The face of business has changed. With over 8 million U.S. businesses currently women-owned equating to an economic impact of $3 trillion that translates into the creation and/or maintenance of 23 million jobs.
Today, more than ever, women are in a position to impact their market in a huge way. But! and this is a big but, you must be willing to stand in your power and share your message.
In years past both men and women struggled with getting their message out to market unless they had huge budgets. Today, the playing field has leveled. Regardless if a business is run by one person or boasts dozens of employees, there is ample opportunity to reach your market in cost effective ways.
One of the greatest changes to happen online is social networks and social media. Social media has changed the way people communicate with each other online and offers a greater opportunity than ever to share your message with the world. It offers incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs and small business owners looking for their own perfect clients.
What Exactly Is Social Media?
There are countless definitions of social media, and many are so ambiguous and confusing that they can leave someone more in the dark than before they heard or read the definition. Social media is a creative term used to describe tools such as blogs, podcasts, wikis, and social networking sites where people create content, share it with each other, and connect. It’s simply a way to keep in touch with people online using social networks.
Social media is also an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, words, and pictures shared online. It’s based on user-developed content found on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, and YouTube focused on user interaction and involvement. Understanding social media and social media marketing (SMM) is actually very simple, yet many people become overwhelmed due to the complexity of some of the social network sites.
User-Created Content
Social media content is user-created video, audio, text, and multimedia published and shared in a social environment such as a blog, social network, forum, or video. You use hosting sites like YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn, Squidoo, and other such locations to share your information.
In today’s world, social media marketing (SMM) is a must-do for virtually any business, large or small, that is serious about building an online presence, so don’t resist learning about this most important marketing tool. Think of it this way: When the telephone was first introduced to the general public there were actually quite a few people who said they just didn’t need that “crazy device”; there are many people who feel the same way about SMM, but if you are not yet participating in the top sites, you can fall behind very quickly.
One of the greatest benefits of social media marketing is the opportunity to position yourself as a thought leader. Without it there were incredible restrictions to getting your voice out to the market. Today there are few, if any restrictions. You can easily position your voice, beliefs, and philosophy through any number of channels available on the internet.
One of my favorite shows is The Voice. In each season of The Voice, at least one contestant is discovered through their online presence. Many who in the past could not get their voice heard now have a platform through their blog. YouTube is a great platform for building a strong following.
A few years ago, Gary Vaynerchuk was a complete unknown online; today he is a recognized YouTube personality and a wine industry expert. He started out by posting a few videos online. From there he grew into a recognized personality by regularly posting short videos on YouTube. You can do the same. All you need is a voice and the willingness to get your voice out to market. The more unique your voice and the more you can be yourself, the more success you will likely have. Avoid trying to be like others. There are already plenty of clones online. To be your unique self you need a message, a point, and insights that are of value to others.
Position your message by consistently posting to various locations. The more consistent you are, the better. In social media marketing, one plus one equals hundreds and even thousands. Traditional marketing is a one-way conversation; not so with SMM. It’s about having a dialogue rather than a monologue. This is the greatest change we have seen in marketing in decades.
You Need a Presence … Tomorrow, we’ll pick up with what Kathleen Gage has to say about planning and participating in the online social media presence that you know you need.
How are you positioning yourself as a thought leader?
About the author
Kathleen Gage has been actively marketing on the Internet since 1997, building a multiple-six-figure business and a stellar reputation for honesty, outstanding content, and success. She’s taught thousands her internet marketing methods in seminars and training programs. For the first time Gage’s signature tips and techniques are organized into one easy-to-read book.
An early adopter of the Internet, Gage is recognized as one of the world’s most renowned online marketing experts. In Power Up for Profits!: The Smart Woman’s Guide to Online Marketing she addresses the must-dos of any business regardless of industry, market, or service offerings.
Portions of this post are from Kathleen Gage’s book, Power Up for Profits! The Smart Woman’s Guide to Online Marketing. For a very limited time you receive three wonderful bonus gifts from Kathleen – 1) How To Make Your First $100 Online Report 2) How to Sell Thousands from Any Platform 3) The Truth about Making Money on the Internet Teleseminar
Get your copy of Power Up for Profits at: httpss://iz106.infusionsoft.com/go/powerbook/patriciaweber/
Becoming a thought leader takes courage. It means stepping into one’s power and truth. Thank you so much for sharing this post and for being a thought leader Patricia!
Wow. That compliment comment is going to be a week long lasting for me Kathleen! Thanks so much. More than that, thank you for the valuable work you share with us.
I agree that in today’s world, social media marketing s a must-do for any business, large or small. It is important that understand value of building an online presence. Not all businesses get or understand that. 🙂