Cindy Ratzlaff

Bestselling author, award winning brand marketing and social media pro, Cindy Ratzlaff, creates sales driving campaigns for authors, books and publishers.

Is Your Brand Message Clear? | *Twitter Lists* Know

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If you are struggling to nail down your keywords and floundering to solidify your core brand message, there is a free brand development tool available to you right now.  The tool polls millions of users and aggregates a succinct list of key words and phrases that reflect exactly how your potential client or customer sees you.  You can access the tool easily, at no cost to you and use the information to effectively shape future brand messages.

What is this amazing tool?  It’s Twitter.  Within a short time of being an active Twitter user, you’ll begin to see the word “Lists” in the upper right hand corner of your Twitter profile, right next to Followers and Following.  Lists is a clickable link.  Click on it and you’ll see how your Followers have categorized you.  You’ll see their Twitter name and what they named the list to which they added your Twitter name.

The bulk of the lists I’ve been added to seem to be Authors, Marketing, Social Media, Peeps to Follow.  I’m pleased that my brand message has been consistent and clear.  If the lists had been Rockstar, Pastry Chefs, travel agents; then I’d have had some work to do in focusing my brand message to attract the following I desire.

Once you check Twitter Lists to see how your followers perceive your brand, take some time to interact with those Twitter followers who took the time to put you on a list.  Go to the profiles of two or three each day.  Read a few of their most recent posts.  Comment, add value and interact.  The chances are good that if they’re following you, then their followers might also be interested in you and you in them.

Twitter Lists are a great way to filter the noise of Twitter and find engaged, interested people who want to hear what you have to say.  Those lists are creating conversations about you!

How to Create an RSS Feed for Any Twitter List

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Each individual post on Twitter has a unique URL. You can find it by mousing over the date and time stamp on the lower left hand corner of a tweet. These are Google indexed and therefore every tweet you post is read by Google as fresh, unique content and elevates your social currency and searchability. If no other Twitter uses intrigue you, this one should. Using Twitter helps make you and your brand more visible. The more visible your brand is, the more you are perceived as an authority in your field. Using Twitter to reinforce your brand messages and identity is an excellent mind share strategy.

Many business owners say they just don’t always know what to tweet about. I advise them to tweet about events they’re hosting, new products they’re launching, tips and strategies that will be useful to people in their industry and in general to talk to their customer on Twitter exactly the way they would in person. But even the most prolific among us can sometimes be at a loss for ideas. I’ve shared before that I subscribe to several great blogs and use some of those posts as tips to tweet out to my followers.

Another great idea comes from Mana Ionescu via Twitip. Because Tweets are short, they are often very similar to article headlines so an RSS feed may be the right solution for those who want to subscribe to tweets alongside their news and blogs in a reader such as Google Reader. Twitter has an RSS solution only for your Favorites, so here is a simple way to turn any Twitter list into an RSS feed for your favorite reader.

Follow these steps for a simple and quick solution:

  1. Create a list of people you want to follow closely; people who regularly put out quality content that you often share with your friends and followers. For example I follow the Forbes.com list of the Top 30 Women Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter. You can create your own custom list or access an existing list. If you haven’t created a list before, look in the right column of your Twitter account and click “New list.” You’ll be prompted to name the list and then add peeps to the list.
  2. Copy URL of list. Once you are viewing the list, copy the URL from your browser window.
  3. Go to this simple set up page aptly called Twitterlist2RSS and follow the easy two step process to generate an RSS feed URL.
  4. Copy the generated RSS URL from your browser window.
  5. Paste that RSS URL into your favorite reader to create a subscription.

You’ll be able to browse your own custom list of influential tweets along side your favorite blogs and news headlines and have an unlimited source of great information to share with your friends and followers. By passing along valuable tips and techniques, you become a trusted resource and create conversations about you.

How to add a “Follow Me on Twitter” Button to your Facebook Profile and Fan Page

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Note:  Since the publication of this article in January of 2009, Facebook has discontinued their support of FBML.  Facebook no longer allows you to add an FBML box to the left hand side of your Fan Page.

Take your Social Media Image Seriously

Your Facebook® profile and your Facebook® Fan Page are two key social media touch-points for connecting with potential clients. Creating your on-line funnels in a variety of social mediums helps people find you and clearly understand the service you provide. Now, the yellow pages will do the same thing but social mediums let customers engage with you first and then decide, based on your attitude, the comments they read from your friends and followers and the value you provide in your various postings, whether or not they want to take the next step and become your customer. They can literally shadow you while deciding. That’s why it’s so critical for you to take your social media image seriously.

The Key Ingredients to your Social Media Strategy

Because your potential customer might be exploring numerous social media sites, you’ll want to be on at least Twitter, Facebook, Linked In and I highly recommend that you have a blog. If you already have your own website that becomes your home base. If you don’t, you’re blog can serve that purpose.

Now the number one rule of any great marketing campaign is to make sure that every consumer touch-point is integrated with every other one. All of your social media sites should link to each other, carry a similar look and message all while speaking to the consumer in the voice most appropriate for that medium. For example, you’ll communicate in short 120 character* bits on Twitter, longer more detailed thoughts will be incorporated into your blog and your Facebook profile and fan pages might be more personal and intimate. Yet an integrated marketing strategy means that the core values and the key message points will be the same, albeit communicated differently.

Helping Customers Find, Follow and Friend You

If you were the owner of a Deli, you wouldn’t hide the checkout counter. You’d make it very easy to find. Shoppers would never have to guess where to find you, talk with you and pay you. It’s the same with social media sites. Be user friendly. Make it easy for someone who finds and follows you on one site to find and friend you on another.

I recently installed a “Follow me on Twitter” button on my Facebook Profile and my Facebook Fan Pages. This is a nice visual addition to your profile or page and there are a lot of designers and programmers out there offering free buttons. I happen to love http://twitbuttons.com for it’s user-friendly interface. You simply enter your Twitter name in the URL box at the top of the page and all the HTML code in every Twitter Button box is changed, automatically, to customize the button for your twitter page.

So here are the instructions for adding a “Follow me on Twitter” button to your Facebook Page.

  1. Log onto your Facebook Page and go to the applications link on the bottom left hand side of your screen.
  2. Click “Browse applications and the find ” “Extended info” application. Add that to your profile. Then click the edit settings link to the right of the app in the list of apps you’ve downloaded. Where it says “Tab” click “add.”
  3. Then go to http://twitbuttons.com and pick out your favorite button. Be sure to enter your twitter name in the black space above the buttons. This will automatically enter your correct twitter name link to the code under each twitter button image.
  4. Copy the code of the button you like and go back to Facebook to the Applications list (link on bottom left of page).
  5. Open the Extended info application by clicking directly on that link. A window will pop up for you to paste your code.
  6. Paste the code and click the “Add to Profile” button on the upper right of that page.
  7. Then click the Save changes button below the code and return to your page. You can change the look of your button at anytime by returning to these instructions and choosing a new button from the website I mentioned or another you may find. You can design your own if you’re skilled with HTML too.

Transparency is Currency in Social Media

I recommend adding your “Follow Me” button or link to all of your social media sites and using the custom options on your Twitter background to provide the URL’s for your Facebook, Linked In and Blog to your Twitter followers. You get the picture. The name of the game is to be visible. For some inspiring examples of people who are doing this well, check out these social media pros. Each one of these people are helping potential clients find them and utilizing a slightly different style. Take a look and make a plan to help yourself stand out in the crowd.

If You Liked What You Read Here, Please Join Me

*Always try to keep your tweets to 120 characters so that people can Re-tweet your post. When they re-tweet, some of the character spaces are taken up with their Twitter name. At 120 characters you’ll be re-tweet-friendly.

Pssst! Twitter Demystified for Newbies!

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Unless you’ve been living in a cave or just emerged from a year-long biosphere experiment, you’re aware of the hype over Twitter and the scramble to figure out either how you can use it to grow your business or how you can ignore it and still not be left behind. Well, you can’t ignore it or you will be left behind so let’s look at some very simple ways you can enhance your business strategy with Twitter and maybe even enjoy yourself in the process.

According to internet guru Pete Cashmore’s website http://mashable.com, an estimated 6 million people in the United States have registered Twitter accounts. The research firm eMarketer estimates that this number will double by the end of 2009 to more than 12 million and by 2010 will reach more than 18 million users.

Yikes, you’re thinking. “How can my brand or business stand out in the sheer volume of noise of six million people tweeting?” A better question might be “What do I know that others might also want to know?”

OK, here’s the secret. Twitter is just a conversation. You have conversations everyday. Talk to people on Twitter just as you would were he/she to come into your bricks and mortar store: honestly, personably, helpfully and knowledgably.

  1. Share: Twitter is a conversation. Talk to people the way you would if you met them socially in person. If every time you met a potential client or customer you launched into a sales pitch, people would go out of their way to avoid you. But if you developed a reputation for being an engaging, interesting person who generously shares his or her experience with everyone-no strings attached-people would be delight to see you and introduce you to their friends and family. It’s the same concept in Twitter. A realtor who Tweets about community affairs, house maintenance tips, great contractors, good sales and special events in the neighborhoods they serve will be considered a resource to people who might not be in the market to buy or sell a home. However, that realtor will be forefront in their minds when a friend is looking to relocate or a family member moves.
  2. Listen: Conversation is a two-way street. Let’s think again about the similarities between a virtual client interaction and a physical one. If you’re selling jewelry and a potential client walk into your store, you’ll most likely ask them “How can I help you today?” Once you hear that they’re looking for a graduation present, you won’t try to show them engagement rings. In social media, you’ll do the same thing. Tweet about the things you know and the things you care about. Then listen to others and engage in conversations. Think of Twitter as a virtual backyard barbeque. You’ve got a burger in one hand and a soda in the other and you’re talking to some new “neighbors.” You tell them a little about yourself and then you listen as they tell you a little about themselves. When you hear that they are looking for a gymnastics class for their 7 year old, you introduce them to another neighbor, whose child takes gymnastics. They remember you as a great conversationalist, a good listener and a well-connected and helpful neighbor. Next time they need advice, perhaps the name of a good family doctor, you come through again. Ultimately you become a trusted source and when the time comes that they or someone they know needs the service you provide, they will recommend you. On Twitter someone might ask you what hashtags mean or what in the world a Retweet is. Listen to the conversation and provide value to build a strong social media reputation.
  3. Communicate: Be clear with yourself and others about why you tweet. If you’re using Twitter to grow your business, make sure people can identify what it is you offer. Start with your Twitter name. @Jailbird might not be a great name for an auto dealership but @DriveSmart might be. In many cases, it might be best to use your actual name as your Twitter name. This signals to others on Twitter that your updates will reflect your values and your reputation. Use your twitter profile bio to tell people something about yourself. Include your website link so interested parties can contact you or at least survey your offerings. Customize your twitter background with visual clues as to who you are, what you do and what people might expect from following you. Think of Twitter as an online business card.
  4. Be authentic: You cannot be all things to all people. Be yourself and engage in the conversations that interest you. Retweet (repeat other people Tweets) things you see on Twitter that you found helpful or intriguing. Act as a filter for your Twitter Followers by participating in conversations that mean something to you and letting the other pass you by. In this way you amplify your interests and muffle the noise created by six million plus people “speaking” all at once.

Don’t be intimidated by Twitter. Jump right in and join the conversation. It can be the biggest social mixer you’ve ever attended, with literally millions of fascinating people waiting, real time, to talk to you. You can follow me on Twitter at @BrandYou. I’m interested in your experiences with Twitter and other social media. I would love to share what I’ve learned with you and I’m looking forward to meeting you there.

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