By Suzi Dafnis, Australian Businesswomen’s Network

A brand advocate is a satisfied customer who promotes your brand for you. Think of brand advocates as unpaid marketing reps. In fact, brand advocates don’t even necessarily have to be customers; they may just be people who share social media content that you’ve created.

Because social media encourages interaction and participation among your customer base, you can use social media to create brand advocates. When people share your content on Facebook, for instance, they’re essentially endorsing your brand.

You can create brand advocates by energising your customer base.

Offer free, useful content to your audience. Provide stellar customer service and take every opportunity to engage your customers. If someone posts on your Facebook page, reply to their message as soon as possible and try to open up the conversation to others. If someone replies to your Tweet, thank them quickly and engage them in a conversation that will grow and vitalise your online community.

It’s easier now than ever before for people to tell us when they love us – and it’s just as easy for people to tell us when they’re not happy with us. Pay attention to both types of messages. Criticism is valuable to your brand because it gives you a chance to interact and put it straight. You can ignore criticism, which is bad PR. Or you could shoot back with a negative attitude, which is bad PR. Or you could take the opportunity to impress people by taking the issue seriously. Some of the most valuable brand advocates are those who see that you’re willing to resolve issues for customers.

Now, there are some people known as “trolls” who have no real criticisms; they only want to attack others online. Just ignore the trolls. They’ll go away when they realise they’re not getting attention.

Focus on energising your brand advocates and they’ll do the work for you.

Do you have tips for creating brand advocates through social media? We’d love to hear from you. Add to comments and let us know.

MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY SUZI DAFNIS

• The Business Books That Rocked My Year (in a Good Way)
• How to Use Social Media for Business Research
• How to get Everything Done Before Christmas

Australian Businesswomen’s Network Member and Owner of Tribe Research, Kate Tribe is featured in the October 2011 issue of Dynamic Business Magazine. She writes an article entitled, The Old Fashioned Things that Make a Big Difference. Kate discusses five things that you can do to help stand out and stay front of mind in your customers’ minds:

1. Identify a core market and a unique way for them to remember you
2. Slightly change marketing that can be lost in a seasonal flood
3. Think laterally about your brand messages and fun ways to communicate them
4. Word of mouth isn’t just through your customers
5. Supporting businesses that are in your market

Kate Tribe says:

New technology and social media are great but maintaining some old fashioned thoughtful gestures can make a real difference to the way customers view your business and its brand.

Read the full article here.

Kate Tribe has also been featured in a recent new.com.au article, Business slow on the uptake of mobile web and in Smarter Business Ideas on how to network like a pro.

By Kristy-Lee Johnston, Footprint Recruitment

Social media seems to be re-engineering the way we work across all areas of business.

Whilst it has most heavily impacted on our marketing, sales and branding processes, it has for many businesses become a method of sourcing referrals for suppliers, listing products, linking with associates and forming strategic alliances.

So how can social media help you recruit staff for your business – and is it a good tool to use?

There are three keys ways Social Media can play a part in your recruitment processes:

1) Social Media as part of your network:

Perhaps the most obvious and widely used social media recruitment technique is the concept of ‘word of mouth’. Our social media networks act as an extension of our existing ‘traditional’ networks – so putting it out there to all of your networks that you are currently recruiting is not a new concept.

The Pro’s: you can access a wide range of people, each of whom know (or are connected with) lots of other people. This means the news of your vacancy may end up in front of many more people than via your ‘traditional’ networking, giving you a higher chance of someone suitable applying. It’s easy and it’s free – a Facebook post linking the reader to an advertisement on your website, or even just an overview and an e mail address takes a couple of minutes and is completely free.

The Con’s: Do you want everyone to know you are recruiting? Putting it out there via your networks means the news of your vacancy could end up almost anywhere, in front of anyone. This includes suppliers, clients, competitors and staff (both past and present). There may be certain circumstances in which you wouldn’t want the news that you were hiring to be quite so public, in which case this is not a great tool for you to use. Also, by having the news of a recruitment project publicised so willingly, you may find yourself inundated with interested applicants, which may be difficult to manage from an administrative and time perspective.

2) Social Media Job Boards:

Just like Seek, MyCareer, CareerOne and all of the other niche online job boards, there are now social media job boards which are available to use when recruiting for staff. The most obvious being LinkedIn which is considered the social media site of choice for professionals looking to connect. LinkedIn has an integrated job board and recruitment function.

The Pro’s: Like all job boards, you can tailor your ad and nominate how you receive applications, queries and responses. If you are seeking professionals or executives this can be a great – why? Because it’s where the professionals are ‘hanging out’ online.

The Con’s: There is a cost in placing ads, like with all commercial job boards. For LinkedIn, it’s just under $200 per ad. Like any form of direct employment advertising, you can get a range of unsuitable applicants which need to be managed and responded to.

3) Building My Company Brand:

Social media is a great way to build brand awareness and presence; it’s one the main reasons it’s used across all industries as part of their marketing mix. When recruiting staff, this brand awareness can be used a great tool to attract top talent.

To be the best business you can be, you want the best possible people working for you. Similarly, the best talent want to work for the best company in their field. So how do you get that reputation?

Social Media can be a great way to help build this. It also builds a level of ‘familiarity’ in candidates minds. It allows you to communicate your key values and attitudes, and in doing this you will be more likely to attract talent whose views and beliefs match up to the organisations. This leads to better long term recruitment solutions, with individuals who engage more readily and fully with the organisation and their role, and who are going to be a better fit for the organisation and its team.

Overall, using Social media to recruit can be an excellent way to leverage your online networks to attract a wide range of applicants. However, like with all other recruitment methods, you should still follow through in using your other selection tools, such as interviews, reference checks and assessments to ensure you are making the best possible hiring decision for your business.

MORE GREAT POSTS BY KRISTY-LEE JOHNSTON:

• Get Organised!
• Getting the Most from Staff Performance Reviews
• Recruitment and Selection Tools. What to use when.

Humans can’t help but recommend goods and services to others – it’s an instinct wired deep in the brain. In his new book, The Referral Engine, small business guru John Jantsch shows how you can tap into that hardwired desire. With word-of-mouth referrals tipped to drive marketing in years to come, his advice couldn’t come at a better time. As the focus of marketing shifts from glitzy campaigns to referrals, it’s time for you to take action. It is no longer an option to believe that whether customers refer you is entirely out of your hands. Re-energise your approach to marketing, and ensure the flow of new customers to your business by harnessing the power of referrals. Join us on 23 November when John Jantsch takes part in BOOKED for Lunch – Free Webinars with the world’s leading business authors and thinkers.

BOOKED for Lunch Details:

The Referral Engine – National Webinar

Date: Times: Venue: Price:

Tuesday, 23 November 2010 12.00pm to 1.00pm AEDT approx. (Check your timezone.) Webinar, from the comfort of your home or office. Free Note: You will need internet access to participate in this GoToWebinar. Call costs may apply if you do not use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Learn more about GoToWebinar.

What is a webinar?

A webinar is a web-based seminar. To participate you need internet access. Instructions will be sent to you on receipt of your registration. This webinar is brought to you by GoToWebinar, Web events made easy. Visit GoToWebinar and start your free 30 day trial today.

What’s Next?

Register through our secure online shopping system. Upon registration you’ll receive confirmation of your attendance. If you have any questions you can send us an email or, call 1300 720 120.

Word-of-mouth is an age old (and largely reliable) way to generate new business. Social media, and the transparency that it provides, makes word of mouth referrals more important now than ever before.

People take on board the recommendations  of people they know, like and trust.

A great way to get referrals is to give them! Of course it needs to be authentic giving, not manufactured of intended to manipulate.

Let’s start with GIVING referrals.

How do we use Twitter to give referrals?

Who do you follow that you WOULD recommend? Who’s tweets give you enjoyment, knowledge, value?

As a blogger, I’m always looking for ways to improve my blogging skills and tips on how to manage, create and organise my blog posts. I follow Darren Rowse, whose Twitter name is @problogger , so I recommend him to those who have a blog, or a looking to start one.

@problogger | Follow if you blog

How to GET referrals on Twitter

This is true in offline as well as online networking: The best way to get referrals is to BE someone that people know, like and trust.

KNOW - Your tweets reveal a lot about you. They tell us what your interests are, what you know about. Your tweets reveal your humour, outlook on life, when your sharing and when you’re pitching.

LIKE – We tend to like people like us, and people whose interests are like ours. Be sure to have the real YOU show in your tweets and you’ll attract more follows that you are most aligned with.

TRUST — We trust those that do what they say they will do. Trust usually follows Knowing and Liking. Keep any hidden-agendas at bay when connecting. (I remember being in a networking relationship for a long time with someone I didn’t trust because I saw the opportunity for an important business deal. My gut feeling won and I backed out of the relationship and as a result felt free!)

The bottom line: Be someone that people want to refer. The people I tend to refer are those who are generous with their information, who are ‘real’ or are thought leaders who provide great information that I, or my community of women in business, can enjoy,

There are plenty of opportunities to sell and do business. Be relaxed about it … Lay off the hype and any over the top self-promotion. (Few people like the person, who, at a live networking event is shoving cards in people’s faces. The Twitter version of this are the over-the-top promises and ‘look at me’, ‘buy this today’ type of tweets.) Aim to add value!

TODAY’S TASK:

• Tweet something. Who are you following that you would recommend?
• Tweet a recommendation about them. Be sure to include their Twitter name (and of course the #30DNet tag).

My post for this task will be:

If you have a blog (or are starting one) I recommend you follow @problogger . His posts are consistent, generous and practical.  #30DNet [FYI - that's 136 characters]

In a couple of days I’ll show you a world-wide Twitter protocol that is another great way to make and get recommendations on Twitter.

Best wishes,

Suzi

By Leanne Griffths

Whenever I talk to people and tell them what I do (sales is my “thing”) they inevitably ask me “how do I increase my sales?” My response is simple “Employ a sales person!”

It’s not always the best or cheapest thing to do and can require some planning and thought. After all, you are adding a resource and overheads to your business. Then questions seem to grow: Where do I put them? What do I need this person to do, or achieve? How much more business can I handle? (In both revenue and quantity depending on the business you are in). What type of person am I looking for? Where can I find them? How much do I pay them?

STOP!

Let’s start back at the beginning. The question is, “How can I increase my sales?” The answer is that it depends on what you want to achieve and how you can do that while expending the least amount of time/money and energy. So think about your business now. What are your business goals (with regard to sales) for the next 12 months?

Ways to achieve this increase:

• Marketing or advertising; think website, online marketing, print media, radio, flyer drops, word of mouth referral system (for example, member-get-member programs), targeted promotions and special rates for your demographics.

• Sales; cold calling (either do this yourself or outsource the function), scheduling face to face meetings with clients, phone discussions, directing sales to your website (if your sales are transactional-based), presentations and holding information sessions for groups of potential clients.

• PR or publicity. You can do this yourself or outsource and use radio, print media, articles and interviews that are topical, interesting for the general public and relate to your product and/or service.

So, if any or all of the functions listed above fulfill your needs and increases your sales, if you can undertake them yourself (or outsource them) and if you are happy with the results, then your mission will be accomplished!

If not, it might be time for you to consider employing a full-time or part-time sales/marketing person to fulfill the above functions and allow you to focus ‘on’ your business, rather than working ‘in’ it. You can set key performance indicators (KPIs) for your new employee based on what you want them to achieve (including offsetting the cost of their salary), by incorporating this into the return on investment. While KPIs can be expressed in terms of quantity (number) or revenue ($),you should ALWAYS set targets that are Quantifiable, Achievable, Attainable and Sustainable to work successfully.

How do you find a good sales person?

Word of mouth! Ask around, you’d be surprised how many people know just the right person you’re looking for – and they come recommended, which is a bonus! You can advertise in industry specific publications/associations or utilise the services of recruitment agencies. One thing I would recommend is that since he or she is going to be the ‘face’ of your company and/or or in the ‘front line’ of your business, choose wisely and don’t skimp on the salary/commissions of an exceptional candidate. Simply increase the required revenue in their KPIs to reflect their higher salary.

Be aware of your Profit Margin

One last thing…..base your sales/marketing person’s KPIs both on achieving an increase in revenue AND profit….you don’t want to end up with doubling your revenue but only a small increase in actual profit! What is more important at the end of the day?

Leanne Griffiths was National Corporate Sales Manager for Virgin Blue Airlines and has worked in the travel industry for the past 8 years, 5 of those with Qantas Airlines in senior commercial roles. Experienced and qualified in HR, Training and People Management Leanne is an inspirational leader who has a good balance between commercial reality and compassion.

Leanne is currently the Marketing Manager of Griffin Theatre Company. Leanne is also on the advisory board for Australian Businesswomen’s Network and heads up the Communications Committee which coordinates this newsletter.

For more information:

Email: lgr47@bigond.com