Students have always been big customers for many businesses. However, with the rise of the technological era, getting sales from these students is becoming harder and harder. Young people from high school to master's degree programs know exactly what they want, and with the Internet at their fingertips they're more willing to reach companies online than go out of the way to do business with anyone else. Unless you want to exclude students from your customer base (which few businesses can afford) you have to learn how to use the Internet to your advantage, and nothing does that better than social media.

Since the advent of services like MySpace, FaceBook, and Twitter, the majority of students have become a deluge of socially networked users. Social media give them ways to keep with the second-to-second and minute-to-minute dealings of friends, family, and even businesses. Many students connect with businesses online through these services, if only just to know when they are having sales or updating their product lists.

If this sounds like an opt-in mailing list, it should, because it basically is. Few marketing materials have the same power as a simple social networking page. Students can find these pages very easily, so you don’t have to worry about search engines mucking up your rankings. Failing to take advantage of this marketing method is like pulling all your commercials, stopping the mailed postcards, refusing to send e-mail, and erasing all your newspaper and radio ads. Doesn’t sound very smart, does it?

When you use social media to reach students, you can't be timid. That doesn't mean you have to be brazen about everything, but have some confidence in what you're saying. Speaking of which, what should you be saying? This is the problem many businesses have at first, because they aren't used to reaching out to students as a particular class of customers. Talk about what's going on inside the business, share a funny story, mention discounts, or talk about that new product launching in a few days.

Also, always reach out to the students and ask them to comment back. Nothing is worse than a post with absolutely no comments. Even if other readers think the post is interesting, they may dismiss it because no one is saying anything. It’s like having a commercial that everyone watches but no one responds to. Of course the number of comments your business' posts receive depends a lot on how many customers have connected with your social media presence. On the other hand, keep in mind that more comments may lead to more followers as other users see what their friends are commenting on.

Always add a small something at the bottom of your post to invite comment or interaction. Oftentimes opinionated students are more likely to take you up on this invitation than other kinds of customers.

Building up a social media page to help your image and connect with students is a great idea sure to help you build a list of loyal customers. The time investment to maintain a social media presence is quite minimal, but the payoff for businesses is immense. The investment is most worth the effort when you target your social media use, and in doing so it's critical to keep in mind that students are the prime users of social media and your most receptive audience.

Provided by Guest Blogger Cyndi Laurenti - While she figures out her next career move, Cyndi Laurenti works as an online writer and editor. Her primary interests are education, technology, and how to combine them. She enjoys the trees and beaches of the pacific northwest, and looking things up on other people's iPhones.

We know social media has taken off like wildfire. Ten years ago if you’d even said the phrase “social media” you would have gotten funny looks. But today’s it’s a fundamental part of our everyday lives. Why is that? Here are six reasons why social media has become so huge:

1. Social media is fast. The internet gives us a means to exchange information more quickly than we ever thought imaginable before. Social media combines fast information exchange with human influence. There’s no longer a need to wait for news reporters to gather and prepare information. Everyone with a smart phone and a Twitter account can become the “eyes on the ground” providing minute-by-minute updates when news is breaking.
2. Cultures are shifting. In the world, there is good and there is bad. As our access to the knowledge of both increases, so does our desire to be aware of the very best and the very worst—and to give our opinion of both. Sharing of opinion is something mankind has done since cave man days, but never has it been so easy to share with so many, so fast.
3. Driven by Generations X and Y. The baby boomers’ kids, and their kids. If you were born after 1975 in a civilized environment, there’s a pretty good chance you use the internet. And if you’re an internet user in that age range, there’s a really big chance you use social media. And social media is built in such a way that using it drives it to grow. Sharing pictures of a party, posting to your blog, making a statement through a video or just gossiping in your Facebook status all drive social media and fuel its ongoing success.
4. Create a new you. Call it a benefit or call it a drawback, but social media gives everyone the ability to define themselves and to promote that identity widespread. Create your own “place” in life. What’s “class” when even the poorest people can be trendsetters and tastemakers thanks to social media. On the flip side, those who are famous, rich and powerful can suddenly and safely interact with those perched on less tall pedestals.
5. Social media makes money. Facebook generated $2 billion in revenue last year.  Twitter made $45 million.  LinkedIn netted $4.5 million in profit in its last quarter alone.
6. Social media is new. We like to try new things, and as a society we were ready for social media. The timing was right you might say. Television was getting old, and books… what are those? The bar scene’s bland and three-way calling never really caught on. We were ready for something new. Social media means mass interaction that’s super-fast and far-reaching.

Have I missed something? Are there other factors? Or, do you disagree with some of my rationale? Please share your comments!

Daniel Mark Wheaton is an Internet and Mobile Marketing Consultant with Flipside Marketing. He is a self-taught internet guru with a background in journalism who’s been dabbling in web design and online marketing since 2000. He enjoys showing small businesses ways they can reach out to new customers and build relationships with their existing customers using the internet and mobile technology.

Thanks

by Daniel Mark Wheaton, Flipside Marketing

By W. Lau, who is interested in obtaining a forensic science education and has written about the ins and outs of attending a sonogram technician school.

Social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, are growing in popularity as a job hunter's resource. LinkedIn has more than 85 million professional users signed up to its site. A greater number of recruiters are also relying on social networking sites to find job candidates.

We know that one of the most effective methods to find a job candidate is through direct referrals from employees. Another method is through networking, which is what social networking sites, like LinkedIn, allow you to do.

So, is signing up with LinkedIn's basic account good enough for job hunting or is there value in paying LinkedIn for premium service?

The major differences between a LinkedIn Basic and a LinkedIn Premium account

• InMails: With InMails, a LinkedIn user is provided an allocated number of opportunities to send private messages to contacts that are not part of their network. This feature is advantageous when you want to contact a recruiter or HR contact that you have no other means to contact. Premium accounts include 3 to 50 InMails per month depending on the premium account you select.
  
  
• Profile Search Results: Premium accounts afford more search results. The premium account offer 300 to 700 results per search, compared to 100 results per search with the basic account.
  
  
• Profile Organizer: This feature provides you an allocated number of folders so that you can organize notes on particular contacts. Premium accounts include 5 to 25 folders depending on the premium account you select.

Whether you choose to maintain a basic account or spend and obtain a premium account with LinkedIn, if it helps you secure a job, the money you spend to upgrade your account will pay for itself. However, even if you don't upgrade to a premium account, LinkedIn offers many features that add value to your job hunt to help you get hired.

LinkedIn feature benefits for job hunters

• Recruiters Can Find You: A complete profile ensures you are part of recruiters' search results. Completely fill out your profile to enhance your profile visibility in search results. Adding key search terms within your profile that recruiters may use to find candidates will also improve your visibility.
  
  
• Networking Opportunities: Your network of contacts can help connect you to the right people for job opportunities, job advice and more. A premium account will also open opportunities for you to make direct contact with HR contacts and recruiters at companies of interest to you.
  
  
• Recommendations: Your contacts may write you recommendations, which HR contacts and recruiters can view from your profile to help better qualify you as a job candidate.

While LinkedIn offers an opportunity to be social and network, keep in mind that this particular networking site is meant for professional networking. All information, photos and links you post to your profile should continue to project a professional persona. You never know whether an HR contact or recruiter is viewing your profile. Even if you are job hunting through some other means, more and more employers are conducting audits of potential candidate through social networking sites to see if there is any information or impression they find that can help disqualify you for a position.

One of the biggest questions I get is "how do I monitor my ROI?"   

Here is a great new way that Facebook is allowing marketers to monitor their ROI.

Facebook to report "social context" ad metrics

Facebook is to start giving marketers access to information about how often their ads are paired with social endorsements -- the little notes that tell users when their friends have "liked" particular ads or brands. Marketers will also be able to see the effect of "social context" on click-through rates, and to specifically target ads to people whose friends have "liked" the campaign.



This story published in SmartBrief on Social Media on 09/10/2010 - for more information http://bit.ly/bLZQFS

Most local business owners have a hard time understanding why it is so important for them to have an online presence.  After all, they advertise in the local paper and Yellow Pages, why do they need a website?  Well, the simple truth is that's where the people are.  When was the last time you actually picked up the Yellow Pages to find a local business?  Chances are you went to your computer or mobile phone and Googled what you were looking for.

If your business doesn't have an online presence, you are losing potential customers.  People want to quickly be able to find information about a product or service they are looking for.  And, people are more likely to shop with a business that is found online because they have information about them.  Simply put, an online presence is a must for today's business.

These are three essentials to help you establish an online presence for your local business:

1)  Optimized Website - A basic website that provides information about your business and its products or services.  It doesn't have to be elaborate with videos or lots of photos; it just has to be informative.  Also, your website needs to be search engine optimized.  This means that your website should include keywords and terms available for the search engines to pick up and include in the search results.

2)  Local Search Engine Listings - These are free listings by Bing, Google, and Yahoo and allow you to provide a lot of information about your business.  Be sure to utilize all of the features, upload a photo of your business, and create a coupon.  Potential customers will review these listings when they appear in the search results, so make them interesting and include a lot of information!  Here are the links to each:  

http://www.bing.com/local/
http://www.google.com/places
http://www.local.yahoo.com

3)  Facebook Fan Page - This is the newest trend and quickly proving to be an essential.  Facebook has literally become a search engine in and of itself.  With over 400 million active users, people are searching for local businesses within Facebook. A Fan Page is a great way to promote your business, it's free to set up, and you're probably already familiar with how to use Facebook ;-)

Here's a great quote that really puts all of this into perspective!

"Over time the single greatest opportunity is to rule the local search landscape.  20-30 year olds go straight to their mobile browser or Google Maps to find everything -- shoes, food, insurance, a dentist, you name it.  If they don't find you by doing that, then you don't exist."
- John Jantsch, Founder of Duct Tape Marketing

Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment!

OK, so you have a full time job (you may like it or hate it) but you also have a project you started and would like to promote it on Facebook.

We’ll use the example that you want to start your own business.  GREAT, congrats on the great idea.  Now, to be cautious you don’t want your present boss to find out cause you could lose your current job.  This job pays your bills and is your security net, just incase your idea doesn’t work.

Problem - you have co-workers on Facebook that may tell your boss.

Don’t worry -  all you have to do is a “Fan Page”.  A properly designed page does not show you, just your company.  Unless you want it to.

• Your profile picture would be your company logo
• Your information would be about your company
• Your bio would be about the company
• Your welcome page would be about the company
• You can ad applications about for the business separate from your personal profile.
• As an administrator of the page your information does not show up anywhere.
• Just make sure you name is not in the company name… you would be surprised how many do that.

Now, if you become a fan then yes, they can see you.  Trick is, don’t become a fan.  The fans are buying your product not you so this shouldn’t be a problem.

So now you’re set; promote and advertise your fan page.

Good luck and if you need any help please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Lynne