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Straight Talk by Dave Lee

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The Rise of Social Marketing
by Dave Lee

Social media is today what Web sites were five years ago. Social media sites like Facebook and MySpace burst onto the scene a few years ago as a way for people to stay connected. MySpace has since faded, but Facebook has remained strong, with other social media sites such as Twitter and LinkedIn topping the popularity charts. Social media sites began as a way for people to pursue, rekindle and keep tabs on friends and personal relationships, but have since evolved into an effective platform for marketing.

Whether you are marketing yourself as a trusted expert or marketing your practice or particular service, social media has become the way to connect and stay connected, both personally and professionally. LinkedIn is a site specifically devoted to professional networking, but Facebook and Twitter have followed suit by fusing the personal and professional. Facebook and Twitter users now use their homepages to advertise professional events and accomplishments just as much as they do to keep in touch with friends. If you use these social marketing tools to listen to what is important and top-of-mind in your marketplace, you will be ahead of the game. Instead of getting upset with your staff for wasting time on Facebook, empower them to engage with your community via Facebook. Think about it… how long does it take you or your Web service to update your Web site? Forever. Facebook? Instant. Enable your staff to post pictures, videos (post them on YouTube and link to them from your Facebook page), success stories, fun things going on at your office, events and more. By the way, the Internet is becoming a place where visitors watch things, not read them. Be aware of that when designing the next version of your Web site.

Blogs and blogging supplement e-mail are ways to keep in touch with people, promote and market yourself. For example, if you go to a seminar or other business-related trip, be sure to take pictures and post them to a site such as Flickr. You can then stream your Flickr pictures to your site or link to particular pictures from your blog. Why? Your readers and subscribers find the pictures and content interesting. They want to know what you and your practice are up to.

The important thing is to engage with your audience through social marketing as much as possible. At minimum, you should actively post on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube (and your blog, if you have one). Everything else (Flickr, Reddit, Squidoo, Tumblr, Digg, etc.) are nice to have, but not necessary when starting off in social marketing. Not sure about all this? Set a goal for yourself to block out two hours this week to set up a Facebook account and YouTube page for your practice. If you are intimidated, assign one of your staff members to show you how to do it (but don’t assign it to them and walk away… you need to stay engaged). If you are already a social marketing master, try expanding into a new social media network – launch a contest on Facebook, or try something new. Go out there and get social!
Author's Bio
Dave Lee is a marketing automation pioneer, entrepreneur, marketer, optimist, professional speaker, and sales junkie. As co-founder of Sixth Division (www.sixthdivision.com), Dave spends his professional time helping other businesses become successful through proven strategies and execution. Personal time is spent big mountain skiing, hanging out with family and traveling to cool places.
Orthotown Magazine
October 2025
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