How do you get people who are afraid to write to find their voice? Blogging is not always the right tool for everyone.
It is okay not to Blog.
If you are afraid to write, then don't Blog.
If you start writing Blogs, set clear boundaries for what you want to accomplish.
Twitter is one of my favorite social media sites.
Many companies use Twitter for business including Dell.
Dell has one of the largest turn around stories for correcting its reputation through using social media.
Several years ago, Jeff Jarvis created a web site titled "Buzz Machine.
" Jeff Jarvis posted blogs regarding Dell Hell and it was widely covered in the media.
Dell Hell taught Dell a very important lesson about listening to what people were saying about them online and finding new avenues to connect with their consumers and customers.
Dell has a team of about 40 people led by a guy on Twitter whose name is Richard Dell and Dell is connecting Richard Dell with their consumers on Twitter.
Dell wants to know if consumers and customers are talking about them and they respond by asking how they can help.
Zappos has about 400 employees identified on Twitter who are building relationships with real people.
There is something to be said about knowing and connecting with a person at a real company that can be very valuable.
Social media allows people to develop personal relationships with others around the world.
First, it can be a tool to see how to fit into the lives of targeted customers.
Search both yourself and your company name and see if people are talking about you.
Are they mentioning you in passing? Great customer service content management may also be done on Twitter.
It allows companies to get ahead of an angry blog, social media site, or email and handle customer service issues.
That little bit of communication can build a rapport online for others to see.
It allows people to build personal relationships that may have nothing to do with a company but that little bit of empathic communication can lead to more business referrals.
Twitter has its ups and downs, but there is a critical mass there with early adopters.
Other example of a company using Twitter for customer service is Comcast.
Frank Eliason out of their Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office heads up their Twitter site.
Dell, Zappos and Comcast are the three highest profile companies I found using Twitter as a customer service site.
There are lots of newspaper companies, journalists, and other companies also using Twitter, but the three listed seem to be the most interactive that I have read so far.
Is Social Media for everyone? No, but it is important to have it on your radar and help customers and clients get on a radar.
It is also important to learn search skills and go beyond Google and use specific search tools such as - There is a whole suite of social media and each type of has a different search engine.
Do not think that Google is the only search engine.
Try using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds.
This is a skill that teaches people how to make the web more useful and cut back on the number of emails received.
Another important organization to become familiar with is Word of Mouth Marketing This organization stresses using ethics when using online resources for marketing and when using social media.
The essence of WOMMA Ethics Code comes down to the honesty ROI which is known as: oHonesty of Relationship-You say who you're speaking for oHonesty of Opinion-You say what you believe oHonesty of Identity-You never obscure your identity When using social media, disclosure and honesty are very important.
What value do you offer the online community? Do not let people promise you a million views for a video you want to post without showing you the return on investment because your video may end up on a porn site or anywhere to meet the promised statement.
Ethics is the most important when using social media.
The difference in social media and viral marketing is social media is a strategy while viral marketing is the outcome.