand, chat with them and hand them your business card. When you connect with someone online, it's really the same. Today, I want to give you some quick tips for keeping your personal profile professional.

1. Use your real name. You wouldn't introduce yourself to someone new by saying, "Hi, I'm Tommy's Tools and Widgets", would you?
   
2. Use a picture of yourself. People on social media sites want to connect with YOU, not your dog, not your kids, not your Christmas tree. We want to do business with people we can trust. In real life we connect and build trust by looking people in the eyes. We need to do the same thing with our profile pictures. If you don't currently have a photo like this, take one. Make it a head shot, just your shoulders and head, look into the camera just like you would look into the eyes of a person you've just met on the street as you introduce yourself.
   
3. Link to your website. If you own your business or are a direct sales professional, you most likely have a website. As long as you are conducting yourself professionally and representing your company in a professional manner, link to it. People who are interested in you, want to know what you do. Your website gives them that information without you having to tell them all about it. Check for typos and make sure the link works. Nothing looks more unprofessional than a dead link (ok, well maybe there are somethings that do).
   
4. Check for spelling and grammar. I know we live in a world where texting and Twitter have created some "acceptable" abbreviations and lingo, but poor grammar and spelling are still recognized as unprofessional. Take the few extra seconds and make sure it says what you want it to say. This is a big deal, please take it seriously.
   
5. Skip the copy and paste statuses. If you've been on Facebook for any amount of time, you know what I'm talking about. "Copy and paste this if you love Jesus, hate taxes, think FB needs a dislike button" etc. These statuses are unprofessional and may cause others to question your credibility. When you really believe in something that strongly, take real action towards it, not a Facebook status.
   
6. Hide the game and app sharing. That means your Farmville requests, your daily horoscope, quizzes, etc. Do not allow these things to post to your wall. It looks unprofessional, clutters up the news feeds of all of your friends and may prevent your business contacts from taking you seriously. If you absolutely must have these things, you can control who sees the updates in your privacy settings under "Apps and websites".

These are just a few suggestions.  There will be more in the very near future. Subscribe to this blog to get the latest information as it becomes available.

7 Simple Facebook Questions Answered

Here are answers to 7 commonly asked Facebook questions that I have found that I tend to get when I start talking to people about Facebook, whether its at church, with family, or at a business meeting.

If you have a burning question, post it in the comments section below and let's get the answer!

1. Q: How do I tag my friends in my status update?
   A:  Status Tags - If you want your friend's name or a Page to be a link in your status update, simply type the @ sign before you type their name (no space, i.e. @DrJoe in the example below), and then choose their name from the list. Once you click the Share button, it becomes a link.

2. Q: How do I find my privacy settings?
   A: Facebook Privacy - To access your Facebook Privacy settings, click Account in the upper-right corner, and then click Privacy Settings.
   
   

3. Q: How do I get a personal link to my Facebook page to print on business cards, etc?
   A: Facebook "Vanity" URL -  If you want your own Facebook web address, aka a "Vanity URL" (i.e. http://facebook.com/suddenlyslim) for your Profile or Page, go to http://facebook.com/username. You can set it up there. NOTE: Pages must have at least 25 fans to qualify for a vanity web address.
   
4. Q: How do I get back to a page that I 'Like'?
   A: Accessing Your Facebook Pages -  To navigate to a Page that you're a fan of, type the name of the Page in the Search bar at the top of your screen. Then you'll be able to select it from the list.

5. Q: How do I create a Facebook Page?
   A: Create a Page - To create a Facebook Page, navigate to any existing Facebook Page, and click Create a Page for My Business at the bottom of the sidebar on the left.
   

6. Q: How do I make my links click-able?
   A: Creating Web Links -  You have to type http:// in front of any web URL that you want to be a link, when sharing it in your status update. renewedyounow.com won't do. It has to be the full URL: http://renewedyounow.com.
   
   
7. Q: How do I share something with just one person or a group of people, but not everyone?
   A: Sharing Updates with Specific Friends -  If you only want specific people or friend lists to see something, add your content and then click the lock icon next to the Share button. Choose Customize, and then select Specific People from the drop down list. Enter the names of people or lists that you want to see the message. Click Save Settings, and then click the Share button. Only the people you specify will be able to see the content.
   

It's finally here...

No one is too small to put themselves on the social map. Social networking is the most productive and cost effective form of marketing/advertising currently available.

I specialize in teaching small business owners and direct sales professionals to manage their own social media marketing campaigns. Let me show you how simple it is to create your social network today.