Absolutely Free (and Cool) Social Media Tools

The best thing about social media is it's free, except for the time spent online trying to figure it all out.

Here are some of the best free tools you should be utilizing to manage your time and efforts in the ever expanding social media realm.

1. Social Oomph: Schedule tweets, track keywords, set auto replies and auto follow/unfollows, send DMs to new followers, vet new followers, view @mentions and retweets, and much more.

2. Hootsuite: Hootsuite is one of my favorite tools. You can manage multiple Twitter profiles, along with  your Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Foursquare accounts, pre-schedule tweets and measure activities.

3. Tweetmeme: Tweetmeme finds the hottest stories for you to retweet. You can also add a tweetmeme app to your blog posts, making it easier for readers to promote your blog.

4. Alltop: Alltop is like an online magazine rack. They collect headlines of the latestest stories from tbe best sites and blogs that cover a topic. I use the site for links to articles that might be interesting for my Twitter followers. I've also discovered some great blog topics from the headlines.

5. Social Mention: Social Mention is a social media search engine that searches user-generated content such as blogs, comments, bookmarks, events, news, videos and more.

6. BoardTracker: BoardTracker is the leading search engine for message boards and forums and provides innovative search, analysis and social networking technology to bring people closer to the boards

7. Digg: Digg is a social news website that can help you share blog posts and web pages. It is a great tool for promoting your own web pages, blog posts and online articles.

8. Delicious: Delicious is a social bookmarking web service for storing, sharing, and discovering web bookmarks. It is another way to promote your favorite sites.

9. Google Buzz: Google Buzz is a social networking and messaging tool from Google. Users can share links, photos, videos, status messages and comments organized in "conversations" and visible in the user's inbox.

Just remember, you don't have to utilize all of these tools at once. Try one tool a week and see what works best for you. Some of these sites may just be the key to your social media success.

Have anything you want to share? Please do.

Thinking BIG

I think I've mentioned Michael Port on this blog before. He is the author of a great book called "Book Yourself Solid," a must read for entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants.  His business story, which he lives and dies by, is "I'm the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small." Perfect.

Michael recently published "The Think Big Manifesto." He is determined to start a revolution, and I, for one, am all in. I want to share with you "The Code" that Michael lists in his book. You'll have to buy it yourself for the rest of the invaluable and inspirational message. Seriously, you want this book.

The Code, from "The Think Big Manifesto" by Michael Port.
0. Stand for Something (or Something Will Stand on You)
1. Overthrow the Judge (The Fraud Factor)
1. Collaborate (Trust Everyone. Almost)
2. Get Comfortable with Discomfort (If the Shoe Pinches, It Fits)
3. Promise and Fulfill (Say You Will...and Do)
5. Submit to Authority to Be an Authority (Listen More, Talk Less)
8. Live in Integrity (Does It Need to Be Said?)
13. Work--Hard (Being Warriors)
21. Have Fun (Yes, It's Okay)
34. Revolution Time (Stop Waiting for Godot)

What BIG thinks are you up to today? How is your business going to revolutionize the world? Are you taking baby steps or wide leaps of faith? What one think scares the devil out of you? What are you avoiding? Why? How would you feel if you could just make the jump into the unknown? Free. Alive. Scared. Invigorated. Isn't it time you found out?

Public relations for entrepreneurs

Contrary to what my mom believes, public relations is not serving food at the neighborhood bar or working retail at the mall.

Public relations is managed communications between an organization and it's publics.

Let's break this down.

Managed: You control the message and format of the content released. The message is consistent with your business story and presents your business in a positive, proactive, authentic and truthful light.

Communications: There are numerous forms of communication, from press released, brochures, websites, advertising and sales letters to speeches, social media, events and everything in between. Anything that can be used to connect with someone else can be considered a form of communication.

Publics: Repeat after me- there is no such thing as the general public. You are not trying to reach the whole world. You're publics are those groups that you need to reach; those clusters of likeminded people who you are trying to influence. It could be potential clients, customers, media, elected officials, school teachers, union groups or any other target group. Your publics will be different from your markets, which will be different from your audiences in advertising.

To develop a public relations plan for your business, you first need to identify your publics, then determine what you want them to do and finally decide which communication vehicles are the most appropriate to deliver that message. For example,

Public: elected officials
Objective: Vote in support of legislation that protects clean air in Tennessee
Communication: federal report on the dangers of dirty air; face-to-face meeting to discuss current legislation; letter from three well-respected scientist that backs up our stance; organized phone-in day where dozens of people call their legislators to ask for their support.

This is a very simple beginnings of a public relations plan. I challenge you to take your top two or three publics and create a plan of strategic communications for each group. You'll be amazed at the results.

Speed bumps: Deterrents or Launching Pads

Have you ever been driving along and come across a speed bump, but were unable to slow down enough to take the bump at a proper speed? Your car launches in the air slightly, kind of like the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazard, lands hard then continues along like it never happened. The last few weeks have felt like a series of speed bumps for me and my business. As a fellow entrepreneur, I'm sure you can relate.

I've been blessed with many great opportunities and am working with some amazing clients and coaches.  But there are times when I wonder what the heck I've gotten myself into. Thankfully I spent weeks in the beginning developing an integrated marketing plan for my business. During times when I just don't know what to do next, I follow my roadmap and keep plugging along until things pick up and I am speeding along, pedal to the medal. and speed bump free.

Speed bumps are installed to slow people down and act as a deterrent to speeders. For entrepreneurs, a speed bump can be a launching pad into the next realm of business, but only if there is a strong plan in place to act as wings.

Treating social media as a marketing tool

I have to admit I am addicted to Twitter. I love following folks from around the world. I can talk hockey to a fan in Canada, get advice from an entrepreneur in London and live vicariously through a hilarious travel writer in Minneapolis. That's what makes it so much fun.

I also realize the power social media offers entrepreneurs and small business owners. Used strategically, methodically, consistently and proactively, social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, YouTube, Digg, Reddit, Delicious and other sites can drastically improve your position as an expert in your field, connect with your ideal clients, educate you on current issues and even secure new projects.  That's if you are treating it like any other marketing tool.

That means setting goals, short-term objectives, key metrics and deadlines for the social media sites you plan to incorporate into your marketing plan.  Just as you would create a plan for your advertising, you should do the same for your key social media platforms.  And just as you measure your return on investment in advertising, the same holds true for social media, although instead of counting dollars you could measure awareness, comments, clicks or direct messages,... Just beware of relying on followers, fans or connections to determine how well your plan is succeeding. Not all followers are the same; some people just want to increase their numbers without any intent to provide quality content.

By being strategic about your social media activities, you can drastically reduce the amount of time wasted online and increase awareness for your business.

Staying focused

Working from home can be a blessing and a curse.  Some days, I get so much done because there is no drama, gossip, junk emails, rambling phone calls, and all of the other distractions found in an office setting.

Other days, a cloud seem to hover over my home office and every silly, time-wasting website seems to pop up on my screen unannounced (my favorite is www.thereifixedit.com).  Some days, it is just impossible to stay focused.

On those days, I dig out my marketing plan and review all my big, hairy goals for this year and the next five years. If that doesn't inspire, or scare, me into getting back to work, not much will.

On days when I just can't seem to get or stay focused, I take it as a sign to take a break. You never know where or when you'll get your next great idea- the park, the mountains, the mall.

So, if you are having a hard time "getting it together," then cut yourself some slack and take a break. You are the boss, after all.

Visualizing your ideal client

It's no secret I am a huge hockey fan. It is really the only sport I am fanatic about, so it is pretty rare I pull out sports analogies to make a point. So, here I go.

In hockey, or any other sport, athletes are trained to imagine the outcome, visualize what they intend- the puck going into the net, the bat striking the ball that then soars over the back fence, the perfect back flip with a solid landing.  How can entrepreneurs use that technique to take their business to the next level?

First, think about what you want your clients to say about you. Write your dream testimonial. It could go something like this:

Kristina Shands and Authentic Communications are a dream to work with. By developing my own unique business story and using that story to set myself apart from my competition, I was able to double my client base and establish myself as a leader in my field- even as I stayed true to my values and beliefs. My ideal clients now find me- as if by magic. Thanks so much for making this whole process fun and enlightening. I hope everyone discovers and embraces their own unique talents."

Working with the end in mind, you can see what you need to provide your clients in order to get your dream testimonial.

You can even visualize your ideal client, right down to the types of shoes they wear or the music they listen to.  Here is a description of my perfect client:

My ideal client is creative, positive, living their dream and passion, willing to take risks, match my values, laid-back, personable, fun, wearing jeans and t-shirt or nice shirt- not a suit and tie, earthy, progressive, music lovers (Americana, Folk, non-pop/rock/country) non-traditional careers/industries, off the beaten path, unique, inspiring, intelligent, positive, fun, calming, relaxed energy, don’t fit in the square hole, like thinking out of the box.

See how being really clear about what you want to achieve and with whom you want to work with can help guide your decision and prioritize your actions?

Just as an athlete bases his or her training on their final goals, you can do the same for your business.