There is no doubt that social media marketing has taken the lead in online marketing strategies. Social media sites have exploded and continue to grow in number and popularity. If you own an online business, it can be very difficult to know where to begin in this extensive marketing arena.

There are dozens and dozens of social sites and more popping up all the time. I have compiled a list of the ten best social sites with which to get you started. I have chosen these sites by my own professional opinion and by actual popularity.

1. Facebook – Facebook has an estimated 850 million users! This is the most popular social site and my favorite as well. Facebook is very versatile in what you can do with your page. Be sure to open a business account and also read the rules for businesses. Fill out your profile completely. Add images and videos to your page to make it more interesting and interactive. Visit your page every day and post helpful information, links and resources. Answer all comments promptly.

2. Twitter – Twitter has 200 million estimated active users. I like Twitter because it is quick, easy and effective for marketing your business. You simply add tidbits of information, new product info, sales and/or specials, links, motivational quotes, etc. and tweet! Keep your tweets professional and beneficial to your followers. Don’t tweet things like what you’re having for dinner or what movie you just watched. Get involved with other tweeters and participate!

3. LinkedIn – LinkedIn now has over 150 million estimated users. The thing I like about LinkedIn is how you can participate in groups that interest you or will benefit your business. Join groups and be sure to participate in the discussions by offering real and helpful information and advice. Follow their guidelines on how to completely and effectively fill out your profile.

4. Google+ – Google+ is one of the newer social sites but it already has an estimated 65 million users! I must admit, I have not done much with Google+ as of yet but I do like the format and versatility of the site. Be sure to add the +1 Google feature to your website so people can click it to show they like your site. This will help you in the ratings. Again, be sure to complete your profile and spend time daily or at least weekly on your Google+ page.

5. Pinterest – With over 10 million active users, Pinterest is growing in popularity very quickly. Pinterest has come up with something a little different. You are given a pinboard to add visual items such as photos, graphs, videos, etc. Pinning helpful visual information is a great way to attract people to your pinboard. You can add comments as well. People respond more to visual items than just words so get over to Pinterest and start pinning!

6. Ecademy – Ecademy has over 17 million users. Ecademy is a membership site for business owners to connect, help and grow with each other. There are paid and free memberships. Take the time to build relationships with other business owners. You can start your own clubs, write blog posts, and participate in discussions. This site is more involved than some social sites and will take more time to learn to use effectively.

7. YouTube – YouTube has an estimated 300 million users. YouTube is a video sharing site. Making an effective marketing video to share on YouTube can have a dramatic effect on your site traffic. Show your expertise with instructional and informational videos. You can also present slide shows to market your products and/or services. Set up an account and start uploading those business growing videos.

8. StumbleUpon – Despite a “stumble” in growth, StumbleUpon is now growing in popularity and has an estimated 20 million users. StumbleUpon is a social site that allows the users to share interesting and helpful websites. You will need to be an active user to reap the benefits from this site.

9. Ryze – With less than a million members, Ryze is not the most popular of the social networking sites but it can be effective. Ryze is similar to LinkedIn in that it is a place for professionals to grow, connect and help each other succeed. Join networks that target your business and network with other business owners.

10. Blogs – Blogs are very popular social sites and there are lots of them. Search for blogs that target your niche and become active with guest posts, comments, etc. Participating on blogs can help you make connections and get traffic you might not have gotten. Also, if you do not have your own blog yet, be sure to get started. I would recommend WordPress but there are other blog services available.

If you are a business owner, you really cannot avoid social media in this marketing age. So rather than ignore it, you need to study it, learn it and participate in it. Once you do, you will find it to be a very enjoyable and beneficial experience!

About the Author: Don’t be one of the 95% of people who fail at their online business. Terri Seymour can help you make money online. Find out how to increase your traffic and sales with her popular “How to Build Your Online Business” ebook for FREE at: ==> www.SeymourProducts.com

It is important for Sales MOMS to keep in contact with and get to know our readers. We pride ourselves on our customer service and quick response time.  This has been very easy for us to keep up with since we consider all of our contacts friends and business colleagues.

Help us get to know you and help you build your business nationwide.  You can follow us on:

• Facebook
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• Don’t forget to sign up for our daily newsletter here.

Using all of these social media outlets will enable you to have constant contact with all of your customers and gives you the ability to gain new ones by reaching out to people you may not have otherwise had the pleasure to meet.

Here are a few tips to help make sure you are using social media correctly so that it will benefit your business and not be a waste of time:

Make Friends:  The first thing you need to do is make friends. You can do this by simply getting to know other people who are in the same industry as you. Or, you can find people whom you admire and/or enjoy their work. On Facebook, this is as easy as sending them a “Friend request” and on twitter, the easiest thing to do is to simply follow that person. It’s okay on Twitter, following someone will not get you in trouble with the law! I don’t think!! There are tools available so you can set up your replies automatically to follow or friend someone in return when they decide to follow of friend you. I know, it gets a little confusing, but if you’re going to use this as a means to drive traffic, you’ve got to set up some systems or you’ll spend all day doing nothing.

Value:  If someone is following you or has become your friend, they are already interested. DO NOT go out and place advertisements all over your Facebook page. This is a sure fire way for people to remove you from their list and for the others to just ignore your posts. How would you like to drive into a Jiffy Lube and without even seeing your car, the guy at the desk lists off 40 items that need work and you should buy? Something tells me you’d be confused and a little turned off. Get to know people before you assume they would be a right fit for you or your business. This is a process that takes a little time. You can post links to your blog and/or articles as long as those posts are giving relevant content and provide some value.

Be Personable: Facebook especially is a place for people to get to know you. Someone may have seen an article of yours or have read a blog post about your industry or market, and now they go to Facebook to get a good idea of YOU. So be yourself, as long as yourself isn’t hammered in every photo and all of your posts are profanity laden rants that are just going to scare people. If that is you, maybe being in an industry where your #1 product is you, isn’t the right choice. So, keep to a theme that is helpful mixed in with some current events of your life. Keep people interested, not bored or irritated.

As you spend more time and see other people you admire work this thing called Social Media, you to will gain an understanding of How To Use Social Media To Build Your Business. Get out there and make some friends (Anyone else have flashbacks to 4th Grade.) Provide people with valuable content and you’ll have this Social Media thing working in your favor in no time flat. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Jessica Morgan
Sales MOMS Founder
Helping direct sales consultants build their home business online effectively and easily.

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I received an interesting message last week from a Facebook contact of mine, someone who knows I coach/speak within the network marketing profession and that I’ve worked very closely with the top leaders in one particular company for almost 10 years.

She shared that she had been "friended" on Facebook by a few different reps from this particular company. Once they were part of her network – these individuals promptly added her personal info to their email lists (without her permission) and proceeded to bombard her with promotions related to their products and business.

Not only is this practice a big on-line "no-no" (known as spamming) but these consultants also neglected to include an "opt-out" link or any easy way for my friend to get OFF their email list (another big no-no) – which of course, only compounded my friend’s frustration. She reached out to ask if I knew whether reps were being "encouraged" to use these tactics by the leaders in the organization, as it appeared several of them were doing so.

Knowing the company in question (and both the corporate and field leaders to be total professionals with the utmost integrity) I assured her I was certain this was NOT a policy encouraged within the organization, but rather the result of some overly enthusiastic (and likely under-educated) consultants excited to make some new sales.

I shared there were undoubtedly reps from numerous other network marketing/direct sales companies making the same mistake, and encouraged her to not let this experience reflect badly on the organization as a whole. Nevertheless – the damage was done.

My friend removed these reps from her network and confided in me she would never do business with them or the company. Frankly, I can’t say I blame her. Although a relatively "minor incident", it does make me wonder just how frequently is this kind of business-building behavior happening on sites like Facebook, and how costly it is to a network marketing company’s image overall?

I’m sure we all agree that the internet (and social media sites) provide ENORMOUS power. You can spread a positive message about the value of your products and business opportunity to thousands of people (who might never hear of your business in any other way). When your prospects and customers have a wonderful experience – the resulting "good press" can spread like wildfire, boosting a company’s image and attracting new sales and business for everyone.

On the flip side, when someone has a crummy experience (as did my friend) the compounding effects of bad press on the internet can cause exponential damage. Bad news seems to travel faster and be repeated more on the internet – so even a few instances of "poor business practices" by even a handful of consultants can rapidly tarnish your company’s image- costing EVERYONE in the process.

The internet provides a massive magnifying glass – accentuating the positives (or the negative) aspects of any organization to the world. For that reason – I strongly encourage ALL network marketers to get educated about "best practices" on-line. You can create enormous value for your prospects, build positive PR for your company AND still make lot of sales and money if you truly understand some fundamental keys of "on-line marketing".

Here are a few important keys to know when networking on Facebook and growing your business on-line.

1. Gathering People’s email Addresses and Blasting Them With Unsolicited Information is Illegal
Otherwise known as "spamming" this practice is illegal and monitored closely on-line. The CAN-SPAM Act is enforced by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Department of Justice has authority to enforce criminal sanctions (and fines up to $11,000) for each instance. Ouch!

One of the most common spamming violations involves "harvesting email addresses from websites or web services" and then using these to contact individuals for commercial purposes (which is exactly what you are doing if you are taking people’s email addresses off their Facebook profile, website or business card – and then adding them to your own email list without their permission)!

Besides the obvious legal issues – you also risk having your own email address or system being "shut down" by your provider. Both internet providers (like your local cable or DSL service) AND email systems (like Constant Contact, AWeber, etc) carefully monitor spam reports and complaints, and if there are too many associated with your email account, they will shut you down making it impossible for you to send and receive ANY email (even legitimate ones) to your contacts, customers and team.

Considering how much time and hassle it is to set up a new email address and notify all your contacts (not to mention the leads and business you’ll lose in the process) this situation is just too costly to your reputation, bottom line and business growth. Don’t do it!

2. Blasting People With Emails They Haven’t Asked to Receive is Highly Ineffective
How do you feel when you scan your inbox and see a handful of spam messages? Most of us feel a sense of annoyance, quickly delete them (or mark them as "spam") and move on. You can be sure your contacts will do the same. If you are blasting your contacts with email promotions and messages they didn’t ask to receive, you can be sure they will ultimately ignore and delete your messages (but not without first connecting some of those same negative feelings to you and your company in the process).

A smarter (and much more profitable) approach is to create an "Opt-in" or "permission based" email list, consisting of qualified leads which have WILLINGLY given you their emails and contact info. This is the PROVEN way to build a network of prospects on-line that actually covert into paying customers (and even business builders).

These contacts WANT to receive information from you – and generally respond very positively to product offers, etc. A small list of these kinds of prospects will generate many more sales and higher returns than a LARGE list of "spammed" contacts every time.

3. How to Create a Permission-Based "Opt In List" That Builds Good Will and Generates New Sales and Biz Opportunities
My own "opt-in" email list of targeted prospects (which has been the foundation of all my marketing efforts over the years) has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales for me, this is a system you can create too! In one of my current coaching programs, I’m helping network marketers to implement some of the same strategies I’ve used to build a qualified email list and set up a system to generate new sales and income.

There are TWO cardinal rules to keep in mind when using this approach:

1. Invest in Building Strong, Personal Relationships With the People On Your List.
   People do business with people, so make it your #1 goal to build strong personal relationships with the contacts on your list. Engage them, share about yourself, be authentic and always operate with integrity. Do this well and your contacts will learn to know, like and trust you in a way that leads to long term sales and business opportunities for you and your company!
2. Create Value First!
   The most effective way to sell products and find new business partners is to CREATE ENORMOUS VALUE for your contacts in the process. This approach doesn’t only "feel good" – it builds a very positive image about yourself and your company while drawing many more leads to you (who, in time WILL buy from you and become more interested in your business opportunity).

The fastest and most effective way to attract qualified leads to opt-in to your email list is to give them something of value (for free!) in exchange for their contact info. My students do this in a variety of ways, including offering:

a) Samples of free products. You don’t want to break your bank account obviously, but people love to get free (or great deals on) cool products! If you can afford to give away some "juicy offer" (a simple sample or great discount on products) you can use this kind of offer to attract qualified leads to join your email list (where you can continue to build a relationship with them, add more value, etc)

b) A FREE subscription to your a monthly newsletter (or ezine). This is a proven tool many network marketers are now using to build strong relationships and provide on-going value to the contacts on their email list. In each edition, you can share some brief personal news, include some useful and relevant tips AND generate some new sales with additional promotions related to your business.

c) Give away valuable and relevant content. People are constantly surfing the internet looking for great "how to" information. One of the most effective methods to build a targeted list of ideal prospects is to offer valuable free content on a certain subject.

You can compile a simple report such as… "3 Common Mistakes Women Make That Age Their Skin Prematurely"…or "3 Weight Loss Myths That Keep People From Getting Fit and Being Healthy"… – tips and resources that would be of interest to your ideal prospects AND give you an opportunity to educate them on the value of what you have to offer too.

You can then create a simple "opt in" form on your website where your leads can join your list to receive the report. Once on your list, you can continue to build a relationship, add more value (such as providing additional tips, your monthly newsletter, special discounts and offers, etc) all while continuing to educate your contacts on the value of your products and business.

Several network marketing/direct selling professionals are already using strategies like these to build a large email list of qualified leads (people who actually WANT to receive your information!) and set up a system that converts them into new customers and business builders.

Sonia Stringer is a professional speaker, coach and popular mentor to women in the network marketing/direct selling profession. Known as "The Women’s Business Coach," she is fast becoming the "go to expert" for women who want to build a 6-figure+ business from home. Sonia’s unique approach helps her clients earn a great income AND set up their businesses so they have a lot more free time in their lives (to spend with their families or doing what they love).

A former National Sales Trainer with peak performance expert Anthony Robbins, Sonia has been a regular contributor to "Upline" and "Networking Times Magazines" and has spoken at several national conventions. Sonia is also the founder of the "Savvy Women Leadership Academy, " a dynamic mentoring program that is helping hundreds of women around the world to experience big breakthroughs and create exciting growth in their businesses.

Sonia’s new book "Savvy Network Marketing Women" will be released in the spring of 2012. Visit her website to grab a free copy of her audio CD, "Six Figure Success Secrets for Network Marketing Women". http://www.SavvyNetworkMarketingWomen.com.

About social networking…

For anyone doing business online it is important to incorporate Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and now the Google + social site into your marketing efforts. It can be quite confusing to know just how to get started using each of these. Below you will find a quick overview of these sites and the benefits of using them.

The Benefits of Using Social Network Sites – Creating a business profile allows you to brand yourself and create awareness for your company. You can also like or follow your competitors to get an idea of how they advertise and use these social sites themselves.

The biggest benefit has to be that of increasing customer loyalty and trust. As social media allows you to connect in a personal way, your customers will begin to trust you more quickly and see you as a person and not just a company name.

Facebook – With Facebook you can only have one personal account but you can have as many pages as you wish. These are commonly known as Fan Pages or Business Pages.

With a business page you are able to get a vanity URL when you set up your page. This rule has recently changed as previously you needed to get 25 likes to qualify for the vanity URL. This new rule currently applies to the first new business page you create.

When setting up your business page you want to use your company name and location if your business has an offline connection. If not attempt to get a keyword in the business name as this will help get you found in the search engines.

The point of your Facebook page is to provide your fans and friends with information that is helpful. In this way you can gain trust and they will be more likely to purchase products and or services from you.

Twitter – The principle of twitter is that you follow people and post short “Tweets” of140 characters. People that enjoy your tweets will follow you back. It is very easy to join Twitter and you can link your account to your mobile device if you wish.

For a business, you want to follow the top people in your industry. This allows you to see what they are up to and how they are utilizing Twitter in their business.

An important thing to remember about Twitter is to not sell products in your Tweets. You are much better off to provide easy tips and nuggets to your followers instead. If they find what you tweet about interesting they will follow the link to your website or blog.

Twitter is a great way to help brand yourself and your business, plus find contacts. It takes a little time, but you only need to post one or two tweets each day. You will be surprised how quickly you will start to find followers.

LinkedIn – Using LinkedIn is a good way to connect with like-minded business individuals. You can post your resume on LinkedIn and participate in any of the group discussions. Using the groups feature is a good way to get exposure for your business.

When you sign up with LinkedIn, you will be taken through the process of creating your profile and adding content like your education, current qualifications, places of employment and more. It does take a little time to set up your account, but it provides you with a huge arena for your business.

You can also post what you are up to each day which is a great way of addressing any current projects that you may be working on. Make the posts short and post about other things you find interesting. Don’t just use LinkedIn for self promotion. Connect with the community and make contacts.

Google + – Google + is now open to everyone and is a new way of connecting with your business acquaintances and friends. Google + makes use of something called circles. A circle is basically a group of friends. What is so great about this is that Google allows you to post messages directly to your circle. So this way you can really target those people.

For instance if you run a business you can easily set up a customer list, newsletter circle and even an employee circle. Then you have the ability to send messages to each one. This prevents family and friends from receiving unwanted messages about your business.
While this social site is still new, the possibilities of where this might go are endless. It would be a wise idea to start using Google + and see where it takes you.

Please note that you cannot create a Google + account for a business, but you can create a personal account and be a representative for your business. Google + for business will be out shortly and should be full of great promotional items for you to utilize.

You can see a general theme from all of these social sites and that is to not blatantly sell your products or services. Instead create a community and provide helpful information.

Article Written By: Tammy Embrich

Tammy has been successful in the work at home industry for many years. She is an Internet marketer, article marketer, and ghostwriter. She offers free job leads for the job seeker, as well as other free resources, work at home articles, tips, and more at onestopwebemployment.com.

You can also find Tammy at Work At Home Jobs, offering legitimate work at home companies, more free job leads, work at home articles, and much more.

Last week, I was driving home from a lunch meeting and was thinking of who I needed to re-connect with. David Greenberg (a personal friend and one of the best speaker coaches I know) came to mind.  And I did something crazy. I didn’t search for him on Facebook. Nor did I Tweet him a personal message.  I didn’t even send him an e-mail. I actually called him on the phone, and believe it or not, he answered! We connected, shared some cool business ideas, and I hung up feeling great. 

Yes, I know I’m being a bit facetious here.  But I have to say that if there is one thing that drives this wingman  ‘wingnuts’ is when people abuse this whole social networking thing. In many ways, it’s gone from "Here’s what I’m doing" to "Here’s what I’m selling." From "Let me connect you to" to "Let me sell you."

Well, I’ve got news for you, ye social networking gurus. If I don’t know you, I probably won’t buy from you.   The reason I said ‘probably’ is because there are times when we will buy something from someone even if we don’t know them.  If it has value and can help our business/life, then hey, it’s worth a look.  And there’s nothing wrong with occasionally sharing our great product, seminar, or book with our contacts.  Social networking sites are a tremendous way to expose our market to our value.  But please, let’s not put our sales links and impersonal offers in EVERY POST we make on Twitter or Facebook!

We need to be careful not to abuse the social networking sites and our connections.  They are primarily for networking and making contacts, not direct sales.

I believe our phone book should still remain our primary method for building and maintaining our relationships.  One phone call equals 50 tweets and Facebook messages.  Phone calls are great at building trust, and trust what a wingman is all about.

So, here are some wingtips to augment your social networking efforts:

1. Make it a priority to call a few of your special contacts every day.  Do this first thing in the morning if able. These include your top clients, vendors, and yes, your friends.

2. Use your phone judiciously.  Before you head to the airport or Starbucks, make a list of a few wingmen to call while in your car or at the gate.

3. Give something of value to your contact on the phone (i.e. a referral.). Before you hang up, ask them this special question: "Is there anything I can help you with?"

4. ** If you really want to connect with a new e-contact, research their website and call them. I guarantee they will be impressed…and shocked.

In this high speed age of Twitter and text messaging where words on a screen are the norm, we need to hear each other’s voices.  Voices incur emotion and emotion is what connects people. And when connections are made, trust is built and relationships develop. How people make you feel is what initially builds relationships, not the product they sell.

So, if you want to be a Wingman – a trusted partner – to your network, don’t forget to reference your Phonebook in addition to Facebook when flight planning your next mission.

NEVER FLY SOLO!
Your Wingman,
Lt Col Rob "Waldo" Waldman

What does the most popular singer in the world right now have to do with your MLM business? Well, chances are Lady Gaga is not involved in your network, but how she operates the Internet to her advantage is both enviable and possible to imitate if you are serious about recruiting new people to your network.

Regardless of whether or not you like Lady Gaga’s music, it is worth taking some time to research how she uses social media in particular to promote herself as a brand. People listen, after all – you don’t get to over one million Twitter followers and Facebook fans without having a gift for engaging people. When you talk about your MLM business you should exhibit the same passion in keeping those in your network satisfied as the singer does in pleasing her fans.

Lady Gaga knows that her fans are responsible for her success. Every address to her “Little Monsters” is done with affection. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to refer to your MLM business networkers as “little monsters,” but taking to them to compliment their progress and encourage them to sell products and the opportunities can make a difference, a positive one, on your income.

How often do you connect personally with the people involved in your MLM business? You may wonder if you’ll gain a million followers (wouldn’t that be great?), but using social media to interact rather than inform people of your activity is a great first step in growing that network.

Respond to people in your MLM business circle. Ask them what they think of the products, and listen to criticism involving challenges they have in building their own networks. Offer advice, remember names, and remain positive as you think outside the box. Social media doesn’t have to be a “bad romance” if you know how to utilize it!