Remember when you held off from getting AOL because only 20% of your customers had access to the Information Super Highway and because it was a whopping $15 a month? Remember when you wanted to let the dust settle on this whole "internets" thing to see if it was just a fad?

Well, while you were holding off and watching dust, all your customers again took the course of least resistance and did business over email instead of picking up the phone and waiting on hold after being transfered 3 times. While you were waiting to see, all your clients fled to companies that went up to speed.

You might have thought major network news agencies like Reuters, ABC, NBC, WSJ, etc... would never let a college drop out replace them as the primary source of news for teens to 30's people. Well, that's exactly what the Zuck did. When's the last time you saw a 25 year old watch the news or pick up a paper? They rely on Facebook as their source of news.

Social Media is not going away. 

If you're not already all-in, you're way behind. But you're in great company. The greatest financial minds of our age made the same mistake. They all worked for the Wall Street Journal. What used to be as think as a community yellow pages book is now only as thick as that short stack of Starbucks napkins you have on your table.

If you're finally wondering if it's a good idea to move into Social Media, a Top Agency reveals Your 7 Steps to Profit from Facebook Twitter and Google+

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Continued from: Social Media Agencies Reveal: Why You're Already Behind the Curve If You Don't Have a Thriving Social Network Service Presence in Facebook Twitter Google+

OK. So we've already established that Social Media is the only media that matters any more. In 2 years, newspapers books and tv will be extinct.

If you don't believe me, you're in good company -- with Kodak.

Steve Jobs' last contribution to technology (epub3 format html5 and ipads) was to make sure that 'no more trees would be cut down and that no school children would have to carry heaving backpacks to school.'

Social Media is the only media that matters any more.

With over 10,000 Facebook likers and 10,000 Twitter Followers, you'll have build the the same reach power of a

-- 20,000,000 person email list

-- 700,000 opt In telemarketing list

-- 400,000 direct mail address list

You will have direct access to your customers. Your Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ messages go straight to their cell phones. This is why #4 below is crucial.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to reach your customers directly without an intermediary? Social media enables you to cut out the middle man and cut out advertising costs completely IF you build up a large enough reach.

So, for you believers, this is how you make social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ a profit center for your business:

1. Join

Craft Warm and Inviting Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Quora, Youtube and Niche Social Network Accounts.

You can't miss a single one. 

Remember back in High School when you'd show up to every party except to Jenny's parties? The next day everybody knew there was something weird going on between you an Jenny. Join every social network service that your very last customer uses. You can't miss a single one.

2. Blog

If nothing else, create a blog with your FAQs. It

A) TIME: Saves you time because you can just send your customers a link to a blog post instead of explaining it over the phone or email every time for 47 minutes and 23 seconds.

B) QUALITY: Blogging an official answer ensures that your customers get the most accurate and polished response to their needs

C) CREDIBILITY: Openly posting your thoughts and expertise generates credibility and trust. This is something that you'd normally have to spend years building. But it can be done instantly and open the door to an immediate greased-lightning sale. Actually, it does takes years. This blog for example is 2 years old.

3. Educate

Do not sell. 

This is not 3am Infomercial Amateur Hour. Your potential customers came to you for answers if you don't give them fast accurate answers, Google is closer than their remote control.

Educate to engender appreciation. People buy from people they appreciate.

4. Entertain

Do not sell.

People buy from people they like.

5. Network

Build Vertical and Horizontal Alliances: #16 and #17.

Build a syndicate the way Capone did. Build a syndate the way Network News Syndicates did. 

6. Submit

Submit your blog posts and Youtube videos to the top 100 bloggers in your industry. Do you have the cell phone numbers of the top 100 bloggers in YOUR industry?

This is how you get their direct contact information: Top Tech, Fashion, and Music Publicists and PR Public Relations Firms REVEAL

7. TBA

You'll just have to watch the video by The Top Social Media Agencies

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inspired by joannavargas.com (amazing integrity and heart goes into their products)

Right about now, most executives and business owners are not thinking of how to make Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or any other social media network service into a profit center. Most executives are wondering how to minimize their social networking cost. In fact, most executives are trying so hard to minimize their social networking costs that they haven't even started a Twitter account.

So if you're like most executives, the primary question in your mind is probably, "Should I dive into social networking? And how?" As a top social media agency in New York City and Los Angeles, we get these questions daily.

First things first.

Under Water Bullet Trains Exist!

If you fit into this category, you already missed the boat (but don't worry, underwater bullet trains exist).

Asking if you should integrate social networking and social media services like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ etc... is like asking if you should pay a designer to build you a website back in the day when the Yellow Pages charged you $1,500 a month on your phone bill.

"Naw, the internet is a fad."

"Besides, only about 20% of our customers have AOL"

Asking if you should integrate social networking and social media services like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ etc... is like asking if you should get a "corporate email" back in the day when everybody was just faxing everything from deli sandwich orders to photo copies of their butts.

"Naw, it's not secure."

"And only about 20% of your customers have email."

Asking if you should integrate social networking and social media services like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ etc... is like asking if you should get a "cellular mobile phone" when it was only 10 cents to make a call after you got a "page."

"Naw, nobody expects to be able to reach you immediately."

"Besides, only 20% of our customers need that kind of service."

Well, sadly, if you remember yourself saying any of the above, while your revenues were in the worst slump since Jimmy Carter, it's because, by the time you asked the question, you'd already missed the boat.

"Guys, do you think we're gunna be late for the boat?"

By the time you ask the question, you're already late.

The Top 20% Always Make Up 80% of Your Sales

This is because that 20% of your customer base, your market, your world makes up 80% of your business. You know the math. 20% of your customers always give you 80% of your profits. That 20% that got the first internet service; that got the first email account: mike@aol.com; that got the first cell phone; is your early adopter, they are your trend setter, they are your influencer. 

That top 20% is the popular kid in school.

By the time you ask the question, you're already late.

The most successful companies never asked, "how do we reduce our social media costs?"

The most successful companies asked, "how do we turn social media into a profit center."

Thinking of social media and social network services as a cost center is like thinking that your sales floor is a cost center. It's like thinking that sales calls are a cost center.

Social networks, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ is where people are. It's where they amass. Being where your customers are is never a cost center. In fact, you don't have to even try to turn social media into a profit center, it already is -- for your competitors.

They jumped in 3 years ago.

So then, going back to the original question of the day, "How Do You Turn Facebook Twitter and Google+ -- Social Media into a profit center for you?" CONTINUED: The 7 Steps to making Twitter Facebook Google+ a profit center for your business.

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Doctors, Engineers, Executives, etc... all take executive level seminars on a regular basis to keep up with the latest changes in technology and their industry - often several times a year. If they don't they'd be bringing a bow and arrow to a laser fight.

Oddly, technology and media are the fastest changing industries and yet most CEOs and Marketing media professionals are still trying to promote and advertise their products, services, events, companies, and retail stores they same way they did since before the internet.

This is why your products and services aren't selling. This is why your web traffic is abysmal. You're still playing by the same rules that used to work when you mailed in post cards to your favorite newspaper columnist.

When's the last time you picked up a newspaper? 

When's the last time you even heard the word, "columnist?"

The rules have now almost all changed. If you don't know the new media and social media landscape light-years better than your competitor, you'll sink back into the obscurity of the masses.

This is what's changed and how you can get your company, products, and services press and news coverage -- by the Top Biotech & Tech Publicists / PR Firms in NYC, LA, San Francisco, Chicago, Seoul, and San Diego. Enjoy.

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In every disruptive shift, a general monolith takes over in a dramatic sweep. There was Rome. There was Ford. There was Myspace.

Rome became a hand full of niche kingdoms. Ford became a dozen niche car makers. Myspace became Facebook.

The only exception to this monolith splintering rule is Facebook. It's an exception now because it has no competition but therein lies it's destiny of failure. If you recall back to Rome, no one kingdom can make everyone happy. So the sheer force of individual preference, as it clusters and clumps together and polarizes, drives the creation of niches. Think of Nike. It was the first shoe that was made of rubber. Well, koreans had rubber shoes for millenia but we will overlook this national anomoly. As soon as the "tennis shoe" event happened, everyone was wearing tennis shoes. Tennis shoes started showing up to work, to dinner, even in bed.

But as soon as the disruptive change occurred, the polarization to specialization simultaneously started brewing. Now, there are dozens of european nations, dozens of car makers, hicking shoes, running shoes, golf shoes, surfing shoes, and yes, tennis shoes. 

What's missing now is the polarized, niched, dozens of social networks. In fact, Ning, Elgg, and BuddyPress are bursting at the seams with raw back pressure. Their days are coming and so are the collections of 15minutes of fame of resilient social network managers who run on any of these platforms. Remember. The only reason Facebook got its start under the tyranical and CSS nightmareous reign of Myspace is because Facebook started in a niche to. It was for college students only.

They've betrayed their niche. Facebook will soon find a knife plunged deep into it's back. When it does, the last thing you'll hear is, "Et Tu Brute?!"

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A few days back, I wrote a simple but business data crucial comparison between Twitter vs Facebook vs Google vs StumbleUpon. For some, it was revealing. For others, it was revelational. And yet, for most, it was Swahili. So, now, in technicolor, here are the 5 slides that explain the two blog posts above. Enjoy and make sure you let your TV Dinner stand before eating!  

1._Twitter_VS_Facebook_VS_Google.pdf Download this file

2._Twitter_VS_Facebook_VS_Google.pdf Download this file

3._Twitter_VS_Facebook_VS_Google.pdf Download this file

Why I Never Use Facebook Ads 

4._Twitter_VS_Facebook_VS_Google.pdf Download this file

5._Twitter_VS_Facebook_VS_Google.pdf Download this file

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Recently, we listed the top Global 100 Top Bloggers to contact for a write up. Sure, you'll get thousands of people who read their review of your product, site, or service, but just as, if not more important, you'll get instant Google placement for what you do. 

@Jason is one of the top bloggers on earth. Actually, he's not. While he still has about half a million followers spread out... He sold his #1 ranking blog to a Major Media house for lots and lots of millions of dollars a few years back and now lives in Brentwood (The expensive part of Beverly Hills).

A Social Media Marketing company jumped on the opportunity to get exposure for their clients. Or did they?

(notice the title and fine print above photo)

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Writers of each blog or publication has a direct relationship with your market

Well, the NYTimes just got thinner again. On the print side they lost 6.1% of their ad revenues. But they gained a 21.2% jump in digital ad revenue. My question is, at a 0.1% (1000:1) Click Through Rate (CTR) Why is anyone advertising at all?

Instead of advertising, you could simply create a direct relationship with your market just like each of the writers for the NYTimes have. Think about it. Each of the Writers of each blog or publication has a direct relationship with your market. That was YOUR market.

If you built a forum and a totem pole around which your market could interact and get to know you, you could finally cut out the middle man, the medium, the ad media. Call 310 598 1606 or email bob.wan.kim@sparkah.com to talk about how you can build a place to hospitably welcome a direct relationship with your market and cut out the middle man (you don't have to buy a Heidelberg Press or Buy FCC Spectrum any more). 

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Prequel: http://sparkah.com/2010/07/12/how-to-convince-your-boss-to-create-a-social-me...

Before you begin to write up a budget for your boss or client to approve, you've got to create a landscape where the final numbers you present will create a sigh of relief instead of a ghasp of panic. Right?

If you try and educate me about the value of VVS, flawless, white 1 ct diamonds after you've shocked me with a $23,000 price tag, you've already lost the sale (not that that is too expensive for you, ladies, I mean, ummm... the right woman). You've gotta create appreciation for the hand stitched Corinthian leather dating back to biblical times, the hand machined throaty V-12 that delivers to your passenger seat the exact same vibrational resonance as an Oral-B battery operated vibrating head toothbrush (?), and the $2000 a pop P-Zero soft rubber tires you'll need to replace at the end of summer. Then, when you tell me it only costs $128,000, I'll think it's a steal.

So here's your ground work:

1. People are spending much more time entertaining each other than via 1 way media.
Newspapers, Magazines, Billboards, and even TV is losing attention. Instead, people, you, are buried nose deep in your iPhone or Android's Facebook, Youtube, or Twitter.

Facebook says that over 50% of their users login every day. If they spend 23 minutes per login checking friends photos and returning messages, thats the length of a primetime sitcom.

Facebook has 400 million active users. The #1 rated primetime sitcom Friends had 52 million viewers.

If you could get an ad for just 30 seconds on Friends or on Facebook, which would you do?

2. Continued: Friend me on facebook for the next point to use in justifying a social media budget http://www.facebook.com/bob.wan.kim ... I'll post it shortly. 

If you want help designing and building your social media marketing, I'm more than happy to chip in or just answer questions:

Bob Wan Qi Kim
310 598 1606
http://twitter.com/journik 
http://www.facebook.com/bob.wan.kim 

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We'd rather see our clients have 400 "real" Twitter followers, who are engaged in regular and meaningful conversation than someone with 20,000 followers who gets three retweets a month

[9:42:58 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Well John, Welcome to the http://Sparkah.com Show!

[9:43:13 AM] John Rarrick: Thanks for having me.

[9:44:00 AM] Bob Wan Kim: So reading your bio... you seem to be reaching the public in the most competitive markets: health, sports, fitness, organics, green... et

[9:44:43 AM] Bob Wan Kim: But does your experience in these sectors cross over for CMOs and Small Business owners in less competitive markets?

[9:47:35 AM] John Rarrick: Well, most of our work is in those sectors you mentioned--particularly the natural food and beverage industry. That's due, in large part, to my past experience. Chuck DeBruyn and I launched BullsEye PR so we could work in the markets that were most exciting to us.

Do you find that many people are are actually doing more harm to their marketing / pr effort than helping?

[9:48:27 AM] John Rarrick: But we often find our selves working in uncharted waters...in areas that are pretty new to us. I find this to be some of the most exciting work, because it exposes you to new people, ideas, and cultures.

[9:50:01 AM] Bob Wan Kim: I can see how with Twitter, Facebook, and the web having us soooooo interconnected... it's easy to crossover into other fields... So for our readers... What challenges do you see most firms and individuals trying to get noticed having today?

[9:54:27 AM] John Rarrick: I see a lot of misuse when it comes to social media. Many newcomers to will use Facebook and Twitter to just sort of randomly spray information out to the masses. That's not what social media is about, and quite frankly, it's bordering on spam. We'd rather see our clients have 400 "real" Twitter followers, who are engaged in regular and meaningful conversation than someone with 20,000 followers who gets three retweets a month. Identify your audience before you start speaking.

Well "work" can often be disguised as "fuddy-duddy", but it still has to be done

[9:55:51 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Ahhh. Interesting... Do you find that many people are are actually doing more harm to their marketing / pr effort than helping?

[10:00:11 AM] John Rarrick: Yes, quite often. It can be very tempting to jump into new technology because we read that Ashton Kutcher is doing it. But once you go down an unproductive path, it's very hard to correct your course. Strictly from a PR perspective, the first thing a we ask prospective clients is "What are your media goals?"  Who is reading about your brand? Where are they reading it? And, what message or call to action are you delivering?

[10:01:28 AM] Bob Wan Kim: WOW... you just dropped a sack of gold on us!

[10:01:32 AM] Bob Wan Kim: OK Wait...

[10:02:55 AM] Bob Wan Kim: So, instead of just opening up an account on twitter and broadcasting a trail of "hope for the best" tweets, you recommend preplanning... any tips on how to do that... for someone without a budget and say bigger firms that are strategic and have the resources?

While his following is not huge, his Twitter peers are very active in conversation, and in turn are extremely strong supporters of the show

[10:03:17 AM] Bob Wan Kim: And isn't all this preplanning kinda fuddy-duddy?

[10:08:40 AM] John Rarrick: Well "work" can often be disguised as "fuddy-duddy", but it still has to be done. Social media is a platform...a tool...another way to deliver a message. However, without relevant content and a qualified audience, what's the point? As for content...yes, you should absolutely have a strategy in place before you start tweeting. Lead your audience to something they will find useful and your tweets will get noticed, and probably retweeted. And by "useful", I don't neccessarily mean something about your company. A hospital administrator could tweet a link to an article about stress releif for nurses and probably get as much traction than some meaningliess link to the company's website.

[10:14:20 AM] Bob Wan Kim: OK... so John, sounds to me like you're equating Twitter to any other broadcast medium. THAT makes sense... people spend a ton of time prepping for a press release, news interview, ad, mailer... etc... but just randomly throw things out there on twitter... EVEN THOUGH twitter has international 24/7 reach! 

Lets build on this "nurse" concept... What industries do YOU see on twitter and how can THEY create valuable well thought out material? any tips? rules of thumb?

[10:21:59 AM] John Rarrick: Twitter really works well among communities that already share a common experience. Since we're on the subject of nursing, we'll use that as an example. Nurses are a rare breed of people. They see things on a daily basis that would make the rest of us shriek with terror, and yet they don't flinch. Most nurses express themselves best around other nurses. This is their audience...the people that understand them most. We produce an audio podcast called "The Nurses Station", hosted by Jim DeMaria, RN. Jim is quite active on Twitter. While his following is not huge, his Twitter peers are very active in conversation, and in turn are extremely strong supporters of the show. He uses Twitter not just to announce new episodes, but also as a forum for the show. He's only interested in reaching other RNs and hospital administrators. For this, Twitter is very well suited.

Rather than complain about the lack of outlets and pitch opportunities, by creating podcast, or even a company blog, you've created your own outlet

[10:26:42 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Hm. that's a very different perspective on Twitter. Use twitter as a forum space for the podcast!

[10:27:15 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Well... which medium recruits more NEW followers/potential customers?

[10:27:51 AM] Bob Wan Kim: itunes podcasts or twitter? AND AND AND... how do you convert them into customers?

[10:29:53 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Another powerful point here is that you are vaulting each medium higher by tying Itunes podcasts AND twitter together!

[10:31:37 AM] John Rarrick: Podcasts are still uncharted waters for most brands and certainly nothing to build a campaign around in my opinion.  However, we've found them really useful in promoting brands that don't lend themselves to conventional PR strategies. For instance, some industries have little or no trade press outlets. If you represent a welding company, there are only so many places to land a story about welding. So...start a podcast about welding, featuring your clients CEO and sponsored by the client.

[10:32:39 AM] John Rarrick: But reagarding your question about which medium recruites more potential customers...currently I'd have to say Twitter. However, in six months or a year I might say something completely different.

[10:33:57 AM] Bob Wan Kim: I like that thinking. THATS a take-away: "some industries have little or no trade press outlets" so depending on whether there's an existing place to be heard or not... effects your strategy.

we've found podcasts really useful in promoting brands that don't lend themselves to conventional PR strategies... some industries have little or no trade press outlets

[10:35:57 AM] John Rarrick: Absolutely. A client doesn't Want to hear the reasons why their brand is difficult to promote...they just Want results. And they deserve them. Rather than complain about the lack of outlets and pitch opportunities, by creating podcast, or even a company blog, you've created your own outlet.

[10:36:27 AM] Bob Wan Kim: John... well... looks like we've opened up a whole can of worms here... Created a whole portfolio of questions but haven't even begun to touch on the answers yet... 

1) If one of our readers Bob Wants to bring your team BullsEye Public Relations aboard... how do they reach you...

[10:37:03 AM] Bob Wan Kim: 2) Can we get you on the Sparkah.com Gmail Chat Show Again to Flesh-Out some solutions in the near future?

[10:37:27 AM] John Rarrick: You can reach us at (212) 671-1080 or visit us at http://www.BullsEyePR.com

[10:38:02 AM] John Rarrick: I've had fun and would love to come back anytime.

[10:39:07 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Excellent! I'd love to spotlight some of your powertips on 

A) how to get in the news..

B) how to grow your own followers directly via social media instead of the press (sorry news guys!)

[10:39:46 AM] Bob Wan Kim: It was good having you on Sparkah.com Gmail Talk Show and to reach you on twitter? What's the best @?

[10:40:11 AM] John Rarrick: @Gus123

[10:40:32 AM] Bob Wan Kim: Perfect! I'll see you on Twitter. talk soon!

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I remember a conference where a Harvard Business School professor spoke. He asked, "If you're going to sell a bible, who'd you rather sell it to? Someone with or without one?"

Most of us in the audience said, "without."

"How would you sell a bible to a non-christian?!" he glared back at us.

"If you're going to sell a bible, who'd you rather sell it to? Someone with or without one?"

"I'd have a much better chance of selling a bible to the fanatic who already has ten of em!"

He was right. There are two kinds of Twitter uers who follow you.

1) Christians and ... oh, wait... People who RT

and

2) People who don't.

In otherwords, there's really no sense asking people who never RT to Retweet a post for you. Is there?

So what I do is make a list of all the people who DO retweet. Then I use an @message asking them to RT me again. AFTER I've RT'd them or Follow Friday recommended them. NEXT: Top 10 Twitter Facebook and Google Viral Marketing Secrets

I have a greater RT frequency than @aplusk. It's true. If you have any questions, i'm at http://www.facebook.com/bob.wan.kim ... how can I help you?

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OR, How to have as many facebook friends as Lady Gaga:

"You're Adding Friends Too Quickly. Your Account Will Be Blocked"

For many reasons including trust, rapport, history, and familiarity, my last post mentioned that 1 Facebook friend is worth about 22 Twitter followers. So now, if you set out to amass a large Facebook friend base, you'll notice a little warning window threatening to block your facebook account for adding friends too quickly.

So what's the rule of thumb? 

Well, starting with a new account, I rapidly added 300 new friends before facebook threatened to ban my account. Since then, I've been adding about 20 friends every few hours. I don't push my luck or go too far because there are warning signs. The suggested friends box normally has two suggestions as you can see to the left. Once you've friend requested about 20, it drops down to just one suggestion. That's when I stop.

I've gone further before but after just one or two more friend requests, I get that infamous warnming message of impending doom. But still, 20 new friend requests times 3 sessions a day gets you 60 new friends a day. At the end of the month, you should be up to 1,800. That's worth almost 40,000 twitter followers.

Regardless of all these technicalities, the real trick is to get people to become your Facebook friends without sending out a single Facebook friend request: http://sparkah.com/2009/12/07/how-to-get-1400-facebook-friends-without-a-sing...

If you have any questions, write on my facebook wall at http://www.facebook.com/bob.wan.kim or call 310 598 1606... Look forward to hearing about what you do...

Continued: Facebook Marketing

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After almost half a decade of Twitter and Facebook being around, nobody seems to clearly understand the pros and cons of either for use in marketing. In fact, I started Googling for a competitive matrix that compared all the key web marketing factors applied between Facebook and Twitter. I Fail.

So I just built one myself. Below is a table that compares these two social media marketing powerhouses across 15 key web marketing criteria. The terms used are industry terms so if you're not sure what each one means, I've also included a video discussion of this matrix below.

In any case, while you can measure a googleplex worth of criteria, in the end, effective marketing simply comes down to how many hours did you have to spend to create a dollar? Will Twitter make me that same dollar faster than Facebook? Twitter vs Facebook CTR and social media marketing matrix:

So how do Twitter clicks look compared Facebook clicks over time? With Twitter, You're going to see a jump in the beginning and a rapid tapering off. After about an hour, your Tweet gets buried. Facebook however doesn't really have a CTR spurt. It stays constant over about a 12 hour period before your Facebook status post gets buried.

TWITTER:

FACEBOOK:

Now that you're equipped with data that helps you project your marketing and advertising ROI, you'll find that creating the above conversion rates and CTRs are not as easy as it seems. Especially since Facebook has a 5,000 friend limit, you'll have to start using Facebook pages.

Continued: Facebook Marketing

Then you'll run into another can of worms. So if you'd like professional and experienced help marketing your company, call me at 310 598 1606 or just bring any questions you may have to http://www.facebook.com/bob.wan.kim

Look forward to meeting you.

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