27 Aug How to Use Social Media Marketing to Promote Yourself as a Brand (part 3)
Congratulations! We’re trucking right along on turning you into a Social Media Marketing success story, and you’ve already gotten through the hard part. Well, really, you’ve barely scratched the surface, but don’t worry—it just gets more fun from here.
Know Your Competition – You’re likely familiar with the adage: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and as it turns out, there is a lot of truth behind that statement. Not that I necessarily advocate considering your competition to be the “enemy,” but it is important to know that who you probably consider to be your “competition” can be your greatest asset. Remember, this is social media, not war. So, now that you’ve established your identity and made some friends, it is time to get some clout and sit with the popular kids. Here are a few tips to get you there:
- Make an Impression – I’m going to drop a quote on you right now, and you can use it, but just remember where you heard it first:
“It’s not about who you know, it’s about who you impress.”
Even if you don’t have an ounce of talent in your little finger, you can still do great things. Someone out there is impressed with you already: you. If you followed step 1, you have by now gotten a sense of whom you are, and with that, you hopefully gained the confidence necessary to know that you are worthy of doing what you are doing.
- Get a Reputation – You can’t start a reputation, you have to earn it. You can seed your content and send it to the people who you’ve impressed (or would like to), but because of the fickle nature of social media, you won’t be able to assure the fact that people will hire / book / pay you until you have the clout it takes to let them know you are playing with the best of them. Here is an article from Attraction Renegade that explores some methods of building your reputation with social networking. As something to avoid, be careful about shilling your own content. No one likes a spammer. For more on that and other “unwritten rules” of social media marketing, check out this article on MelodyThacker.com.
- Learn From Their Mistakes – Others have tried, and others have certainly failed before they got to where they are. You can always learn from them. Don’t be afraid to ask how others got their start, and what they did to get the opportunities they have. Whereas in a world that confuses us to believe that others in our fields are the ones to be wary of, social media is a much different playing field. Use your contacts to get in touch with your idols and influences, and find out what makes them tick. Be transparent as always, and don’t forget to let them know how and why you admire them. Who knows, those people could be the right ones to impress after all.
- Scratch Backs – Another adage you are probably familiar with is “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” Well, in the world of social media, it might be more beneficial to start scratching first. Nothing tells another blogger / writer / artist / musician that you appreciate what they are doing than by helping them promote their work. It will get you noticed by them, and also help your own credibility amongst your peers. Endorsements can be a very positive, and that is an asset in the sometimes aggressive and cold world of marketing.
In order to know your competition, you have to also know how to be competitive. So tune in next week for another insightful and inspiring post to let you know how to Do What You Do (And Do It Well!). Cheers.
