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  • Social Media Mistakes to Avoid

    We are always happy to highlight tips and posts on how businesses can better leverage social media for marketing success. But today we want to share a list of what businesses should avoid doing. At Entrepreneur , social media consultant Starr Hall lists the top mistakes she sees businesses making with social media. Here they are: 1. Talking One-Way; 2. Not Knowing When to Ask for Business; 3. Shiny Object Syndrome; 4. Poor Messaging; and 5. Sales Faux Pas. Click here to read Hall's descriptions of these mistakes, and for tips on how to avoid making them.

  • Content Management Myths

    As Co-Founder and Chief Branding Officer at Outspoken Media , Lisa Barone works with companies on their online content management. She is a big believer in the idea that managing your brand today is largely about managing your online content. And judging from her latest advice piece at Small Business Trends , Barone doesn't want to hear any excuses. She writes, "If content creation is an area that still makes you a little uneasy, it’s time to tackle it." And she sets out to debunk four myths of content management, and some tips on overcoming those myths. Myth number 3 is "They’re not publishers:" Are you using any combination of a website, a blog, social media or a wiki to market to your customers and build your business? Then congratulations – you’re a publisher. With that responsibility means now you have to start thinking like a publisher. It’s not enough to run your blog or your content marketing like it’s a hobby – you need to put an editorial calendar in place and plan out what you’re going to say, when and why you’re going to say it. Even if you don’t have a website and you’re running your business from your Facebook page (which you shouldn’t do, BTW), you’re responsible for generating your unique brand message, inspiring fans and sometimes gathering user-generated content. Once you accept that, you being to look at content not as simply something you publish, but as a way of attracting and retaining more clients. Read about the other 3 myths here .

  • From Entrepreneur to Trusted Resource

    David Garland of The Rise to the Top is comfortable pushing for attention, and he thinks all entrepreneurs should embrace celebrity. Not the US Weekly version of celebrity, but rather celebrity as a "trusted resource," and a "go-to person and company," as Garland writes at Small Business Trends . And Garland believes a trusted resource does the following: Educates, entertains and inspires. Makes a lot of money because people know, like and trust him or her. Is often a person as opposed to a faceless company. Is accessible and transparent on social media sites, via e-mail, etc. Is not all-knowing and stuffy, but instead friendly and helpful. Read Garland's advice on how to become a trusted resource here .

  • Protecting Your Brand in Web 2.0 World

    Kern Lewis , president of small business marketing consultancy firm GrowthFocus , says marketers need to stop fretting about how little control they have over how messages spread in the viral, social media-driven world of Web 2.0. In reality, customer "have always been in charge" or how brands develop, he says, "the feedback loop is just a lot faster now." Customers can spread negative opinions about a product or company more quickly and widely than ever before, so brand managers need to know the digital turf better and they need to be quick. At Forbes.com , Lewis shares some advice at how to act on feedback. He says "be vigilant," "be active,' and "be honest": Given all the mud being slung at corporate America these days, honesty and clarity have never been more important. If you make a mistake, own up to it and demonstrate that you are taking steps to fix the problem once and for all. Remember: Giving customers what they paid for is nice. Demonstrating your commitment to quality and improvement will keep them coming back. And that's what building a strong brand, in any age, is all about. Read How to Maintain a Brand here .