Fwd: Measure the maturity of your social media marketing

These are useful and important feeds on running small businesses. These are free tips that I am forwarding to this blog

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: SmartBrief on Small Business <smallbusiness@smartbrief.com>
Date: Thu, May 24, 2012 at 11:03 PM
Subject: Measure the maturity of your social media marketing

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May 24, 2012 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF Share | Sign up | Archive | Advertise Problem. Solved.  Change the way you think about problems to come up with creative solutions One way to find solutions to difficult problems is to change the way you look at the issue. "The more different ways you describe the problem you're trying to solve, the more different things you know about that you will call to mind," said Art Markman, a cognitive psychologist. It's a good idea to think of problems in an abstract manner and to consider whether other people have already addressed similar issues. Entrepreneur online/The Daily Dose blog (5/23)       Earn 2X rewards points on advertising costs with The Business Gold Rewards Card from American Express OPEN. Designed to earn Membership Rewards® points faster: • 3X points on airfare • 2X points on advertising, gas, shipping • 1X points on everything else LEARN MORE AND APPLY Marketing  B2B business-boosting tips for LinkedIn Facebook and Twitter might get most of the social media attention, but LinkedIn is where it's at for business-to-business companies, Shanna Mallon writes. Her 25 tips for making the most of the platform include creating a custom URL, optimizing your headline and nurturing connections. B2BBloggers.com (5/22)       How mature is your social media marketing? There are three stages of social media marketing maturity and only those in the third phase can expect to realize the full potential of social networking, Toby Murdock writes. These advanced marketers "have had to invest more time and resources into producing longer, more thoughtful content pieces in the form of blog posts, infographics, e-books, and videos," he writes. "Rather than entertain, this content addresses the real concerns and interests of prospects and provides them valuable information." ClickZ (5/23)       Your business deserves easy savings Staples has low prices on everything you need to run your business. As the champions of easy, we offer a huge selection of high-quality, low-cost products and expert services. Enjoy extra savings with this $5 off coupon. Get it now. Management  Companies should aim to integrate, not onboard, new hires Too often companies rely on "checklist style" onboarding processes that don't fully integrate new employees into their respective organizations, Tony Kubica and Sara LaForest write. They offer six tips for talent integration, such as arranging internal mentorships and regular feedback meetings. ERE.net (5/22)       Help your employees achieve their goals and they'll return the favor As the economy improves, companies might have to deal with increased turnover as employees pursue other job opportunities. Offering raises won't be enough to retain your employees; instead, according to the book "The Dream Manager," you should focus on helping employees to achieve their goals. Forbes (5/23)       Other News 5 small-business lessons from the world's biggest, most successful brands CrowdSpring.com (5/23)       Entrepreneurs offer advice on when to delegate technological tasks Mashable (5/23)       Talent intelligence is a key differentiator in today's hyper-competitive world where the human capital of an organization is its principle engine of production. This survey examines the far-reaching economic impact of talent intelligence, identifying connections between its use and overall corporate performance. Download the free report here. Money  What to tell your bank when you go looking for a loan When seeking a loan from a bank, it's important to remember you're not pitching your company as an investment, Tom Searcy writes. Instead, "[y]ou are creating confidence that the bank's money will be repaid," he writes. You should provide a summary that, among other things, explains what your business is and what you intend to do with the money, he recommends. Inc. online/Explosive Growth (5/22)       How Web-based services are saving small businesses big money Small businesses can achieve significant cost savings by tapping into resources available on the Internet, according to a report by the Internet Innovation Alliance and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. For example, companies might be able to save money in areas such as accounting, incorporation costs and travel. SmallBizTechnology.com (5/22)       Hot off the Presses! Q2 2012 ERP Comparison Guide Get off to a successful start in the new quarter by shortening the time needed to purchase ERP software. Begin accurately controlling costs, inventory, and revenue forecasts. Learn how in this free download from Ziff Davis. SmartPulse  How are you managing your cash flow? SmartBrief is writing a white paper on small-business cash flow and would like to incorporate your thoughts. The results of the following poll will be included in the white paper, which will be available for free download after its completion.       Which challenge do you find to be the most difficult aspect of running your business? Cash flow Employees Work-life balance Taxes and government regulations If faced with a cash-flow crunch, what would you do first? Slash spending Work harder to sell more Tap a line of credit Email marketing in a complex world Experts estimate that approximately 20 percent of emails never make it to the inbox. Read this white paper to see how a focused approach and relevant content can drive customer actions, build communities and extend the reach of your brand. Tips & Tools  Consumers say small businesses offer better customer service The majority of people think small companies provide superior customer service to that offered by their larger counterparts, according to American Express' latest Global Customer Service Barometer survey. The study also showed people are willing to pay a premium for top-notch customer service. TheSalesDirector.com (5/23)       Save time and effort with custom e-mail signatures Most people have only one standard e-mail signature with all the standard information -- name, title, company, etc. -- but e-mail programs allow you to create multiple versions and choose which one to use for each message you send. If you use custom signatures instead of templates for standard replies, you'll save time and effort, Dave Johnson writes. CBS MoneyWatch (5/22)       There are a number of reasons why shrewd staffing agencies run background checks on potential employees before inviting them in to their business. Failure to properly screen employees can have serious business and financial consequences. This free white paper outlines the risks that can arise from bad hires and how careful background screening can help mitigate those risks. Featured Content  Few Small Businesses Claim the Health Care Tax Credit Courtney Rubin 3 Tools to Make You More Time-Efficient Kneko Burney How to Deal with a Culture Killer Katie Morell Free Beer and Massages: The Ultimate Company Perks Lauren Drell Terracyle: Reduce, Reuse, Respect Albe Zakes Just for Fun  World's largest outdoor swimming pool measures almost 20 acres The outdoor swimming pool at the San Alfonso del Mar Resort in Chile is thought to be the world's largest. The pool, which spans nearly 20 acres, also holds a Guinness World Record for its depth. The pool takes water in from the sea using a suction and filtration system. The Huffington Post (5/21)       SmartQuote  If the job does not involve a core competency of your business, outsource it. If it is a core competency, hire excellent people and pay them what they're worth." --Brent Beshore, CEO of AdVentures, as quoted by Mashable       SmartBrief delivers need-to-know news in over 100 targeted email newsletters to over 3 million readers. All our industry briefings are FREE and open to everyone—sign up today! Accounting Advertising Automotive Aviation & Aerospace Biotechnology Business Chemicals Construction & Real Estate Consumer Packaged Goods Distribution Education Energy Finance Food Service Health Care Insurance Legal Manufacturing Media & Entertainment Nonprofit Retail Technology Telecommunications Travel & Hospitality This SmartBrief was created for profjorge.entrep@gmail.com John Jantsch, Editor at Large John Jantsch is author of "Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide" and "The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself." John is a marketing and digital technology coach and creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small-business marketing system. 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Jorge U. Saguinsin
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