The State of Social Media in 2023

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I.M.U. Social Media LLC

State of Social Media 2023

The Challenges Ahead.

Business Facebook is an important platform for organizations that support visibility and marketing through reach (people seeing the post) and engagement (people who like, share, and comment).

Visibility, strategy, and consistency are critical on this platform.

Mention Facebook to patients/ clients sitting in the waiting area. Most of them are on their phones. Ask them to like your page and give you a recommendation (Facebook); have them find you on Google to give you a review as well. Another good time is when people leave the office after an appointment. Ask them to like and share the business page.

On Facebook, posts involving fun, education, and information work best when used in conjunction with search terms (#hashtags).

Occasional posts like “caption this”, fill in the black, and trivia are posts intended to increase engagement.

It is important to note that reputation management and FB message monitoring are integral to any business and they are free as part of our IMUSM service menu.

Twitter is an outstanding platform to increase visibility as a local regional authority. Following media outlets, newspapers, chambers, and associations add breadth to small business visibility. Tweets quickly establish local and regional credibility and allow information immediacy to followers and others in the feed.

Google controls almost all online information like Amazon controls the commerce of volume. There are 63,000 searches a second on Google. It is critical to have a strong business presence on this platform through Google My Business.

Having a presence on Google My Business will increase indexing (ease of being found) and create an array of visibility only Google can give.

Client authored reviews on Google are essential, and regular post placement on this business platform is very important for small businesses.

Blogging is another strategic aspect of business marketing on social media. Google reads the first and last line of every blog and determines whether real people are writing real stuff for real people. If that is established, Google visibility will increase based on the regularity of this narrative blogging content. Websites with blogging typically are found more quickly through a Google search than those that do not consistently blog.

The ONLY purpose of platform management and content creation is searchability. For example, quick searches like “dentist Charlotte” and “dentist near me” are the most common searches for active social media users looking for a dentist. Think of SEO (search engine optimization) as SEF (search engine finding). Promoting SEF can make a huge difference in new business acquisitions.

Integrating a content game plan for Business Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, and blogging makes for the potential of increasing business success.

This is what IMUSM does for small businesses and solopreneurs.

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This team-spirited post is brought to you by your narrative content specialists, I.M.U. Social Media LLC, headquartered in Davidson, NC. 

Jim Vogel
I.M.U. Social Media LLC
16123 Lakeside Loop lane
Cornelius, NC 28031-0360
Business: 704 800 6152
Cell: 919.244.6989
jim@imusocialmedia.com
http://www.imusocialmedia.com and https://www.facebook.com/IMUSocialMedia
Identity, Message, Understanding (IMU) Strategy & Management (SM) IMUSM!

NOTICE: The information contained in this article is owned by I.M.U. Social Media LLC and is intended for the SOLE use of the individual(s) who reads it. Any information contained within it is for the reader’s use and can be shared and linked to other interested parties. We want everyone more successful!

For great support, join your local Chamber of Commerce.

Photo: Kevin King, Pixabay

 

 

 

 

How to Use Social Media for Small Business in 2023

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TIMU SMhank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts for 2023 and the future of small business social media.

Now I am not an IT professional. And I am certainly not a web professional; but after 11 years doing social media marketing and content strategy and application, it is safe to say that our small businesses here in Lake Norman and around the country and Canada need social media more than ever for their success. In fact, the most important marketing messages for business today as we head more deeply into the year 2022, are now principally found across social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google My Business (GMB).

As most of you know, I am the owner of I.M.U. Social Media LLC, located in Cornelius, NC. We have been doing social media content creation since 2011; unbelievably, this makes IMUSM one of the longest existing small business social media companies on the East Coast. We provide strategy and organic social media content for other small businesses; with less than 12 employees, products, services, and food that need our services. And we do it in three states. It has been a whirlwind experience for both growth and opportunity.

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I need to share a little bit about one of our favorite towns:

There is nothing more over the top than Las Vegas, Nevada! The intersection of Flamingo Road and Las Vegas Boulevard is a non-stop 24-7 action adventure; it is the heart of the Strip.

In Las Vegas, the famous four corners sit at that historic intersection: the Flamingo, Bally’s, the Bellagio, and Caesar’s Palace are the soul of Las Vegas. In fact, Bally’s slogan is “Bally’s the CENTER of ATTENTION”.

Your small business, or if you are a solo professional, what you do, needs to be the center of attention as well because, in social media, there are also four very famous corners. Both Vegas and social media have a lot in common; non-stop action! Each social media platform I will talk about today is growing and changing and each one is nonstop, 24-7-365.

**

Now, the famous four corners of 2021 Social Media are Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, Instagram, and Word Press blogging are critical for business success. At the busy intersection of the four social media corners: Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, and Blogging, everything happens and it is always in constant motion with marketing, connecting, visibility and communication.

Every small business needs to play on these four corners. If your business uses social media, and it should, this is where you need to play.

With thousands of busy small businesses scattered around Michigan and North Carolina, from the kitchen table to the brick and mortars, it seems no one has time for anything extra, let alone take that trip to Las Vegas this afternoon. We are just too busy to hop on the plane even if it was free. However, many of us also use that same exact excuse for social media. We just never seem to have the time or schedule to make things grow.

It is important to note that without a solid social media presence, businesses are literally gambling with the future.

With that said, branding, marketing, advertising, sales, and social media are all connected now and the need to create and integrate processes has never been more important. It does not make a difference if you are a solo professional, a small business, or one of the big race teams in Concord or Mooresville; regardless of the size of the business, you have to be THE WHALE, that big player in the world of local social media in your industry.

Let me ask this? Is your business on a social sabbatical? And nothing much is going on.

Many businesses are in this category… YET,

Many small business owners know this much about social media:

  • They do not want to do it themselves
  • They do not know how or where to do it
  • They are not doing it right now
  • They do not understand what needs to be done
  • They did it for a while but they stopped doing it because of time
  • The competition is doing a pretty good job at it

Here are the very sobering facts: businesses need content, strategy, visibility, consistency, and engagement all the time. It is a must now as we head more deeply into 2022. Social Media is a marketing tool, not just a strategy anymore.

Social Media can make or break profitability and growth.

Let’s DRILL DOWN for a minute and look at some interesting statistics before we get into the HOT 2023 platforms:

  • Facebook: The focus in 2021 has to be here first because of its presence. Of the world’s seven BILLION people, almost THREE billion are on Facebook today. That is about one-quarter of the world’s population. These numbers make Facebook the third biggest nation in the world behind China and India, and every business MUST have a presence on this very popular platform or it will be less effective.
  • Twitter: This platform is also a huge player as well. This micro-blogging empire, with over 330 million users, is critical for engagement, especially with direct client communication, building expertise, sharing knowledge, and creating credibility. I call it the local positional authority.
  • Google My Business: This is the most recent of the platforms and it can be considered the newest kid on the block with about 200 million users. It is constantly trying to figure out what it wants to do with itself. It is kind of a hybrid that reflects both Facebook and Twitter. Yet, it is a serious business for each of our businesses. Google and its related searches dominate access to the world’s information, with about 63,000 searches per second. Adding Google My Business gets you verified as a business and indexed on Google.
  • YouTube: With three billion searches a month, you need to be on YouTube with your small business. 
  • Instagram: One billion users is why your business needs an Instagram presence!

It is a strategic “must” to be indexed by Google, have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Google My Business on a regular basis. You are then in the game and not up in the hotel watching the Bellagio fountains from a distance.

Again, here is the problem many of our small businesses face. Even though all of the social media efforts are free, we think we DO NOT HAVE TIME to do it! Businesses often complicate the social media process and “overthink” to the point that a strategic tweet, plus spaces and hashtags, is almost an impossible task. But look at it like you would any other aspect of your business. You need it. It is here to stay, and it is growing and changing daily.

Let me discuss blogging for a minute… And the true power of Word Press:

Blogging can drive traffic to your website. It creates credibility and visibility. It creates engagement on Facebook and Twitter. Google is the first to index and place these posts in searches. This is the SECRET SAUCE for small businesses. It is why real and organic blogging content is king for your business. The only requirement is that it has to be “good stuff” and written by real people, or Google’s algorithms will not impact your SEO.

In fact, my view is that SEO should be called SEF: “search engine finding”. When people search for a local business they are doing it in traffic at the light, the kitchen table, and at business meetings. When people look for your products and services, your small business needs to be found quickly. Being consistent across social media platforms makes a huge difference in both visibility and credibility. It is also important to note here that all searches are influenced by the quality of the writing. Google engineers are now calling it E.A.T: Expertise, Authority, Trustworthiness. The more you have of these qualities within your blog posts, the higher you are ranked.

But again, keep things simple; right now, small businesses should only focus on the four corners: Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, and Word Press blog articles.

I have to share something I have never shared before. I love Bojangles. And I love it so much that I suggest you replicate your social media business model after them. Bojangles is always out the door, jammed all the time. The drive-thru is continuous, car after car. It is “Bo-Time” all day long!

Yet when you stop for a minute to smell the chicken, Bojangles really only does three simple things very well: biscuits, chicken, and sweet tea. That is it. Now they might wing a Cajun Filet or two to people at lunch, and I am sure they sell a few fries too, but what makes them so successful is their famous fried chicken, fresh biscuits, and sweet tea. Their slogan, famous chicken and biscuits, says it all.

Your social media strategy should also just have the basic menu as its principal focus. Business Facebook, Business Twitter, Google My Business, and Business blog posts on Word Press/ Blogger. It is where your clients (primary audience) are and your “clients’ clients” (secondary audience) are most of the time.

Keep things simple. It is all about the fundamentals. Make your social media activity fun and productive.

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Let’s look at “Linkedin Corp.” for a minute. Now, everyone in this room needs an individual Linkedin professional presence. It is a “gotta have”. Make sure you have a complete, well-written, up-to-date profile and a great “glamour” business formal picture. Be in the right groups and associations and check your messages twice a week. Just know that no one is looking for your business there on a daily basis. They only are looking for you as a professional or someone like you with your professional credentials. It is strictly a solo professional networking and connection site.

The recommendation here is to list your business on Linkedin if you must, but remember it is a connector site for professionals; a “find you”place. People are not normally looking for businesses and services there (as of yet on a large scale); they are looking for you. It is the individual professional networking site that every one of us needs to be on, especially if you are looking for work or you are changing jobs or careers.

Again, our small businesses need to be the “basics”, blogging for visibility, and using Google to drive traffic to their websites.

Now, within social media strategy, business success is three-fold: Time, Money, and Client Acquisition. We need to be critically aware of these ingredients as business people because collectively they drive success or they put us out of business.

When small businesses play in the local and regional marketplace across North Carolina, there is a constant need for fresh organic content that creates the message. Content is king. My view is that content is the only thing regardless of the platform.

Consumers across Lake Norman and North Carolina are now online ALL THE TIME! It is the best and most cost-effective way to find brands and products today. Your business has to connect people directly to your content. Blog posts, Facebook posts, tweets, and videos must engage your readers and get them to like, re-tweet, and share your information.

Most of this activity is FREE. But it takes time to play in these famous four corners.

People are on Facebook about seven times a day here in Lake Norman. Facebook might not be your website, but Facebook is the magnet.

Traditional marketing strategies like print coupons, banners, postcards, and post-it notes on local mailboxes are less and less effective. One good Facebook post gets more attention.

This is the year, 2022, that social media will explode. Every politician has a huge social media presence now. Every big news story is found on an app on your phone. Your smartphone is application and news central.

Businesses have to have a professional online presence and they need to do it organically, REAL CONVERSATION FROM REAL PEOPLE, and keep it fresh. In the olden days, before 2008, marketing campaigns could last months. Today they have to be continually assessed, timed, and readjusted in just minutes; and that is done with the power and “connect ability” of social media.

It is all about content creation and strategy, and organic posts and tweets that attract the possibility of new clients and new business.

Remember, a lot of what we do in social media marketing we do with our smartphones, and it is within the visibility and consistency of the content that draws engagement and new clients. You do not have to be slick and fancy to be successful. You just have to be effective. You need to put the face and the personality of your business on Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, and Word Press and be consistently engaging. The lines of communication between the business and your chosen audience must be continuously wide-open.

Content marketing and 2022 go hand-in-hand. Small companies can indeed compete on the same level as big companies because of the power of content. The playing field has been evened up. Our small businesses can be out there and just as effective on the local level as Ford and Pepsi. The agility (quickness and focus) of your content is another aspect of your secret sauce!      

Let’s look more in-depth at what needs to happen on each main platform:

  • Business Facebook: This is the number one platform for business activity. What does your page look like? It is filled with posts and pictures? Are you constantly evolving and improving with each and every post? Are your LIKES real and organic? Are you looking at the simple analytics Facebook offers? How many pages do you really have out there? Facebook is a very informal social media platform, like a backyard get-together. People say things on Facebook they would never say to a person at a networking event. From politics to sports, to religion and puppies; people just love to post here. It makes them feel important. Remember, clients need to feel important too. Our business pages are evolving billboards for products and services. It is important to note that every single Facebook post needs a picture. It truly is worth 1000 words. Share what you write from your business page site with the local groups you belong to, like the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce or the LKNSBN. Ask people to like and share it. This minimizes the costs of boosting and advertising that Facebook loves as profit.  
  • Business Twitter: Your business tweets must be different from your Facebook posts; different audiences. Do not cut and paste one to the other. Always include a picture with your tweet if possible. Just make sure that every picture is free to use without royalties. Do not pull the photos from Google Images; only Google can do that. Find a photo site that allows (gives permission) for free downloads. Although you must go through a couple of hoops like an e-mail registration and CAPTCHA fill-in, it is worth eliminating the chance of using illegal pictures and getting a letter from a legal firm. Fill your Twitter page with links and helpful educational views steered by #s. Twitter is where your business establishes positional local authority over the course of time. Your tweets need to be informative, educational, and knowledge-based. The local positional authority gets all the gravy. For example, our general physician, the one we might have to see every year to maintain our medical benefits, makes about a little over six figures a year. The specialist in internal medicine might make $300,000. But the local positional authority in retinal ophthalmology has a house on Lake Norman with its own helipad. It is important to use Twitter to establish that kind of credibility. Be that local authority in your industry or your field.
  • Google My Business (GMB): This informational site needs to be used like Facebook. It does not matter how many followers you have on your GMB Page. It matters that you use it on a regular basis and that you have a verified business that Google recognizes as real. Unbelievably, Google verifies your business by sending you a POSTCARD. Make sure you get as many legitimate Google Reviews as possible. It is critical for searches and for page rank.      
  • Word Press/ Blogger Blog Posts: We recommend using Word Press for your website and your blog posts. Google, although the owner of its own blogging site, Blogger; loves to index and page rank excellent content written by real people who use Word press websites and blog pages. Simply “bolt” your blogs to your website. Google scans the first and last line of every post determines the “legitimacy” of the article and indexes it. Google is your best friend and you should place an “optimized title” and a linkable “resource box” or footer with live URLs into each of these well-written posts.

Here is another “secret sauce trick”. Keep the blog article to about 300/ 325 words. No one has time to read your version of WAR & PEACE. People today all have A.D.D. Not the A.D.D. you are thinking of, this A.D.D. stands for ALL DATA DUMPED.

In the 86,400 seconds, you have every day, from the time you get up until the time you get up, (24 hours) you are hit with up to 100 e-mails, a dozen texts, 20 voicemails (the majority of them you delete without listening to), and you are in and out of Facebook and Twitter 10 times. Who has time to read anything for more than five minutes?

Short and sweet single-topic posts that DO NOT SELL ANYTHING but present good information, get indexed with positive page rank, and get “googled”.

And what business does not want some Google love?

Make sure the blog post includes an external (authority) link or two, and an internal link in the body of the article as well, directed back to your website. Add some SEF, some locations like Lake Norman, Catawba, Davidson, and the like; and add a simple call to action.

YouTube is also great for sharing videos as links on Twitter and Facebook. I recently placed well-thought-out Christmas music videos on all of our managed sites and people loved them.

Let’s address the use of hashtags (#poundsign), which are more and more popular and are used across every platform I have mentioned today. Twitter launched the #s in 2007. Allowing what we call searchable topics, slogans, tags, and keywords that are grouped and gathered by topic within other people’s posts. Each hashtagged word, key term, or a phrase, becomes a mini-searchable link. Click on the term or phrase and see all the related posts within that topic discussion. Today, for example, people are searching the hashtags Trump, Lady Gaga, and more. Hashtags are a very good way to market and ensure exposure. Look at how others are using it and be a pro in no time. From your Facebook app, go to the search box at the top and search #famouschickenandbiscuits; it is easy to see how it works.

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Suggested Generic Small Business Social Media Start-Up Game Plan:

Get out a clean piece of paper and sharpen that pencil…

Look at the history of the business, the current situation, and the marketing strategies currently in use… then:

  • Set specific and definable goals
  • Choose the right platforms on social media to promote the business
  • Assess your target audiences
  • Define both challenges and opportunities
  • Track and measure the analytics (or returns/ ROI) for growth and return
  • Use retargeting/ repositioning strategies and CHANGE them up every week to improve process and results

In summary, remember to engage your clients. They want and need to be paid attention to every day! Success is a team sport, not a client base. Always be networking along with a great social media presence. Remember that agile engagement, relationships, sociability, consistency, message, strategy, and opportunity will build your business. Do it right and remember to build your business on those FOUR CORNERS without gambling away your time, money, or clients.

Relevant content will always fuel loyalty and passion. And it does not cost a ton of money.

Again, much of social media marketing is free. And listen to your clients, they will tell you how to build the right content. The results are everything. Just remember that social media is a work in progress and that doing it without assessing it is a waste of time.

And speaking of time, according to Forbes Magazine, creating successful quality content in a small business can take up to six hours or more a week. It is a huge commitment. This is the reason why only 50% of businesses in the United States have a blog presence and many only focus on the really easy “BUY OUR STUFF NOW!!!” If your small business does social media right, it will be better for the effort.

There is indeed a lot of value and return on investment with social media if you are at the famous four corners and not 27 floors up in your room. Focus on social media now before it is too late. And do it right for your business and your clients.

Jim Vogel

Founder I.M.U. Social Media

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This informational training post was brought to you by the writing team at IMU Social Media, your small business strategy and content organization, located in Davidson NC.

We are #morethansocialmedia

https://www.facebook.com/IMUSocialMedia

https://www.imusocialmedia.com

Cell: 919 244 6989
Office: 704 800 6152
jim@imusocialmedia.com

Photo: I.M.U. Social Media LLC

 

 

 

 

 

13 Ways to Grow Success Through Social Media in 2023

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IMU 10-4-13 1Creating good content is the way small business needs to go in 2021. SEO or what I.M.U. Social Media calls SEF (Search Engine Finding) is the ticket to marketing visibility regardless of the platform. Organic content across the Web has never been more important for small businesses here in North Carolina and beyond. It is true to note that in the age of apps, devices, and smart phones, the printed word is more vital than ever. 2019 signals an age of content for every business owner and solo professionals.

Everything from e-mails, text messages, blog posts, Google My Business, Facebook and Twitter is filled with words and meaning. Good content is the key ingredient to viral visibility and it can often make the smallest of businesses and the least known of bloggers front-page news if the post is indexed by the right sources.

This is a great opportunity for our small businesses. The not so great news is that few people can write as they speak, and that conversational style is not only necessary today across the platforms but mandatory. This conversational style, coupled with excellence in grammar, brings the quality of writing to the forefront. Regardless of curation, distribution, placement, ranking, or feed, content that is polished and well written, even a tweet; is the game-changer.

Local businesses are only as good as the quality of the writing. Mistakes, errors in punctuation, spelling, and grammar, can make the organization and the intended message look unprofessional.

Here is the “Lucky 13” List of 2023 Content Strategy:   

  • Good content has a plan and a purpose associated with every comment or article
  • Always focus on the topic and message, and keep blog posts short (300-325 words)
  • Edit what is written until it sounds mistake-free and conversational when reading aloud
  • Yes, read everything out loud before hitting send or post
  • Know primary and secondary audiences and the important differences
  • Engagement is the top priority, not the number of likes and followers
  • Likeability is important but a distant second to relationship building
  • Be the leader and expert in your business and industry
  • No selling. Just share good stuff
  • Ask questions and give answers
  • Join groups on Linked In or Facebook related to the business or profession
  • Keep the message and the focus local and relationship-driven
  • Being consistent and visible creates broader markets beyond local; be patient, it will come

Always feature events, people, and commentary that will resonate within the community. Make your business the voice of your organization. It will create loyal clients. Remember content is in vogue; take advantage of it!

Success is in the printed word.

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This post was brought to you by the writing team at IMU Social Media, your small business strategy and content organization, located in Cornelius, NC. We are #morethansocialmedia

https://www.facebook.com/IMUSocialMedia

https://www.imusocialmedia.com

Cell: 919 244 6989
Text: 704 800 6152
jim@imusocialmedia.com

Photo: I.M.U. Social Media LLC

Does your 2023 Small Business Really Need Social Media?

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VOGEL PIC 5-11In May of 2013, Jim Vogel is interviewed about social media for small business and solo professionals with the founder of Inside 919 and Inside 704, Pat Howlett. In the discussion, Jim offers a variety of important points about marketing on the internet. Click below to listen.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/localistnews/2012/05/25/30-minutes-with-social-media-expert-jim-vogel

The 2023 Secret to Success: Do Not Follow Your Passion!

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imusm 10-13 3Most experts agree that it is tough being a small business owner. In fact, many small businesses fail within the first three years, a good number of those before the first year anniversary. Small business is not for everyone.

I.M.U. Social Media LLC (IMUSM) is turning 12 years old on  July 16th, 2023.

Our small business, located in Davidson, North Carolina, has a very simple objective. We work for other small businesses that have very little time to do business on social media. In essence, we do content creation and placement strategy for organizations and solo professionals who need the presence and need help. Our team of writers produces about 15 blog posts a month for our clients; and we manage Facebook, Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn, and Pinterest for them as well. From a Triangle-based ophthalmologist to a Michigan remodeling company, we learn each and every business from the ground up and we grow their business in virtual directions, never skipping a beat. In fact, we have made every deadline asked of us since August 2011. It is a track record we are very proud of and we adapt and change every day to maintain it.

We know that across Lake Norman, the Triangle, and beyond, professionals are leaving the corporate world, either by choice or as an employee no longer needed. Every one of them holds that entrepreneurial spirit to build a vision and be successful as a new chapter of life unfolds.

The following advice about growth, challenge, and success will prove invaluable to every reader of this blog post.

I.M.U Social Media offers the following nine points of guidance that will save time and money and get your new venture through that challenging first year and beyond:

  • Honestly assess your professional history and your current situation: Finding where you are as a person is just as important as discovering where you want to go. Write everything down on paper. It is paramount to develop improved processes from the data.
  • Follow an income path FIRST and your passion second: Do not follow your passion. Yes, you read this right. This advice will save money and time. Sit down and look at what you are good at and bolt your passion to it. Passion does not pay the bills. For example, if you were a corporate bookkeeper, you might want to start your own accounting business. However, after your history and current situation assessment, you might consider starting a senior financial services business to support the growing Baby Boomer generation; there could be less competition and more need. Niche businesses have a better chance of succeeding.
  • Surround yourself with great people: Success is a team sport. The advice we received from our friends and business associates in the first few months of IMUSM paid dividends. You might not agree with all of it but listen to every suggestion. Take all criticism, good, bad, and ugly, and move forward, never looking back.  
  • Be patient and consistent: Do not waver and be steadfast. Never give up. Stick to your goals and objectives even if your income is slow to come.
  • Be a student of the game: Learn everything about the industry you are now in and what the competition is doing. Being the best at what you do spells success.
  • Have an excellent web presence: You are what people see and read. Have a good website. Have a consistent and visible presence on all popular social media sites, especially Facebook and Google My Business. Visibility is a numbers game. The more people who know what you do and why you do it, the greater the chances for success.
  • Network: Meet professionals just like you who have achieved success or who are also in transition. The local Chamber of Commerce and local networking groups are two great places to meet individuals with like interests. Support from others can truly mean success.  
  • Get that very first client and grow: Motion creates emotion. A good start-up needs a client.
  • Do not do it all yourself: As growth happens, give up being a salesperson, a bookkeeper, an owner, an employee, and a social media guru. Success is a team sport. Give up some responsibilities and grow. “Let go, let dough!”

When I left the corporate world back in September 2008, I built an independent sales training company that eventually was over $17,000 in debt. We had no steady clients and the economy was bad. The “secret sauce” is in knowing that the economy makes NO DIFFERENCE in growing start-up businesses. It is up to you, and only you. There are no excuses. It is all about the launch, patience, a game plan, and a little luck. Please stay focused and follow the nine points as best as you can.

Do NOT follow your passion first; follow what you are best at and bolt your passion to it.

Sales training is my passion, but it was not paying any bills. I dumped my passion, as hard as it was to let go, and I used my talents as a writer to recreate myself and start a brand new business. I have never, ever looked back.

There is nothing better than dumping the bureaucratic inertia of a past career and working for you. Just follow the money and use your talents to achieve what you want. It is all up to you, with a little help from your friends.

Remember, DO NOT follow your passion first; follow what you are best at and bolt your passion to it.

Good luck and hard work to make it happen!

Best,

Jim

Photo: IMUSM

 

17 Ingredients in a Great 2023 Business Blog Post

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KROMKRATHOG, FDPBlog posts make sense for SEO, for visibility, and for information. Those of you who remember book reports and term papers, it is all about getting it done. Alas, who has time, right?

Sit down. Jot some notes in an outline. Open word. Start typing. Do not start with the title. It is the last thing to do after you correct spelling, punctuation and phrasing.

No worries! The title will pop out every time. There is never writer’s block, just excuses.

Have fun and make your business better! Ready, set GO! The blog is due today!

  • Tell a good story
  • Know the business
  • Know the audience
  • Know the purpose
  • Present a point of view
  • Have a consistent structure and format
  • Invite the audience to do business
  • Keep the audience attention
  • Give the reader some takeaways
  • Be conversational
  • Label the photos with both source (name) and site (where you found it) ROYALTY FREE. Do not grab photos from Google Images.
  • Add  just a couple of hyperlinks
  • For SEO and what we call SEF (Search Engine Finding), mention the business three of four times in the post
  • Put a dozen tags at the bottom
  • Sprinkle in bold terms that focus on location and subject
  • Optimize the title (usually location)
  • Create relevant external links for SEO/ SEM success

Jim Vogel

Founder, CEO of I.M.U. Social Media LLC

Photo: KROMKRATHOP, freedigitalphotos.net

Jim@imusocialmedia.com

 

FREE Strategies for 2023 Social Media and Professional Networking

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IMUSM 3-28-14DO THIS IMMEDIATELY!

14 FREE Small Business Social Media Strategies for 2023!

  • Small business social media activity is essential. Comment on your own business (if adding a thought) and other businesses you support. Use Facebook, Google My Business, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter on a regular schedule.
  • Have employees, family, and friends LIKE and follow your business on Facebook, Google My Business, and Twitter. Send everyone an e-mail with the hyperlinks in your signature information.
  • Brick-and-mortar businesses should place a colorful “attention-getting” sign in the front window announcing the Facebook URL and any other social media presence.
  • Place a sign at the reception desk or Facebook, Google My Business, and Twitter URLs.
  • Put Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business (GMB), and blog site URL on business cards, e-mail signatures, stationery, website, and newsletter.
  • It is important to place (live URLs) Facebook, Blogs, Google My Business, and Twitter information in the signature box on all the outbound e-mails. This is an important and necessary content marketing strategy. We have mentioned this one already! It is very important for outbound marketing.
  • When employees are on the phone or e-mailing clients, have them mention the business’s social media presence and have them conclude the conversation, e-mail, and SMS with, “Have you found and liked us on Facebook (Twitter, Google My Business yet? Consider having an online contest (great on Facebook) for your audience, or a giveaway or discount that can be promoted across Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.
  • Use Zoom! Also, consider having a Facebook or Social Media “Meet-Up” event “offline” at your offices or at a local café for clients and potential clients; make it a quarterly informal networking event. Use Zoom!
  • Encourage everyone; friends, family, neighbors, and business associates to like, follow, SHARE or continuously read what has been posted on all of your business platforms. Send them the links or articles via e-mail when the subjects are considered of value to them.
  • Attend local networking Chambers or like events as possible. It is NOT what you know or who you know; IT IS WHO KNOWS YOU.
  • Join groups on LinkedIn and Facebook. Join the local Chamber of Commerce, register your business on Google+, and comment on other people’s articles and posts.
  • Join other local organizations and groups ONLINE; participate in as many discussions and conversation strings as possible.
  • Sponsor and participate in community endeavors like festivals, charities, 5K runs, food, and blood drives, and help share the information across your social media sites.

Visibility is essential as your social media presence grows through content, ENGAGEMENT, and consistency; call 919 244 6989 or e-mail jim@imusocialmedia.com

**


BONUS SECTION: Generic social media plan for small business:

Get out a clean piece of paper and sharpen that pencil… GO!

Look at the history of the business, the current situation, and the marketing strategies currently in use… then:  

  • Set Goals
  • Choose the right platforms on social media
  • Assess your target audiences
  • Define both the challenges and the opportunities
  • Track and measure the analytics for growth and return
  • Use re-targeting strategies and tactics and CHANGE them up to improve process and results  

Remember… ENGAGE your clients… they want and need to be paid attention to every day!

**

This team-spirited post is brought to you by your North Carolina Social Media Specialists I.M.U. Social Media LLC, headquartered in Davidson, NC with offices in Historic Downtown Apex, NC.

Jim Vogel
I.M.U. Social Media LLC
Business: 704 439 0787
Cell: 919.244.6989
jim@imusocialmedia.com
https://www.imusocialmedia.com and https://www.facebook.com/IMUSocialMedia
Identity, Message, Understanding (IMU) Strategy & Management (SM) IMUSM!

NOTICE: The information contained in this article is owned by I.M.U. Social Media LLC and is intended for the SOLE use of the individual(s) who reads it. Any information contained within it is for the reader’s use and can be shared and linked to other interested parties. We want everyone more successful!

For great support, join your local Chamber of Commerce.

Photo: I.M.U. Social Media LLC

 

 

 

2023 Success Strategies

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IMUSM 3-28-14Most experts agree that it is not easy working for you. The facts are that the majority of small businesses and start-ups fail in the first year. And it can take as long as three years to be successful. It is not for everyone.

I.M.U. Social Media LLC (IMUSM) will turn 12 years old on July 16th. Our small business has a very simple vision. We work for other small businesses. We do social media content creation and placement for organizations and solo professionals who do not have the time to build the present themselves. Our team manages Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, LinkedIn, and Pinterest for over 20 clients. From a local ophthalmologist to a Michigan granite company, we learn the business and write for them, never skipping a beat. We have made every deadline asked of us since August 2011. It is a track record we are very proud of and we adapt and change every day to maintain it.

We know that every day here in the Triangle and beyond, professionals are leaving the corporate area, by choice or not by choice and they all want to have that entrepreneurial spirit to build a vision and be successful.

I.M.U Social Media offers the following nine points for small business success that will save time and money and get you through that challenging first year and beyond:

  • Honestly assess your professional history and your current situation: Finding where you are just as important as discovering where you want to go.
  • Follow an income path FIRST and your passion second: Do not follow your passion. Yes, you read this right. This advice will save money and time. Sit down and look at what you are good at and bolt your passion to it. Passion does not pay the bills. For example, if you were a corporate bookkeeper, you might want to start your own accounting business. However, after your history and current situation assessment, you might consider starting a senior financial services business to support the growing Baby Boomer generation; there could be less competition and more need.
  • Surround yourself with great people: Success is a team sport. The advice we received in the first few months paid dividends. You might not agree with all of it, but listen to every suggestion.
  • Be patient and consistent: Do become the flavor of the month. Stick to your goals and objectives even if your income is slow to come.
  • Be a student of the game: Learn everything about the industry you are now in and what the competition is doing.
  • Have an excellent web presence: You are what people see and read. Have a good website. Have a presence on an array of social media sites. Visibility is a numbers game. The more people who know what you do and why you do it, the greater your chances for success.
  • Network: Meet professionals just like you who have achieved success or who are also in transition. The local Chamber of Commerce and local networking events are two great places to meet individuals with like interests.
  • Get that very first client and grow: Motion creates emotion. A good startup needs a client.
  • Do not do it all yourself: As growth happens, give up being a salesperson, a bookkeeper, an owner, an employee, and a social media guru. Success is a team sport. Give it up and involve others. Give up some responsibilities and the business will grow.

Just before July 2012, we were a struggling “worker bee” sales training company that was $17,000 in the hole. We had no steady clients and the economy was bad. We changed the name and changed our future. The secret sauce to everyone reading this is the economy makes zero difference to a start-up. It is all about the launch, some patience, a game plan, and a little luck. Stay focused and follow the above advice.

There is nothing better than dumping the bureaucratic inertia of big business, a regular paycheck, and unhappiness, into the true joys of working as a small business owner. Just follow income and use your talents to achieve what you want. It is all you!

Remember SHOP and BUY local. You will be so glad you did. Good luck!

**

This post is brought to you by your North Carolina Social Media for Small Business Specialists in Historic Apex, NC and the beautiful Lake Norman Region, NC

Jim Vogel
Owner of I.M.U. Social Media LLC
P.O. Box 802
Davidson NC
Business: 919.533.9069, 704 439 0787
Cell: 919.244.6989
jim@imusocialmedia.com
https://www.imusocialmedia.com and https://www.facebook.com/IMUSocialMedia
Identity, Message, Understanding (IMU) Service & Management (SM) IMUSM!

NOTICE: The information contained in this article is owned by IMU Social Media and is for the SOLE use of the individual(s) who reads it. Any information contained within it is for the reader’s use, and can be shared and linked to other interested parties. We want you successful!

Photo: IMU Social Media

Something has to Give in ’23!

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A small business competes against a wide variety of competition. From the big box, big e-commerce sites to the brick-and-mortar, the challenges are boundless. No one has time anymore to complete the multitude of tasks that need to be done each and every day; something has to give!

IMU Social Media LLC can manage your online presence and create the customized organic content your business needs to maintain great social media visibility.

Consistency, visibility, identity, and message become worry-free as  IMU Social Media promotes your business across the popular platforms where your clients are each and every day.

We indeed become U. IMU means just that. Not only are we geared to small businesses, mom & pops, micro companies, and select solo professionals, we offer NO contracts (month to month) and a money-back guarantee.

Leave the writing to us at IMU. Soon you will be saying, U R US!

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMU Social Media