Seeing The Forest From The Trees

Are you:

•  Struggling with Social Media and where it fits into your overall marketing strategy?
• Unsure of which Social Media applications to invest in?
• Or, do you find yourself wanting to jump on the bandwagon just because everyone else is?
• Have you lost track of the big picture?

It is so easy to get caught up in the flurry of activity lately surrounding Social Media.  Everyone is talking about it.  Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters have jumped on board in the last week,  YouTube, Twitter and Facebook are hopping with the new celebrity of Susan Boyle from Britain’s Got Talent and it seems everywhere you turn, someone is talking about the “new” marketing landscape.

But before you jump on the bandwagon, I think it’s important to have a good grip on the big picture when it comes to your business.  Be an eagle!  If your audience is hanging out in the Social Media environment, make sure that you know exactly where they are so that your efforts are effective.  Don’t jump in and participate just because everyone else is.   Get help if you are unsure.

As a Social Media Specialist Virtual Assistant, there are lots of ways that I can help you decipher where you should be spending your time and effort and whether you should be there at all.   There are still situations that are more conducive to more traditional forms of direct marketing and if they work for you and your business, stay the course.  A balanced approach is key.  Social Media is a wonderful way to instantly reach a targeted group, develop relationships and build your business, but only if your audience is reachable in this environment.

If they aren’t, there’s no point in trying to ram a square peg into a round hole.   

Over time, you may find that your business changes and there is a need to incorporate Social Media into your overall strategy.   That’s great!  And if you do decide to enter this new world, understand that it takes time and active participation to perform well in this environment.  The purpose of Social Media is to engage your market. And when you are ready, I’ll be there to help you.

Love to know what you think!

While physically located in Newmarket Ontario where Joanne lives with her family, she is virtually yours anywhere….

The Power of Social Media

In the space of just one week, 47 year old Susan Boyle 0f West Lothian, Scotland has taken YouTube by storm. The latest count is over 33 million views since her stunning performance on Britain’s Got Talent earlier this week.  She is already a front-runner and favorite to win the competition and they haven’t even gotten through the audition stage yet.  Move over Paul Potts!

Already there are several fan sites up and running with clips of interviews she has given the local news agencies since her meteoric rise to fame. I had to smile to myself watching one of the clips. The interviewer was so bad it was comical. With the speed that this story has hit the world scene, the small town local reporters have no doubt been caught off guard and will likely find that they have to brush up on their skills in a hurry.

I must admit I have probably watched this video about 100 times. I can’t seem to get enough of the reaction of the audience, the judges, particularly Simon Cowell and the hosts of the show to say nothing of her stunning rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables.  The clear lesson: Never, ever judge a book by its cover.

But I am curious…what is it about this woman that has people flocking to YouTube?   Is it that we truly want to see the underdog triumph or is it that social media applications like Twitter and YouTube have made her story instantly accessible and we now have the opportunity to share in the experience and contribute to her success and notoriety by proliferating the links?  Would we have known about her or been this enthusiastic if these applications didn’t exist…?  Social Media has allowed us to shed light in every corner of the world and to actively participate in stories as spirit-lifting as this one and I think the answer is a lovely combination of the two.

Whatever the case, as Oprah Winfrey said: It doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.

May Susan Boyle be a shining example of that! You Go Girl ! And we clearly want to help you get there!

What do you think?

While physically located in Newmarket Ontario where Joanne lives with her family, she is virtually yours anywhere….