The customer experience is no longer limited to what happens at a retail location or at home behind closed doors.There are no closed doors any longer – social media has blown them wide open.

The customer experience happens largely online.Accordingto2012figuresfromThe huffington Post, 77% of b2C* companies and 43% of b2b** companies acquired customers in 2012 through social media.

In addition to that, one in three social media users would rather address their customer concerns through social media than by contacting a company by phone. (Nielson 2012)

Why, then, are 56% of customers’ tweets to companies being ignored?

If your company is not participating in the social media world, how can you be sure you are delivering the level of customer care you’re committed to delivering?

It’s imperative that businesses listen to their customers, and in order to listen to them, companies must be where their customers are. Find out if your customers are on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest or linkedIn, then make sure your company is there.

It isn’t enough to have a page or a profile. You need to be participating in the conversation.

How can a company offer good social care?

1. Be present. have pages and profiles on relevant social networks.

2. Listen. be aware of what users are posting about your company.

3. think before you speak. have guidelines that define how to respond to a variety of situations, and make sure all team members understand the guidelines.

4. Respond. Answer every post, every tweet, every comment with personalized responses that address audience concerns and follow the company’s engagement parameters.

5. engage. be proactive about sharing content and information that will help provide a consistently positive online customer experience.

Social media communication is part of the overall customer experience. use that as a guide. Consider what type of customer experience you want your customers to have, and use social care to help make that happen.

Submitted by Frances Leary, owner Wired Flare
Find her at www.wiredflare.com
Contact her: info@wiredflare.com

*Business to consumer
**Business to business

Common understanding is that if you market to consumers you should be on Facebook, and if you market to businesses you should be on LinkedIn; that is a very over-simplified and often incorrect assumption to make.

The truth is, wherever your niche market is interacting with brands like yours, that is where you should be.

Here are some steps to help you find where your niche market is.

Spend some time on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (consider Pinterest as well), and answer these questions:

• Does my competition have a page/ profile here?
• Are people talking about my field/industry?
• Are any of my clients here?
• Are any of my potential clients here?
• Are people engaging with brands like mine?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should consider participating on that platform.

Once you have made the decision to be there, here are some ways you can further engage with your niche market:

• Use niche-related keyword hashtags* on Twitter.
• Search and follow other profiles on Twitter related to your niche market (even your competition).
• Make lists of Twitter followers related to your niche market.
• Like pages on Facebook related to your niche market, and join groups where members of your niche market belong. Then engage with them.
• On LinkedIn, join and engage in groups where your niche market is engaging. LinkedIn has very interactive groups, and there’s great potential to increase your exposure here.
• Participate in LinkedIn’s “Answers” application and show your expertise by answering questions related to your niche market.

Remember that social media is about networking, making connections and building relationships. Find where your niche is, be there, and start interacting with them. Since your niche is likely a group of people you highly value and enjoy, you’ll find that once you get started connecting with them online, it’s a lot of fun.

Submitted by Frances Leary
Find her at: www.wiredflare.com

At the core of every entrepreneur is a dream. It may begin as a small seed of an idea or explode as a complete vision, but either way an entrepreneur’s success depends upon the dream.

Can we expect greatness from the dream alone? Definitely not. In order to be realized, a dream requires action. Will obstacles arise? Undoubtedly. However, if the dream is strong and the entrepreneur dedicated, obstacles are simply opportunities to learn and grow.

What’s the largest  “learning opportunity” that many entrepreneurs face? MONEY! Obtaining the necessary financing can be a challenge. While traditional sources of funding still play a large role in financing startup businesses, there’s a new kid in town.

“Crowd funding.” In a nutshell, crowd funding initiatives raise money from a collective network of investors who pool their money together in order to support start-ups, expansions, projects and more.

Often the investors are repaid through rewards rather than financial payback, while in other cases individual lenders are actually repaid.

Crowd funding has been around since the late 1990’s, but with the explosion of the Internet and of social media, it has been gaining increased popularity over the last 3-5 years. Halifax’s own Brooklyn Warehouse raised over $21,000 in 60 days from 103 contributors by initiating a crowd funding campaign driven by social media. WOW! brooklynhfx.blogspot.ca

Kickstarter.com launched in 2009 and is known as the “world’s largest funding platform for creative projects.” It allows friends, fans and the public to invest in projects in exchange for a variety of rewards that are unique to each project.

If financing is your largest “learning opportunity” right now, maybe crowd funding is the right option for you. Kickstarter is a great place to start exploring your options.

You could also be a crowd funding investor and help others live their dreams. Some crowd funding sites are specifically philanthropic in nature, such as Kiva.org, which allows investors to lend money to people in developing countries to help fund new business initiatives and empower people to change their own lives for the better.

People helping people…keeping dreams alive.

Submitted by Frances Leary Find her at: www.wiredflare.com

With technology playing such a large role in business today, businesses that are serious about decreasing their carbon footprint should make sure to factor their technology practices into the “greening” process. From server use, electricity and carbon emissions to landfills lined with old PC’s, the footprint from business use of technology is taking its toll.

Here are a few ways that businesses can incorporate greener uses of technology into the office space:

Hardware
#1) Consider size, processor, Energy Star ratings and eco-friendly options when purchasing a new device. Macs use less energy than PC’s, and laptops use much less energy than desktops. Tablets use even less. Consider purchasing a solar-powered tablet cover or even the zero-energy ecoPad.

#2) Use your computer wisely. Using Blackle.com as your search engine saves energy by using a black screen while you search. Set your computer to hibernate, sleep or standby when not in regular use. Look for tablet applications like Advanced Task Killer that will turn off applications that are not in use. Stay offline when there is no need to be online, and of course turn computers off when not in use.

#3) Recycle appropriately. If your computer is still in working order, consider donating it to a charity.

Web Hosting
Green web hosting options are now available, as well. This means that websites can be powered by 100% renewable energy sources.

Social Media
Once you have started growing your business in a more eco-friendly way, it is important that your target audience is aware of your commitment. Engaging in social media dialogues that support the green movement, both locally with organizations such as @CleanNova Scotia and @EcologyAction, as well as on a larger scale with green social networks such as MakeMeSustainable.com, will strengthen your own knowledge, expand your resources and communicate your business practices to others.

MOBILE APPS

APP #1: Green Outlet
Identifies energy-draining appliances, calculates your carbon footprint, saves money and reduces energy consumption.

APP #2: greenMeter
Helps reduce your vehicle’s environmental impact.

APP #3: A Real Tree
For every $.99 app purchase, a tree gets planted somewhere in the world.

APP #4: Ecorio
Track the carbon footprint you leave during your business travels.

APP #5: Route4Me
Optimizes your multi-destination travel routes to save on fuel. Perfect for salespeople on the go.

Submitted by Frances Leary
Find her at: www.wiredflare.com

With tax deadlines just around the corner, many small business owners are finalizing year-end statements and getting their finances in order. How in the world, one might ask, does Social Media fit into the picture? In more ways than you might think!

There are many helpful social media and mobile resources that can assist with financial management and taxes. Some offer year-round support and others are specifically for tax season.

 Social Media

Tip’d (tipd.com) is an online social media community providing financial tips, news and ideas. Users vote for their favorite articles, ask questions, participate in discussions and add their own articles to showcase expertise. Article categories include finance, stocks, entrepreneurship, business, careers and more.

Finance 3.0 – Social Network for Finance (finance30.com) calls itself “the world’s best website for financial management, financial modeling, corporate finance, business valuation, quantitative finance and accounting.” It has a large article database, active discussion forums, resources for financial planning and even an entrepreneur group designed to help with business plans.

Tax time is seeing a number of organizations go above and beyond to offer help through social media. Turbo Tax Canada is stepping up its game with very active and helpful sites on Facebook and Twitter (@TurboTaxCanada). @HRBlockCanada is another great resource, and @CanRevAgency provides up-to-date information on tax laws and programs.

 Mobile Apps

H&R Block and TurboTax both have mobile apps for advice (and filing help) on the go. Concur, Expensify, Shoeboxed and Receipt Filer are applications that itemize tax receipts and simplify bookkeeping all year long. InDinero provides small business owners with a complete mobile financial dashboard, and FreshBooks streamlines the invoicing process, saving time and potential headaches in the process.

This is just a snapshot of the wealth of social media and mobile resources that are available to small business owners to help them with taxes and financial management. So, when you don’t know where to turn, consider plugging in. The wired world is ready to help you.

Submitted by Frances Leary of  Wired Flare www.wiredflare.ca

Instead of seeing this as a bothersome nuisance, start looking at it as a blessing in disguise. You no longer have to “mystery shop” in your competition’s store – it’s all out in the open and online!

You now have the opportunity to see what your competition is doing, when they are doing it, how they are doing it and who they are doing it with…so use this to your advantage!

Sneaky? I think not. Staying on top of the competition is just good business. The Internet is public domain, after all, and eyes are everywhere!

Let this be a caution as well. Not only are your eyes on your competition; your competition’s eyes are on you. Perhaps even more important, your potential clients and customers have eyes on you, too.

As social media blogger Erin Bury says, “Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it.”

Where do you start?
•  Follow your competition on Twitter.
•  Like their pages on Facebook.
•  Connect with them on LinkedIn
•  Read and comment on their posts
•  Consider what they are doing and then think of ways you can do it differently
•  Be respectful always

NEVER, EVER, EVER refer to your competition in a negative way online. Instead, do the opposite! And if you’re put off by something they have done – UNPLUG before you have a chance to post something you shouldn’t!

Social media has made it into a level playing field out there, and truly there is enough success for everyone. So, when you see your competition online – be grateful. They’re helping you play your best game!

Submitted by Frances Leary
Find her at: www.wiredflare.com,
frances@wiredflare.com

Social media, unlike other forms of marketing, is truly designed for long-term relationship-building and NOT the immediate sale. Using social media consistently as a virtual networking tool is effective not only in increasing contacts but also in increasing revenue. However this takes time, and time is a very valuable commodity.

Having a strategy in place will help you use your time efficiently, as will using a tool such as Hootsuite, which allows you to organize your social media marketing from one central location.

Which social media site gives you the best bang for your time’s buck? The one where your target market is, of course!

Other than the time investment, social media marketing can be absolutely free but don’t think the social media sites will pass up a chance to make money…no way! For those of you determined to dig into your pockets, here are some of your choices:

Facebook and LinkedIn provide advertising options that are highly targeted and allow you to post ads seen only by users fitting the detailed criteria you choose. In both cases you can choose pay-per-impression or pay-per-click options. My recommendation is pay-per-click since you pay only when a user clicks on the ad and visits your destination of choice. On Facebook these ads range from $1-$3 per click, and on LinkedIn the minimum click cost is $2. LinkedIn ads require a minimum budget of $10 per day, whereas Facebook budgets can be set as low as $1 per day (although a minimum of $5 or $10 will deliver more results since the higher the bid, the more likely the ad is to be seen).

Users on Twitter can also advertise to have promoted tweets, promoted trends and promoted accounts. However, the minimum monthly budget range for this is $5,000-$9,999…ouch!

Should you choose to pursue some of paid advertising options, test small! Start with a small budget and measure your results.

Whether you spend money or not, remember this…time investment is an absolute necessity for social media success.

Submitted by Frances Leary of
Wired Flare www.wiredflare.ca

So what, prey tell, is this thing called Foursquare?

Well, in a nutshell it is an application used by your cell phone to track your physical location using GPS so your social media friends know where you are. From one extreme perspective it’s like having your very own personal stalker that follows you everywhere you go and tells everyone where you are.

A bit too close for comfort? I hear ya.

But…just humor me momentarily, and consider it from a different point of view.

As a networking tool it’s quite innovative. By sharing where I am and leaving feedback I’m able to promote the businesses I want to support. For example, if all of my social media connections see that I’m eating for the fourth time at a local restaurant, they’ll know I think the food is fabulous and likely want to try it for themselves.

Consider it from a marketing perspective. If you own that local restaurant, wouldn’t you want your patrons to be able to broadcast their whereabouts when they’re eating with you? Absolutely! Plus, you can take your marketing further. Business owners can offer incentives to Foursquare users who visit their establishments. It’s guaranteed traffic- providing your incentives are enticing enough.

Foursquare has many other marketing benefits as well as features that set it apart from its competitors, such as Facebook Places. For example, businesses without physical locations can use it effectively and put themselves on the map with helpful tips and information for consumers.

So, there you have it. Foursquare is an innovative marketing tool. It’s great for networking, and it’s a practical tool for making sure your friends can find you on a Friday night. The question yet remains…what if you don’t want to be found? Simple…turn it off.

You can find out more at www.foursquare.com.

Submitted by Frances Leary of Wired Flare www.wiredflare.ca

The first and obvious question is this: are there really rules to follow regarding social media? The answer is absolutely…and they are made to be broken.
Clear as mud?
The truth is that in the constantly evolving world of social networking, the rules are always changing. Part of what makes a business person successful with his or her online communication is a willingness to think outside the box and bend (if not break) the status quo.

I’ll explain. Facebook was created for friendships, LinkedIn for professionals, and Twitter to “microblog” mundane details like what you ate for lunch. However, all three can be used very successfully for business growth, and man, oh man, are they powerful!

Which one should you use? That’s up to you. My favorite? Facebook…for friends, family and business. Should you combine your friends with your business? That’s a rule you must set for yourself.

Facebook “etiquette” suggests that acquaintances should “like” your Page instead of befriending you. I break that rule constantly- please find me and break it, too. (I’m such a rebel, aren’t I?) Twitter “etiquette” suggests that people you follow should follow you back, but what do you do with those rule-breakers who don’t follow you back? Perhaps break another rule and “unfollow” them so you can follow others.

Totally confused and don’t even know what “following” and “liking” have to do with anything? Get yourself to a social media workshop, my friend! If you’re not online, you’re missing out on a huge market.

Ultimately, it’s up to each of us to define our own set of rules and to discover what works best to communicate with our friends and engage our target markets.  Your rules will be different from mine, and I can almost promise you…they will always be changing.

Submitted by Frances Leary
Find her at: www.wiredflare.com, frances@wiredflare.com