Retail Marketing

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Social Media in the Workplace

By Rhonda R. Savage

There’s no doubt that Facebook participation can be an asset to any business. The question is, how can you use it to promote your products and company, yet be sure your team members are cautious in the way they use it?  What should the owner and office manager post? Where is the line between personal and professional? Knowing the good, the bad and the ugly of Facebook for business, your company can take full advantage of this tool and watch your business grow.

The Good: One benefit Facebook offers for business is it lets the customers and potential clients know your company on a personal level. Clients come to you for a relationship. They assume you know how to take care of their needs. Being accessible on social media sites helps your clients and customers feel connected to your company.

A Facebook page can also help bring people to your website. Customers will look for your presence on the Internet and a Facebook profile is just another way they can find you, leading them to your website to find out more information and possibly contact you.Facebook can be a tremendous networking tool. Business pages on Facebook can elevate your website status through Search Engine Optimization.  In addition, if you have a Facebook business page link on the opening page of your website, potential clients can feel that they know you and your office before coming in for their new customer experience.  Several companies have gained new clients simply because of their Facebook page.

The Bad:  A recent study of companies with 1,000 employees found that 8% of their employees have actually been dismissed for their behavior on sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.  That’s double from the previous year! Companies have also fired employees for sharing sensitive details about the business and their clients.  In addition, team members have been sanctioned and fired for making unprofessional remarks about their boss via social networking sites.

The Ugly:  Realize that even if you use Facebook privacy settings, you may still be in danger. Remember going to high school and doing things you thought your parents would never know about and yet somehow they always found out? The same is true of social media. Avoid bad -mouthing your boss, co-worker or anyone in your professional life in such a public way on a public forum. Every business should have specific guidelines that apply to social media use.  There are two factors at work here: employers need to be closely monitoring social media sites and employees need to use common sense when posting about work life.  Employees need to be careful about sharing sensitive information as well as making foolish remarks about their employer.The owner needs to set the vision and goals for the office regarding social media with the help of the team with the development of a mission-driven ethical use policy.

Following are some basic guidelines for using social media in business. The guidelines listed below must apply to every member of the team member, including the owner:

Never post anything that directly or indirectly insults customers, clients or the business itself.

When posting on personal and social media sites, be nice and keep it clean. Develop verbal cue cards on “what to say and not to say” on social media. Have clearly developed expectations that apply to all team members.

Consider leveraging your office’s Facebook profile to start positive conversations about your employees and your services. You can do this by regularly posting testimonials from current or past clients.

With your customers’ permission, involve them in your efforts. You can do this by connecting with them and posting information about their business.

If you have a personal page and a business page, consider your policy regarding clients who want to become your personal friend.  One business owner lost a family of customers who requested to be his personal friend and he said “no.”

Create a page in your office policy manual regarding Facebook and social media posting so each employee understands what to do and what not to do.

Designate one or more specific employees to be responsible for posting on and updating your sites. Business page content will need to be updated frequently and consistently to ensure the Wall tab stays fresh. Carve out 1-2 hours/week for this responsibility dedicated to marketing on the web.

With a clearly established policy and understanding of the good, bad and the ugly, Facebook and social media can be a great asset to your business. By enforcing social media policies and following these guidelines, you’ll see great results from your efforts!

Dr. Rhonda Savage is an internationally acclaimed speaker and CEO for a well-known practice management and consulting business. As past President of the Washington State Dental Association, she is active in organized dentistry and has been in private practice for more than 16 years. Dr. Savage is a noted speaker on practice management, women’s issues, communication and leadership, and zoo dentistry. 

Multi-Tasking Is Over Rate

By Zelda Greenberg

The phone rings, the email “in” box is full, there’s a knock on the door, and to top it off your next appointment is waiting in the lobby. You have a hectic life and it’s loaded with interruptions every day.  Yet, you bounce back and forth each day from one task to the next because after all you are great at multi-tasking – or so you think.

Dangerously, we multi task even in our automobiles.  How easy is it to concentrate on that call from the boss and navigate the highway at the same time? Sure you can do it but at what cost. Remember life before mobile phones?  In the past if you had an important  phone call to make while driving you had to find a phone booth. Then you pulled over, stopped the car and only then did you make the call.  That phone call got all your attention.

Every time you switch from one task to the next you are jolting your brain to flip on and off like a light switch.  Your brain has to mentally shut down then reboot. How effective do you think you are?  Women are notorious at multi-tasking.   Women learn to talk on a phone while changing a diaper. We feed the baby and cook dinner, help with our child’s homework, all at the same time. 

Quality work requires doing a job well, not five jobs completed mediocre.  There are times when multi-tasking is necessary but many times we are simply trying to accomplish too much at one time.  When does one stop all the juggling and determine which tasks should take precedence.  Here are some simple solutions that will help you stop doing so much at the same time.

Prioritize: In order to accomplish your tasks and complete them well you can first prioritize the tasks. What deadlines must be met?  What appointments or research must be met? Look at all the projects you are facing and determine what must happen first. Then determine all the tasks necessary to complete the project successfully. Work all the other tasks of the day around the most important one.

 Plan: At the end of each day create a “To Do” list for the next day.  Here is where you write the tasks that are essential to complete a project on a deadline.  When planning out the day be sure to schedule a lunch break.  The lunch break allows you the essential time to step away from the project and give it some prospective.

Delegate: This can be very difficult for many people. Many people seem to think they need to do everything. In reality, there are others that can do some of the tasks quite well and you can then use your time more effectively.  Let someone else on staff handle some Emails, answer the phone, and sort the mail.  Is there someone in the office that is really good at website content?  You can even go to the local college to find Interns that are begging for work experience. 

Outsource: Let’s face it if race car driving was simple we would all be race car drivers. The same is true in business. When you outsource a project you are bringing in someone else’s expertise and thus freeing up your time to do other tasks that you do best.  If you are in the Insurance industry then most likely web design is not your strongest skill.  Hire someone in the business of web design to actually design your website.  A salesperson might be an incredible closer but not so great at creating superior marketing material. That’s a job you outsource.  As a licensed community association manager homeowners hire me to manage their home owner’s associations.  Sure the home owners can self manage but it’s a lot more effective  to outsource this job to a licensed CAM that knows the state laws that will directly impact what they can and cannot legally require of the home owners. Outsourcing for a specific job makes perfect sense.

Social Media: Working on a company’s social media presence is time consuming.  Today there is an emerging industry of Virtual Assistants (VA).  These people can be hired to handle all your company internet needs. They will update your Blog, keep your LinkedIn and Facebook page fresh. They will make all the updates needed to keep your company name in front of those that are your target market.

No: Learn to say “no” to people that are interrupting your day.  You get to control the day’s activities and if someone is demanding your attention determine where that person fits into your priority plan.

Multi-tasking is over-rated.  Juggling so many different tasks means you don’t necessarily do the job to the best of your ability.  Sure you might complete the job but is it sloppy work?  Is it filled with mistakes requiring you to go back and review and rework the task?  Everyday people will call, email, and enter your day.  You must determine if you can and will make the time to connect with them or not. Remember you might be on their high priority list for the day but that does not mean they are on your priority list.

We all know that there are only so many hours to the day.  Take the time to figure out what is most important to help you achieve the goals you have for your career. Implement these six tips and you will be able to successfully stop juggling so much in a day. This will help you  stack the cards in your favor to completing your projects timely and effectively and thus make you shine.

 

Zelda Greenberg is a consultant, speaker and entrepreneur who inspires others to turn obstacles into opportunities, reach greatness in business and flourish through adversity. As the former president of Women Business Owners of North Florida and a past recipient of the regional SBA Family-Owned Business of the Year Award, Zelda helps improve businesses of all sizes.  For information on her consulting and speaking call 904-262-7357.

Manage Your Time Without Losing Your Mind

By Theresa Rose

We all know about “Time Management”: that dreaded art/science where we are supposed to become productivity machines, getting as many high priority tasks accomplished as humanly possible.  How’s that been working for you?  Are you getting everything you wanted done?  Are you spending your time wisely, or does it feel like it is being wasted?  More importantly, are you spending your time joyfully?

Most of us have learned the traditional method of time management, where all items on our to-do lists get prioritized as high, medium or low, and we are instructed to attack the top of the list with gusto. While this approach looks good on paper, it doesn’t take into account one critical component of the human condition: We never do anything we don’t truly want to do.  If we continually force ourselves to work when we don’t want to, we either collapse from fatigue or chuck the whole process and resign ourselves to never having “enough time.” 

If you are tired of constantly running on the hamster wheel of life without much to show for your efforts, maybe a different approach is in order.  Here are several ways you can do more with the hours in your day while maintaining a sense of balance and happiness:

Get the juices flowing.  You will always be more productive if you move your body first.  Consider starting each day with some form of movement, whether it’s light stretching and deep breathing, a brisk walk around the block, or a 90-minute killer kickboxing class at the local gym.  By bringing some much-needed oxygen to your cells, you’ll find that you will stay healthier, think more clearly and have significantly more energy throughout the day.

Honor your clock.  We each have a unique internal clock, and our productivity levels can dramatically shift depending on the hour of the day.  If at all possible, schedule your most challenging tasks for the hours when you have the most energy.  If you notice that your energy level dips in the afternoons, try to perform those activities that aren’t as mentally or physically challenging.  Needless to say, crafting that all-important e-mail to your boss’s boss while in the depths of your mid-day slump is not an effective use of your time.

Do the fun things first.  If you start your workday with the most joyful task, you will set a pleasant tone for the rest of the day.  Whenever we experience pleasure, we automatically get a burst of serotonin secreted from our brains.  Use that serotonin buzz to your advantage as you address subsequent items you dread.

Reframe the Uglies.  Unfortunately, there will always be odious things we have to perform at our jobs, such as creating budgets, completing expense reports, or writing status reports.  Instead of incessantly complaining or devising new and different tactics to avoid them, try viewing them through a different lens.  All of those ugly tasks can be also be seen as important and necessary elements to the employment you’ve chosen, and they don’t need to rob you of your power any longer.  Approach each task as if you want to do them instead of have to do them, because that is truly the case.

Slow down.  We often cause errors or omissions when we operate at a fever pitch for an extended period of time.  Instead of rushing through the day, try to savor each task.  Spend just a few more moments with each one to make sure it is properly completed.  Not only will you save time by avoiding mistakes, you will enjoy the process a great deal more.

Choose healthy distractions.  Let’s face it; there will be times when you just want to goof off.  This desire to escape is a natural response to the intense work environment that has been cultivated over the years.  Instead of wasting precious minutes surreptitiously watching YouTube, playing an online game, or surfing eBay, think about going to the kitchen to get a nutritious snack, take a walk for fifteen minutes, or simply step outside for a breath of fresh, non-corporate air.  Getting away from your desk to clear your head can actually improve your productivity and provide clarity on issues you are struggling with.

Celebrate victories.  When you finally complete that big project, pop the champagne!  Oftentimes we jump so quickly from task to task that we don’t stop to appreciate how much we accomplish every day.  The next time you finish an assignment, take a few moments to reflect on your efforts and acknowledge your skill and determination.  This will give you the fuel you need to tackle the next initiative.

When adopting this new approach, it is important to recognize and accept that there will never be a moment when you get everything done; there will always be undone items on the to-do list.  Instead of perceiving your job as a constant battle between tasks and limited time, look at each new day as another opportunity to accomplish great things in a joyful manner.  By incorporating these mindful techniques, you will find that you will get more done in a shorter period of time.

Ultimately, each of us wants to enjoy ourselves both personally and professionally, not work ourselves into an early grave.  If you find yourself fixated on the elusive destination instead of enjoying the journey of your life, then maybe it is time to stop managing your time so rigidly and start managing your joy.  In the end, happiness is a state of being we can all choose, whether our high priority items ever get done or not.

 

Theresa Rose is an inspirational speaker and award-winning author of the new book, "Opening the Kimono." As founder of Serious Mojo Publications, Theresa specializes in fresh approaches to energy management, productivity and creative development.  Her experience includes owning a healing center, senior manager of a Fortune 100 firm, and vice president of a consulting firm. For more information, visit www.theresarose.com.

Only Seconds

By Sandi Smith

You have only seconds to grab the attention of your Web site visitor. How are you using your time?  You've spent money and time creating a logo, letterhead, and brochures for your business. You care about your company message, and you want customers to know you care about quality. You've hired professional graphic artists, designers, and printers to do the job.

But what have you done about your small business Web site design? Does it match the quality and look of your other marketing materials? Since the Web has more reach than the rest of your marketing materials, it should demonstrate the highest quality. And yet so many business owners have hired amateurs, relatives, teenagers, or created McWeb (fast setup, cookie-cutter) sites themselves.

An important distinction about the Web is the amount of time you have to create interest for your Web site visitor. You have only seconds to make a great impression. How are you using yours? Now is the perfect time to see if your small business Web site design needs some tweaking to make that great impression. Visit your own Web site and check out our three-step approach below to see if it's time for you to consider a change.

Before you click to review your Web site home page, ask yourself what your current business goals are. Do you want to sell product? Do you want to sell services? Do you want to provide information for prospective buyers? What do you want to accomplish? Your goals and your business may have changed since you first put up your small business Web site. Deciding on your current business goals will help you to decide on the main focus for your small business Web site.

Discover what your firm's largest strengths are. This can be done through customer focus groups, surveys, interviews, or informal processes. The result should be something similar to your unique selling proposition or how customers benefit from doing business with you.

Now, visit the home page of your Web site. What is the first item that you see? Put one and two together, and shouldn't your small business Web site home page immediately feature your biggest strengths or a means to your goal (or preferably both?)

The Web is filled with what not to do. Yesterday, I saw a consulting Web site that I couldn't tell was an accounting Web site until I clicked through three pages. A speaker's Web site had a huge picture of the speaker that took forever to download and was not by any means Mr. America. And a photographer's Web site had a long, irrelevant Flash movie about the creator's dog. I don't know of any customer who is going to sit there and try to guess what business you're in. They'll just go to other Web sites and do business with the small business Web site that has a clear message for them.

If you want to make money on the Web, use your seconds wisely.

Since 1995, Sandi Smith of San Jose, CA has helped small business owners and solo-preneurs make money online through Web site design and development. Her Web sites have paid back in as little as a week for some clients. Get her free report, “The Top 10 Biggest Small Biz Marketing Mistakes” at www.sandismithdesign.com.