Lena West’s 12-point social-media road map
This post is by Brooke Howell, SmartBrief’s small-business editor.
Women business owners need a different strategy for handling social media because they don’t have time to sit around on Facebook and Twitter all day long, says Lena West, CEO and chief strategist of xynoMedia.
They also can’t just ignore social media or decide not to participate in it because it “isn’t a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate,” West said during her presentation, “Your Social Media Fulcrum: How to Leverage Social Media to Build Your Brand AND Get More Business,” on June 11 at the National Association of Women Business Owners‘ 2010 Women’s Business Conference in Washington, D.C.
West’s 12-point road map to social media for small-business owners, summarized below, is a great tool for women and anyone who feels overwhelmed by the technology and unsure how to use it to increase business without wasting time and money.
- Why are you doing this? It’s not because it’s cool or because everyone else is, says West. You need to be where your customers are online, so you can reach them. It doesn’t matter if you’re clueless or scared of social media; if your customers are there, you need to “suck it up and get over” whatever it is that’s holding you back. If you don’t know where your customers are online, then you need to ask them and find out.
- Watch out for “experts.” “Everyone and their mother” is a social-media expert, West says. The real experts are the ones for whom social media is a job — one they get paid to do through writing, speaking and consulting, West explains. Even among the legitimate experts, you can’t listen to them all because you just don’t have time, so pick a few and consider their advice seriously.
- Know your “why?” and use it to guide you. This is the reason that you’re engaging in social media — and it has to be a good one because it’s what you will use to keep you motivated so you won’t get bored and stall out, explained West. You aren’t just trying to get on social media — that’s just the avenue. You’re after the endgame. That endgame is different for each person, and could include building visibility, becoming a thought leader, getting more media coverage or connecting with customers, she notes.
- Don’t try to add social media to your already packed schedule. Examine your marketing and find out what’s working and what’s not, then cut the stuff that isn’t. It could be your newsletter, e-mail or direct mailings, but whatever it is, you can take the time and energy you were wasting on it and devote them to social media, West recommends.
- Use the right tool for the job. Selecting the wrong tool is costly in terms of time, money and resources, says West. The right tool for one business may not be the right tool for another — if people in your market don’t have time to sit down and read your blog, it’s not going to make a difference even if you are putting amazing information on it.
- Get social media onto your calendar. “Here’s the deal with social media: If you don’t make time to do it, you will never do it,” said West. Your calendar reflects your true priorities are, and if social media is going to be a true priority, it needs to be there.
- Keep cool, calm and collected. Stay organized and in control — organization helps alleviate the anxiety that may come with trying to do social media. Remember, not everyone who tries to get your attention actually deserves it
- Create your short list. This is the list of which social-media services/tools you will use and which you will ignore. You need to ask your clients where they’re at online and where they might want to connect with your business, and that’s where you want to be, said West. You don’t need to ask every client, just talk to a few of the best or the most responsive.
- Set boundaries. Who will you friend and who will you ignore? You shouldn’t engage with everyone everywhere, so set your own rules and boundaries for each service you’re on. For example, West said she allows everyone to follow her on LinkedIn, but only people she really knows can be her friends on Facebook.
- Don’t think you’re replacing anything. Social media is like makeup, explains West: “If you ain’t pretty, it’s not going to make you pretty.” Social media only enhances what you already have, so don’t stop doing things that work and replace them with social media, just stop doing the things that don’t work (see No. 4).
- Get business. Business isn’t always a sale. It can be a new client, media coverage, a connection who will make a referral, a book deal and more. To get it, you need to use the Rule of Reciprocity, which is really just a rip-off of the golden rule, West explained — if you want comments on your blog, you need to comment on other blogs; if you want people to talk to you on Twitter, you need to talk to other people on Twitter.
- Measure. That’s the only way you’ll know if your social-media efforts are on track or not because what doesn’t get measured gets ignored, says West. First figure out what you want to measure — Facebook fans, retweets, visitors to your blog, etc. — then do it regularly so you can measure like to like. Use that information to recognize a derailed effort and make the necessary changes to your strategy, she says.
Image credit: skodonnell via iStockphoto
Posted by Tweets that mention Lena West’s 12-point social-media road map | SmartBlog On Social Media -- Topsy.com on June 25th, 2010 at 8:10 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Social Media Guy, youredgeonline, Cass Creative, SocialWize, RT17 and others. RT17 said: Lena West's 12-point social-media road map – This post is by Brooke Howell, SmartBrief’s small-business editor. Wome… http://ow.ly/17SJ9X [...]
Posted by @LenaWest on June 25th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Thanks for this great overview of my presentation @ the NAWBO National Conference, Brooke! I didn't even know you were going to write this so it was a nice surprise to see this link floating around on Twitter today! Thanks again – you help me sound smart!
Posted by Genergraphics on June 25th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
There is one important fact missing from this article, and that is appealing to the different generations mindset separately. It is crucial if social media is ever going to become a viable media to compete with the rest of the traditional media for ad dollars. Appealing to a generations mindset in delivering a message and ads will address the privacy issue that is a major problem with social media. It's much easier appealing to a generations mindset then trying to find out everything that a person does in order to help sell their products.
Go to http://www.genergraphics.com and you will find out what I mean.
Posted by George Whalin on June 25th, 2010 at 9:45 pm
Are you serious?
'Women business owners need a different strategy for handling social media because they don’t have time to sit around on Facebook and Twitter all day long, says Lena West, CEO and chief strategist of xynoMedia." I opened this posting hoping to learn something of value only to read this absurd statement From Ms. West. Anyone who seriously thinks that sitting around all day long on Facebook and Twitter is something a businessperson OF ANY GENDER can do is simply out of touch with reality.
The idea is insulting to both men and women. Since this seems to be Ms. Wests' idea it is impossible to take anything else she has to say on the subject of social media with any credibility.
Posted by MARKETING : Lena West’s 12-point social-media road map – SmartBlog On Social Media « Tech4buziness – Eng on June 25th, 2010 at 9:54 pm
[...] Measure. That’s the only way you’ll know if your social-media efforts are on track or not because what doesn’t get measured gets ignored, says West. First figure out what you want to measure — Facebook fans, retweets, visitors to your blog, etc. — then do it regularly so you can measure like to like. Use that information to recognize a derailed effort and make the necessary changes to your strategy, she says. via smartblogs.com [...]
Posted by Tweets that mention http://smartblogs.com/socialmedia/2010/06/25/lena-wests-12-point-social-media-road-map/#more-11001?utm_source=pingback -- Topsy.com on June 26th, 2010 at 2:46 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by . said: [...]
Posted by Tim Anderson on June 26th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
I was about to make the same comment with respect to the gender reference, although I don't know if the comment about "…sitting around all day on Facebook and Twitter…" was a direct quote from Ms. West or a generalization and characterization from Mary Beth Slayton, the author of the article. In either event, the implication that, apparently, men do have time to do those things, or, moreover, don't engage in the other activities that are essential to the operation of a successful business is ludicrious, at best. But, since George Whalin, made such a good point of it and has a much more credible position from which to make the comment…I'll defer…
Posted by Tim Anderson on June 26th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
To those noticing the reference error — my apologies — I, of course, meant Mary Ellen Slayton as the author of the blog.
Posted by Letsgosocial.nl » Blog Archive » 12 social media tips voor vrouwen in business on June 27th, 2010 at 7:10 am
[...] het artikel op SmartBlog on Social Media. AKPC_IDS += [...]
Posted by @LenaWest on July 1st, 2010 at 6:45 pm
@Tim Anderson and @George Whalin
I was wondering where all the men would be with their "are you serious?" comments.
Thanks for joining the party.
As well, thank you for your points of view. This blog post is not my actual writing, but it is a "report" of sorts from a presentation I delivered. However, "report" or not, my position was (at the conference) and *still is* that women need to use and approach social media differently than men.
I don't expect men to *ever* outright agree with my position, but I know what I see in my work with women (95% of my 13-year-old business' client base) and men business owners and as a woman, I know what most other women (like me) have to deal with on a daily basis. I wouldn't expect you to know these things, because clearly, you're not women.
However, I believe the challenge is this blog post presents one side of what I have to say about gender differences and social media. I have never asserted that *all* men have more time, however in the interest of time and clarity, I have made generalizations that I still stand behind and support.
I can't be totally wrong – about 150 women in the room at the NAWBO conference (from where this blog post content stems) agreed with me and everywhere I go women agree with me. I speak extensively nationally and internationally to thousands of business people (do you???) and I've never had one women stand up and say she didn't agree with my assertion.
And, lastly and quite frankly, women business owners are the only people whose opinions about my approach in which I am interested.
My recent post lenawest- -videoBIO-NY Thanks for the Tweet love
Posted by Lisa DiMonte on July 7th, 2010 at 7:38 pm
I was one of the 150 women who attended Lena's session on social media at the NAWBO conference in DC, and I personally found the 12 steps to be a clear and concise methodology for developing and implementing a social media strategy for your business, whether you are a woman or man.
It's unfortunate that the real message behind this post was missed. One thing's for certain, at least 150 women found it powerful and useful.
Lisa DiMonte
Posted by @LenaWest on July 7th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
@Lisa
Thanks for this comment — and you're right, the 12 steps are great for women AND men to follow…I happen to be partial to working with women and seeing them succeed
I appreciate the support and thanks for being part of the 150!
My recent post lenawest- If youre in San Fran- check out the next -TheOpEdProject seminar on 7-18 Get 50 off with code OEPAlum More here- http-owly-23VAr
Posted by Lisa DiMonte on July 7th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
My pleasure, Lena. All the best to you!
Posted by damien sayer on July 27th, 2010 at 3:17 am
Very good article. Thanks, I find one of the biggest challenges facing marketers in social media is how to create personality and tell a story that transcends the technology being used to transmit it. The fact that social media is here to stay is inevitable. The need to break through using SM is as universally true as it has been with any media. Technology needs to continue to create the pathways for brands to make inroads to their audiences. But the connection between brand and consumer needs to be more human, more authentic and more helpful. This is the era of conversation between brand and consumer. Seems to me that we are very short on good conversationalists.
My recent post Social Media Program
Posted by Daniel Stoica on August 12th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Awesome Points for a Road Map!
Thank You Very Much for sharing!
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