Shawndra Russell's Blog

This week is an extra special week because we published two new books to help businesses strengthen their social media programs. Even more special is that these are the first books we have published together as a husband and wife team. Gary has been working with me on our social media business for the past two years, and his perspective and ideas have brought a lot to the table, so we decided it was time to collaborate on some books together.

We live and breathe social media, and are excited to share what we’ve learned working with dozens of clients so you can take your social media program to the next level. And to celebrate their release, we offering a buy one, get one free deal. Just purchase “Start Today: Social Employee Advocacy Program” on Amazon and send us your receipt to shawndra@shawndrarussell.com. Then, we’ll send you a copy of Start Today: DIY Social Media for Small Businesses.

Happy socializing!

Shawndra and Gary Russell

This week is an extra special week because we published two new books to help businesses strengthen their social media programs. Even more special is that these are the first books we have published together as a husband and wife team. Gary has been working with me on our social media business for the past two years, and his perspective and ideas have brought a lot to the table, so we decided it was time to collaborate on some books together.

We live and breathe social media, and are excited to share what we’ve learned working with dozens of clients so you can take your social media program to the next level. And to celebrate their release, we offering a buy one, get one free deal. Just purchase “Start Today: Social Employee Advocacy Program” on Amazon and send us your receipt to shawndra@shawndrarussell.com. Then, we’ll send you a copy of Start Today: DIY Social Media for Small Businesses.

Happy socializing!

Shawndra and Gary Russell

Steak and mushroom pie from British Pie Society’s new City Market location.

Chicken and Thyme pie by Pie Society

Today, my husband and I decided to go out for lunch in downtown Savannah, and we were set to go to Starland Cafe since he’s never been and I love the food there. But as we hopped in the car, I pulled up my #Savannah Twitter feed in my Hootsuite account and saw that someone had just posted about a fantastic lunch they had at the just-opened British Pie Society in City Market. We’ve been waiting for this spot to open, so we immediately changed our plans and opted to go for savory, authentic pies.

The tweet did not come from the bakery itself, but from a happy customer that enjoyed her experience enough to tweet and Instagram about it. The bakery itself posted once on Twitter since opening, stating on July 14, “We’re open in City Market! #Savannah #PieSociety #citymarket.” Without the customer’s tweet I saw today, my husband and I would not have ventured to the Pie Society today, and maybe not for several more weeks or months depending on when we went out for lunch again (which doesn’t happen that often).

As a result, I checked-in on Foursquare and will leave a review there as well as TripAdvisor. I’ll also post to Instagram and tell friends positive things about this new spot. Plus, we took a ton of photos that might show up in a future article I write about Pie Society, all thanks to one tweet. While there’s no doubt that Pie Society is super busy managing both this new City Market location and their year-old Pooler location, by tweeting daily, they would grab people who do a quick scan of #Savannah to influence their lunch or breakfast plans. And I hope to see them thank the customers that do share about their experience on social channels, which further compounds the value of the customer tweet that hooked me.

Remember, people who use social media regularly to make decisions about where to go are the same people who will then share about places they love. The tail of this one customer tweet extends beyond just her Twitter and Instagram posts, and the value is in many ways immeasurable because many people will see the same post I did but never reveal that it caused them to come eat lunch or breakfast there, just like my the posts I share may influence others in un-trackable ways.

Exciting news…my guest blog on 15five got picked up by The Next Web! 

We exist in two different worlds, the virtual and the real. Some of us spend more time on our social networks than in the physical realm. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and others have changed the way we live and work forever. Just ask your IT department how much time employees spend liking and tweeting the day away.

But worry not business leaders, because there is a way that you can use this compulsive behavior to your advantage.

Read the full article on The Next Web.

Instagram from Baylor University feed

Today, A Study of Social Media in Higher Education was published, a collaboration between myself and the team at One on One Marketing that reveals the most powerful universities on social media.

The study is divided into seven categories:

161 schools were analyzed, and the top 20-30 in each category are represented on charts ranking their social media savvy. The goal of this social media report was to analyze the best practices, patterns, and frequency of these top social media schools in order to help guide other institutions of higher education as well as leaders and their social media teams from any industry.

My primary focus was conducting the case studies that are found in each section of the report to pinpoint why particular posts from the schools are powerful. These examples highlight some of the best practices laid out by social media experts like Gary Vaynerchuk, who’s book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is referenced in the study and is also the book I’m currently using to teach my summer social media course at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

A lot of time and thought went into this study, and I think that the results are inspiring, at times surprising, and useful for any organization that uses social media to connect with their target audiences. The power of social media is on full display here, with the early adopters of each platform reaping the benefits.

I’d love to hear what rankings surprised you, what case study you enjoyed the most, and anything else about A Study of Social Media in Higher Education, so tweet me at @ShawndraRussell and use the hashtag #SocialMediaU.

I recently attended a presentation about design thinking, which gave some solid processes to think through for businesses. However, during the Q&A, people started asking specific questions about their own businesses, and inevitably the question of acquiring more customers came about. One of the attendees is the local rep for a huge national chain that has a distinctive mascot and got to talking about how moving to a new location has helped with “foot traffic” (not a big factor for their business model) and someone suggested he dress up like the familiar mascot and make sure to use that mascot in lots of marketing materials.

I wanted to run for the hills screaming. I feel like this kind of thinking is so archaic, so behind-the-times, that it’s hard to believe it still exists. What about all the other things that he could pour his time, energy and money into? Social media, email marketing, blogging…all of these things would be more beneficial than running around in a costume. Because, if the national chain’s billion dollar advertising campaign hasn’t made people aware of the brand, how is your get-up going to help draw customers in?

Let Your Consumer Behavior Guide You

Think about it: Do you watch commercials? Rush to make a purchase after seeing a billboard? Flip through a magazine and make a note to purchase the product or visit a store you just saw advertised? Get annoyed when pop-ups interrupt your web browsing?

If you’re really honest, your answers to these questions is likely no. However, business owners and marketers keep holding on to these familiar ways of reaching customers even though in their own lives, they avoid the very same ads.

Stop Interrupting

In today’s Thank You Economy, goofy costumes, spinning signs and even billboards may grab someone’s attention for a second, but these interruption marketing tactics are relying on the get-in-front-of-the-masses, trickle-down marketing of old. Instead, connecting one-on-one with clients on social media and through blogging by thinking like a customer will pay off far more.

Thinking like a customer. They’ll convert to long-term fans and brand advocates who sing your praises for you if you respect their time and attention. Connect with them on their time, not yours, and go to where they are instead of expecting them to come to you. Flip the marketing funnel and reap the rewards.

51 tips to suerpcharge your social media program

Last week, I launched 51 Ways to Help Your Social Media Manager Crush It! I wrote this book from personal experience as a social media voice for billion dollar brands to one-location retail shops.

What all businesses have in common, despite their size, product, service or location, is that they need to be using social media, and using it well. They also need to stop thinking about social media as a job and start thinking about it as a skill that all employees can be trained to do more effectively–everyone from the CEO/owner to the entry-level or part-time employee.

Companies must aspire to be social businesses and stop thinking about social media in the framework of traditional marketing. As social media expert Gary Vaynerchuk says in his book The Thank You Economy, “But what we call social media is not media, nor is it even a platform. It is a massive cultural shift that has profoundly affected the way society uses the greatest platform ever invented, the Internet.”

Social media is not about distribution, it’s about conversations. Just like you would have no friends in real life if all you did was brag about yourself, your business will have no customers if all you do is talk about how great you are. People need to feel like your useful to them, that you make their life better, and somehow feel connected emotionally to you or your business in order to stay loyal, If you fail to do these things, your customers or potential customers will find a company that makes them have those warm-fuzzies.

You might say, “But I’m a plumber.”

Fine, you’re a plumber. Seek out stories from your customers about how you saved the day and show your personality by sharing a little about your personal life. Someone might pick you because you grew up in their hometown, or you like the same craft beer they do, or because you root for the same NFL team. Give them useful tips to prevent issues and then see you as someone who cares. Give your expertise freely, and you’ll be rewarded with allegiance.

Humans are constantly seeking ways to connect with others, and you need to give them as many opportunities as possible to connect with you and your business. That’s where social media can get really powerful, and that’s why you need to take your social media strategy more seriously than ever.

Coming up, I’ll be releasing a new book about using social media effectively for local businesses, and opening up spots for my Social Media Managers Bootcamp while continuing to create social media strategies for business, conduct social media audits, and train individuals and groups on how to utilize social media for their business and personal brands.

Stay informed by signing up for my newsletter on the home page or shoot me an email at shawndra@shawndrarussell.com.

Get your copy of 51 Ways to Help Your Social Media Manager Crush It on Amazon: 51 Ways to Help Your Social Media Manager Crush It!

Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help Not Hype

As a freelance writer, I’ve written thousands of stories about businesses, events, and people. So, I’ve done my fair share of scouring websites, Facebook pages, and other content to piece together what I need to put together a story. Plenty of times, I’ve banged my fist against the desk and shook my head in disbelief at how downright difficult some companies make it to find the simplest bits of information.

As a business owner, you are thinking “customers, customers, customers” when you create your website–or at least, you should be. But, there’s another audience out there that you should think about when you create and update your website: press. The bonus of considering what a writer or editor would look for on your website means that there’s more content for your target audiences to read, too.

“Who’s going to sit there and read a bunch of pages on my website?” you ask? Well, according to the New York Times Bestseller Youtility by Jay Baer, a lot of people. In fact, the tipping point for number of websites is 101 pages; companies that have this number of website pages “generate 2.5 times more leads than companies with 50 or fewer pages (Youtitlity, 87). Studies also show that B2B customers are typically 60% of the way through the purchasing cycle before they reach out to a business, and B2C customers need over 10 pieces of information before they will make a purchase decision.

So how can you capitalize on this behavior? Here are 5 ways to make your website more press (and customer!) friendly:

1. Have a robust About page for your company

There’s lots of reasons businesses have skimpy about pages. Maybe they feel like it’s bragging, or they’re terrible writers. Maybe they think no one would be interested, or it’s a new company and they don’t feel like they have a lot to say. Whatever is holding you back, you need to let it go and get to writing, or hire a writer to do it for you. People who are writing an article need lots of details about when you started, what drives your company, your mission, and your differentiators. If you own a plumbing company, what makes you the plumbing company I should chose out of all the plumbing companies in my area? Highlight your assets, include some testimonials, and don’t worry about having “too much content.” Press will thank you, and interested customers will browse if they’re interested or move on to another page if they get tired of reading.

2. Provide details about your founder and staff

This about section can be underneath the company about page or a separate page entirely (remember, your goals is 101 pages, so why not make it separate?). Either way, giving information about the founder is important to understand the reason this business even exists and what problems the business offers solutions to. In addition, sharing who the current owner/CEO is humanizes the company. Don’t be afraid to share some details about your personality, maybe your favorite sports team, where you grew up, your favorite beer (mine is St. Bernardus 12). Don’t just regurgitate your resume here; tell a story. And if you don’t want to list every single employee or have a business where employees are somewhat transient, at least share a group photo and what kind of people work there. People like supporting a business that takes the time to share about their employees because it shows you care about your people and in turn, likely care about your customers.

3. Have a blog

If you still don’t have a blog on your website, you need to change that, like, yesterday. There are endless amounts of studies and statistics showing why you should have a blog. Above I mentioned that Youtility states that your goal number of pages on your website should be over 101, and having a blog will help you get closer to that number. Youtility also states that “companies that blog 15 or more times per month get 5 times more traffic than those that don’t blog.” Still not convinced? Read these two articles: “5 Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Blog” and “Top Blogging Statistics: 45 Reasons to Blog.” And watch this quick video by one of the top social media experts, Gary Vaynerchuk, about why you need to embrace being your own media company.

4. Prominently display your social media links (and make sure they actually work)

Sometimes websites are created and then left untouched. And while continuously adding new pages and new blogs should be one of your goals, you won’t be updating your website daily. This reality means that oftentimes writers will go to your social media profiles to find out the latest about your company. Make it easy by sharing your social media links prominently on your homepage and throughout your website. Equally as important, take the time to check the links and make sure they go to the actual social media profiles that you want to showcase.

I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve clicked on a social media link only to find that the link is broken, or takes me to a Twitter feed that hasn’t been updated in a year, but then I search and discover that they have another Twitter handle that they use frequently. And when this happens, I’m tempted to abandon the story altogether because the company comes across as uncaring and unorganized.

5. Make contacting you a breeze

Don’t hide your email address. I want to be able to send an email instead of filling out a contact form. Sure, you can have both, but when I am writing a story, I want to have the email in my sent box so I can be sure to Boomerang a reminder back to myself in a few days or a week so I can followup with you. If you don’t want it to be your personal email, consider having a separate email that is checked frequently like press@yourcompany.com. I will find another business to feature if your business is unresponsive. And before you say, “Well, why don’t you just call?”, realize that most people, like me, hate the phone and writers want to have communication in writing. 

And pick up your own copy of Youtility. It will rock your world (in a good way!). Need more convincing? Read “Three Reasons Youtility Is the Most Important Book You’ll Read.”

Questions? Comment below!

Which cover do you like better?

Or this one?

I recently started teaching a course at Armstrong Atlantic State University for their Graduate Certificate in Professional Communication and Leadership, and only two weeks in it has taught me that I truly love educating. I used to teach high school English which I loved 75% of the time, but with social media, I get downright giddy talking about the history of social media, best practices, and the cultural shifts it has caused including ushering in The Thank You Economy–one of the books we are reading in my course Social Media for Professional Use.

This giddiness got me thinking. In my years as a social media professional, the teaching moments I’ve had are more memorable than any other aspect of my business. Explaining to someone how they can use Twitter to futureproof their career. Helping a business owner discover a better way to execute their social media strategy. Answering questions from aspiring or new social media professionals. These moments and other moments like them are what make me want to dance a little in my chair.

So, I will be using this blog to share what I’ve learned on my journey as a social media consultant, manager, strategist, content creator, brand journalist, and all the other hats I’ve worn and continue to wear for both myself and my clients. If you have a question, from how to price a proposal to the tools I love for managing it all, comment below or shoot me a tweet to www.twitter.com/ShawndraRussell and I’ll answer it here on the blog. In between, I’ll share tips for how to navigate the world of being a social media professional and helping your build your personal brand so you can find a social media job you love, add social media services to your existing skill set, or build your own social media services business from scratch.

And be on the lookout for some cool things happening in April, like the launch of 51 Ways to Help Your Social Media Manager Crush It and Social Media Managers Bootcamp. Both were created to help you, the current or aspiring social media professional, kick major ass online.

To celebrate my birthday this week, my novel Couple Friends is on sale for only .99 on Amazon. This price is the lowest it’s ever been and when I blow out my candles this weekend, I’ll be wishing that this sale helps me reach my goal of 100 Amazon reviews (I’m currently at 19). Success is measured a lot of different ways in the super competitive publishing world (bestseller status of course would be the best!), but for me, reaching 100 Amazon reviews would help not only make this the best birthday ever, but also would make Couple Friends once and for all a success to me.

Remember, anyone can read a Kindle ebook by downloading the free Kindle Reading app for iPads, tablets, smartphones or even your computer at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000493771.

Here are a few of the current reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Relatable! August 31, 2012

By EC

Format:Kindle Edition

The book had my attention in the first few pages and I couldn’t put it down until I finished. The characters were well-developed, easy to empathize with and, in some instances, easy to loathe!

5.0 out of 5 stars Had my attention for start to finish!!! August 28, 2012

By BAE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Pour a full glass of wine, settle into a comfy chair, and keep the rest of the bottle within reach because this book is going to keep you parked until the very end!!!

By Ashley

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book. I definitely related to the main characters and their attempts to balance their personal time with their couple friends time.

Thank you in advance for helping spread the word about this Birthday Sale. Use the hashtag #CoupleFriends to talk about it on Twitter, or repin this pin to one of your Pinterest boards to let your network know: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/34902965836297894/