Social Media 101: Why your business needs a strategy

Since I started my new gig three weeks ago, naturally I've found myself having more and more conversations about social media. It wasn't until I spoke with my neighbor that I realized I am in the 1%. And no, not that 1%. I am talking about the fact that the general population can easily be intimidated (or bored) by those who can spew facts, dream up grandiose ideas, and jump at the chance to chat about the next big internet thing. Since social is so engrained in my very being, these type of epiphanies sometimes baffle me. But it's those a-ha moments that help keep me in touch with the fact that many companies, both big and small, still have no idea how or where to start when navigating the social waters. 

Which is exactly why I think it's important to routinely get back to the basics and brush up on social media 101. Because I can literally talk about this topic F O R E V E R, I'll keep it simple and steer clear of referring to any one particular industry, company, or what may be the "best" approach.  Below is some general info I put together regarding social media, how to get started, and links to a few infographics that I just lurve. So whether you are a "newbie" or consider yourself a season "expert" (a dirty, dirty word in my book but I digress), hopefully this list will help you get started or bring you back down to Earth.

When starting a social media strategy, think about these five things (at the very least):

1. What is your objective? There is no right or wrong answer. Well, except for "my boss told me to do it." In that case, definitely read on...
2. Who is your audience? This question can also be answered as "who do you want your audience to be?"
3. What are you going to say? My biggest pet peeve is navigating to a companies Facebook page, Twitter profile, Instagram feed, etc. to find ancient content that has been updated only a handful of times. If you're going to do it, commit. That means time, resources, and yes, money.
4. How will you track & measure success? I am a FREAK when it comes to this question. Not having defined KPIs (key performance indicators), goals, milestones, or any other source of measurement tied to your efforts is like going house hunting without a budget: pointless. You have to start somewhere so even if they are moving targets: benchmark, track, analyze, repeat.
5. Who is going to manage your efforts? Depending on answers to 1 - 4, your organizational culture, and your budget this could be a toughie. My advice to you is beware of the so-called "experts" out there. Find a partner who fits into your goals, can scale with you, and understands your business. <Insert the perfect opportunity to plug my wonderful new company.>

Defining these five things will help you and organization decide which social outlets to leverage (or not) in order to build a community that aligns with your brand, enables you to achieve your objectives, and allow you to create content that will be valuable to your customers, and ultimately, your overall business.

Ideas for starting small-ish:

• Create a Facebook Brand Page. I do not believe in using Facebook as an alternative to a traditional Web site. However, having a Facebook presence can be a cost-effective option if you are just getting started and looking to grow your social marketing efforts. At the very east, claim your Facebook Place/Brand page which can serve as a general source of information (hours, location, web site, paying methods, parking, etc.) as you work towards bigger, more involved initiatives such as using "the Book" as a customer service tool, for word of mouth marketing, recommendations, customer engagement, yada, yada, yada.
• Start a blog. Even if you only write one post a week, a blog is a great tool to establish your business as credible, knowledgeable resource. Posting authentic information, stories, and even pictures is another cost-effective way to manage your brand while helping out  the SEO department. Re: search engine optimization, which is particularly important for people who are trying to find you...or your competition.
• Cross-promote. Include social links on email blasts, direct mail pieces, forms, and any other customer-facing communication to help spread the word. But please, do not misuse the QR code. In fact if you don't know what that even means, keep it that way (at least for now).
• Don't try to do everything for everyone on everything. Being selective about your social strategy allows you to focus on building effective communities, generate quality content, and interact with your customers in a timely manner. Is your brand visually-driven? Create an Instagram account. Do you want to give your customers quick snippets of information or industry news? Twitter may be the way to go. Is your primary business B2B? You better be on LinkedIn! The truth is, there is a social outlet for just about anything you can think of, the trick is to explore, find what works and then do it well.   

Link love:

• Social Media Cheat Sheet [Infographic]: http://www.flowtown.com/blog/the-small-business-social-media-cheat-sheet?display=wide or http://mashable.com/2012/06/01/social-media-ranking/ <--- both need to be updated with MANY more such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, FourSquare, Yelp!, Flckr, and Instagram but it is a start.
• Why you must go social [Infographic]: http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/design/why-business-must-go-social/ 
• My Pinterest Infographic Board: http://pinterest.com/Dee_Huest/infographic-love/ 
• Mashable for the win: https://mashable.com/follow/topics/social-media-101-series/ 

PS. For you "advanced" followers, I am currently reading the book "Grouped" by Paul Adams. Definitely a recommended read and will challenge the entire notion of social media as you know it. Get your copy here.

Was this helpful? Do you have questions? 
I'd love to hear your thoughts so feel free to leave me a comment!

Procrastination at its finest

Well, it's official. One month ago, I made my infamous announcement and now, I have yet another...

After three weeks of corporate detoxing, soul searching, networking, and interviewing, I was faced with making the choice between a handful of wildly different job offers; or the option to venture out on my own. [Editor's Note: "poor job market" is not a concept I agree with.]

As I contemplated my next move, I kept three things top of mind:

1. Did anything about the job remind me of what I did not like at the Big Red X or were there any other major "red flags"?
2. Which opportunity would allow me to continue to focus on becoming the best version of me?
3. This quote by the amazingly talented graphic designer, Jessica Hische:

Her words as designed by me

In full disclosure, not every offer made it past #1. In fact, I started to wonder if I had set the bar too high and would regret turning down what, on the surface, appeared to be a perfectly good opportunity. But that was just it. I wasn't searching for "good". I was searching for FREAKING awesome.

And so when the peeps at Brand Networks, a thriving social media agency, offered up a position as the first Social Insights Strategist, I squealed with excitement and happily accepted. If you know me personally (or even stalk my online life), it's easy to see that I am a l w a y s connected. I don't intentionally "procrastinate" either, it's just that I can't help but want to stay dialed-in and soak-up information like a sponge. Be it Facebook-ing, tweeting, pinning, researching, or simply strolling through a store, I enjoy experiencing the world through seamless connections between my online and offline life. I feel extremely lucky to have found such a kick-ass company and my version of a "dream job" that allows me to stay connected and get paid for it.

And that, my friends, is procrastination at its finest.

PS. Deelightful Studios officially has a Facebook Page! Be sure to hit that "like" button to get updates on the latest inspirations, fashions, and all things creative.

The race is long & in the end, it's only with yourself.

The final scene in my favorite movie of all time has been playing in my head on repeat since last Thursday. If you are actually reading this blog, then you will probably ruffle your brow in confusion and wonder how it could possibly relate to my given situation. And thank God, because the truth is it really doesn't.

So maybe I feel some sort of emotional connection to the scene because my favorite song of all time also happens to be playing in the background. Either way, the symbolism of the long open road in front of Annette, er Reese, and the fleeting feeling that comes with it is what I am referring to. Why you ask? Drum roll please...

It has been exactly one week since I left my job at Xerox. Yes, that is right: I quit. Further more: I left without knowing what will come next. And it feels damn good. It was no secret how unhappy I was with the company. Of course there are a whole host of reasons that I won't even begin to get into (at this exact moment at least). But the single most important factor was my lack of passion, inspiration, and knowing Xerox was never going to allow me to fill my life's plan. The ironic thing about that is that I actually have no idea what my life's plan is. I've learned that I am much better at deciphering what I don't want from what I actually do. And I am fortunate enough to be in a position, practically and financially speaking, that I can take the time to figure that out.

The response, feedback, and support I have received this past week has been overwhelmingly positive. I've caught myself smiling for no reason at all. Laughing much more. And appreciating what I have instead of what I don't. I've focused on reevaluating my personal definition of success and have found myself having many conversations that question the status quo while trying to make sense of the meaning of life- as cheesy as that sounds.

There is no doubt the next coming weeks will be filled with change. I've got a boatload of opportunities to chase and have already met with three great companies that have all presented three great opportunities. And as my mind races with questions like what I want to do next and where I even want to live, I know two things are for sure:

1. I am simply uninterested in anything or anyone that will make me less than happy. 
2. My next step will shape the rest of my life and that is fucking scary, stressful, and exciting all at the same time. Emphasis on the f-bomb.

I could go on and on right now but I'll leave it at this: I now understand what people mean when they say "a paycheck can be compensation for putting up with bullshit". That is no way to live, especially if you are like me and find a great source of pride in your work. So if you are feeling that way, I encourage you to read these articles, challenge yourself to change your situation, and be thankful you have the ability to shape your future. Happy reading!

•  Emily's announcement. Foreshadowing current events, my friend, former co-worker, and founder of the fabulous blog Merrypad.com actually went through this very thing almost one whole year ago. Eerily our posts on this topic are quite similar. It's a great motivator to see other people (especially one's you know) make radical changes and have amazing things happen.
• A field guide to quitting your job. Also featured in Emily's post, I have read this article frequently over the past few months. I especially appreciate the "zip it" part and it's because of that I have refrained from firing off a less than pleasant note to a person I used to have to deal with at work. I'm not one for holding my tongue but for whatever reason I am practicing self control. I'll probably thank myself later.
• Every other quote I find and pin. Self explanatory. And it's funny to say Pinterest helped change my life.
• What to do before you quit your job. I actually read this moments before I went into a meeting with my bosses and the ultimate decision was made. It's a great read for anyone who is evaluating their current life situation. Sometimes the grass is not greener and it's wise to figure out who or what is the problem before doing something drastic.
• Don't work. Be hated. Love someone. A friend of mine posted this after the fact but it resonated with me and helped reassure myself that everything is going to be fine and I've actually got a pretty good handle on life.