Congratulations to 3 lucky winners!

Congratulations to 3 lucky winners for winning 3 months of free social media management and 1 month text marketing (a $1400 plus value)! What a great way to take advantage of the savings, to learn more about social media and how it’s beneficial for business owners and individuals alike! This contest is officially over for the month of June 2011. Stay tune for another chance to win other prizes for upcoming future months. Thank you to everyone who participated!

June Special Offers! Ends June 30, 2011 @12p EST

For the entire month of June 2011, we’re giving away Basic Social Media Package for 3 months and 1 month Text Marketing FREE for the first THREE new clients (a $1400 plus value) by becoming a fan and mentioning "JUNE OFFERS" on our Facebook’s wall www.fb.com/ismllc. If we receive the first 3 clients, this offer ends.

If you are new to social media and do not have Facebook. Twitter or LinkedIn accounts, this is a great way to introduce you and or your business to social media for FREE for 3 months! We will create and manage your social media profiles for months and experience Text Marketing for one month, free. We will also teach you how to manage your social media profiles so you can manage your accounts and engage with your customers afterwards (text marketing not included after one month).

If you already have your profiles, we will review your social media profiles and recommend “upgrades” and share tips based on our findings on how to increase your visibility online and offline. We’ll help you optimize your social networking profiles!

Offers include:

Basic Social Media Package - $1222 value

• Custom package of up to two (2) social media profiles of your choice including graphics design based on your branding, backgrounds, logos and avatars for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
• Profile choices – Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
• This package also provides you with 1-2 status updates a day 5 days a week on 2 networks.
• Spam maintenance, friend requests acceptance and or follow back on this basic profile management plan.
• Client to provide all logos, graphics and images.

Text Marketing - $200 value

• 4 updates a month or once a week
• Updates need to be received at least 3 days prior to event date, etc.
• Company Keyword (CompanyName), if available, is additional $50. Have company keyword for your Customers to receive updates directly from “YOU” or have them *TEXT "GetOffers" to 41242 to reach out to the masses and potentially gain new customers! *Msg. and data rates may apply.
  
• Client to provide all logos, graphics, and images.

For details, email us at ires@isocialmobile.com or connect with us on Facebook: www.fb.com/ismllc. Hurry this special offer ends June 30, 2011 @12p! Also, once we receive the first 3 clients, this offer ends.Visit our website at www.isocialmobile.com for more information.

Twitter For Restaurants, Anyone? It's Free!

You’ve heard it, seen it, and probably have used it. Someone even told me, it’s better than email. What is Twitter? It’s a micro-blogging Social Media tool enabling folks to send messages to up to 140 characters or “tweets” to be exact, in the social Twitter stream. Messages can be informal or formal such as “How are you doing?” or “I’m in a Restaurant in Atlanta and I just had this awesome meal!”

Why Use Twitter? 

1.      Market and Communicate -- if you have a business, brand, or service you want to promote, you have to market it to the world. Yes, marketing it to the world will do too. After all, Twitter is both local and global because Twitter is one of the many social media tools you can use to promote your business, brand, product and services online. 

2.      Network with like-minded people online. Business networking is nothing new. In fact, it’s essential in order for the business to succeed. Acknowledge and reach out to others as frequently as possible and before you know it, you have created your network!  

3.      Twitter as a conversational enabler system. If your business has a blog, share them. If you have some useful tips, or facts, share those too. Introduce yourself to new followers, respond to their questions and stay engage with your audience. Converse often and they will follow. 

How can a restaurant use Twitter?  

Restaurant Owners:

It’s simple, easy and quick! If you already have an audience, spend a couple of minutes a day or every other day interacting with them. Ask them about their favorite dish, dessert or if they would like to see something new on the menu. Or in general, provide information about your restaurant, location and even daily specials. In addition, inform your audience of any upcoming events held in your restaurant. Perhaps offer something irresistible like free dessert, free entrée and a bottle of wine for the first 5 customers who come to our location on specific day and time. As you can just imagine, Twitter can help salvage a slow night or lunch by offering specials.

One important strategy to help build your “followers” in Twitter is to follow people and to also follow them back. Don’t forget to engage with them frequently. After all, people like to communicate and Twitter helps you with this easily. But, remember following a number of people in Twitter has limitations to 1000 only. In addition, daily updates, including re-tweets (re-posted messages either from you or other’s re-tweets) per day is down to 1000. For additional technical information, visit ~ http://bit.ly/iK7S91

 

Suffice to say, use Twitter to help you market your business, build your network and converse with people. You never know, you may just like it! And best of all, it’s free! Or at least the last time I checked it. :)

Advertising has gone Mobile! Text “CompanyName” to “Numbers!”

I’ve recently noticed that my bank now offers “Text Banking” to all their bank customers. They have this feature for a while now and I think it’s a great idea! It basically allows their customers to get information about their account within seconds via text message. Customers can check their balance, check recent transactions or receive bank updates. An easy, quick and secured access to accounts gives customers a faster way to connect with their bank at a push of a button! Of course, you have to check with your bank to see if they offer this text mobile feature, but that’s easy to do! Some banks would even let you enroll online nowadays.

Mobile Marketing, Text Marketing, SMS, Wireless Marketing or other names associated with mobile marketing per say, is one of the latest trends in advertising. It allows “senders” such as business owners or companies share information while you’re on the go. Having this feature is convenient, fast and inexpensive, especially for business owners who are interested in reaching out to the masses and even potentially gain new customers in the process. You text “CompanyName” to designated 4-5 digits and Viola! In a few seconds after you sent your text, you receive their information via cell phones. Message and data rates may apply but if you have unlimited incoming text plans, like most cellular phone carriers offer to their customers these days, it is an inexpensive feature to acquire on your phone.  

Advertising has gone mobile, needless to say! Text messages are sent every second to subscribers. Subscribers can opt-in and opt-out easily if they no longer wish to receive messages from companies. But if you are like me who wants to stay up to date with companies I frequently visit, whether they are restaurants, shops, doctors, etc. and receive their latest discounts, amazing deals, special offers, upcoming events or check on my bank account, I remain a subscriber! Of course, it doesn’t hurt if they offer mobile marketing to take advantage of this marketing campaign. 

Want to see it in action? Text DEMO to 41242 or click here and see how it works! You can always opt-out or continue receiving updates from my mobile marketing campaign and take advantage of deals sent weekly. I love mobile marketing – it’s one of the great ways to support my local businesses.

If you'd like to receive discounts, special deals, or upcoming events from Atlanta businesses and nearby cities, Text "AmazingDeals" to 41242. Msg. & Data Rates May Apply. Text STOP2End. 

How my QR Codes helped my business. What are QR Codes?

iSocialMobile

By now you may have seen a QR code or two affixed almost everywhere on websites, numerous magazines, books, Facebook fan pages, or even from toy cartons, coffee cups, t-shirts, coupons, and business cards!

After all, QR Codes, also known as Quick Response Codes are one of the fastest and easiest ways to share information digitally. QR code consists of two dimensional barcodes designed in a square pattern encoded with your information such as your website link, phone number, and other pertinent and valuable advertisement. In order to “read” these codes, you scan these with your Smartphone using a QR reader app. It then transfers your information or decodes it immediately to your smartphones like iPhone or Android, etc. In fact, many people I know, including myself use this feature as business card. 

This leads me to tell you a story of how my business card helped me one day. On my way to an appointment riding an elevator destined to arrive on the third floor, I couldn’t help noticing two women riding the elevator with me discussing about QR codes, what they were, what they mean, and their purpose. Actually, they called it something else but I digress. It was obvious they were unclear of these codes, so I politely joined the conversation by asking if they would be interested in seeing a demonstration of how these codes work. They looked amazed and interested enough so I pulled out my business card and my Android phone. As their anticipation grew seeing their expression on their faces what I was about to do with these items, I explained that in order for my phone to “read” the code, a reader app needs to be installed on the phone which can be downloaded for free. It also helped if you have a smartphone as this works well reading these codes. I then pointed the camera side of my phone on the code as if I was taking a picture and in a way, I was, then viola! Seconds later, the information was downloaded on my phone and I can take the information everywhere with me! At this point, they wanted to see it in action, they pointed their iPhones on my QR code and my information was transferred onto their phones right before their eyes. The elevator opened, appreciations were exchanged, we bid our farewells and I didn’t see them again…..until weeks later, I received a phone call! It was one of the ladies who kept my information on her phone. She called to ask me if I would be interested in managing her social media platforms after looking up my website generated from the code! I think you can guess my answer at that moment. Good thing a direct link to my website, phone number, and email address were on that code! I not only gained a client, but also gained exposure of my business and services. The rest of the story is, shall we say, history? 

Tips:

If you have a personal / business website, blog site, or any information that you would like to share, you can create your own QR code. It is simple and quick to create. In addition, I have found a couple of sites you can go to that will enable you to generate your own code for FREE or at least the last time I checked. 

• http://reader.kaywa.com/  -- You can also download the reader and generate codes from here. This site also enables you to select varying sizes of your code(s).
• http://goqr.me/ -- You can develop your code(s) with text, URL, phone number or even a vCard which includes your name, address, and organization/company name. Varying sizes of codes and colored codes are also available. 

Kaywa is the one I mostly used and I never have a problem with it. I haven’t tried the colored codes, yet and I am not sure of their reliability in regards to contrasting colors or readability; therefore, please do your own testing and preferably on both of these generators. 

The days of ordinary digital advertising may be passé with the increasing popularity of Quick Response codes and smartphones that in no time, I would not be surprise if the next time you and I visit our local stores, coffee shops, or local places, we see signs of these codes affixed on almost every product out there. Then again, perhaps the 3D version is just around the corner as well.

3 Ways That Could Harm Your Social Media Networking

Being new to social media let alone to social media networking or social media marketing can leave you dazed and overwhelmed. After all, there are articles after articles written, videos created, and social media information shared, discussed and even taught every millisecond. Social media is about developing relationships. It is about staying connected with people, educating them with the latest and coolest apps as well as sharing and applying these techniques to their social functions or businesses. Anyway, if you are like me, learning social media could be a never ending task. In fact, and if you let it, it can even turn you into a social media perpetual student!

Let's fast forward. Here you are with social media platforms accounts from either Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WordPress and more. In the beginning you are excited to learn about this trend, interacting with folks with various backgrounds and posting messages on a regular basis. Few months or even few weeks go by, your interactions, Tweets, etc. declined. Unfortunately, if you are trying to build your business, promoting your brand, and reaching out to the masses [new and current clients] by utilizing social media platforms, not developing or neglecting your accounts may hinder your goal or productivity.

So what are the 3 ways that could harm your social media networking?

• Stop updating your profiles. Don't let your Facebook, Twitter or other accounts go inactive. Do update them regularly. if you have several accounts set up at one time, there are several tools such as TweetDeck, SocialoOmph, or even Seesmic you can use that will integrate your posts or send updates to all your accounts at once. If you are currently using an iPhone or Android, download these apps to your phone to update your status. However, be careful not to automate your updates more than usual as this is not beneficial. Do keep in mind that people like to interact directly [see next tip].
  

• Stop interacting with people. Social Media is about building relationships and staying in connection with people. If you stop interacting, they will do the same to you. Do remain in contact with both your current and previous followers from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms. One way to do so is retweeting their posts or mentioning their posts to your online connection. This is easy to do on Facebook, Tweeter and LinkedIn. Another is to follow your followers as well as try to get into a habit of adding and inviting a few followers to your profile. In doing so, it helps you build your connection as well as your online presence. In addition, fanpage owners love it when new folks "like" their Facebook fanpage.

• Stop learning about social media. As mentioned before, social media could turn you into a perpetual student. After all, there are millions of information about this subject and learning them all is next to impossibility but it is interesting, nonetheless. Learning about the latest technology and coolest trends, such as the QR Code [Quick Response] or Mobile Marketing and much more can be fascinating. Hence, social media is about being "now" rather than being "later." However, and just like your profiles, updating your knowledge on this topic is not only important but essential if you have the desire or the interests to become skilled in this area. If not, that's OK too; however, keeping yourself on the "know!"

Hope this post is helpful. Would love to connect with you on and I will do the same :)

• Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/ismllc
• Twitter -- http://twitter.com/iSocialMobile
• LinkedIn -- http://www.linkedin.com/in/ialliston

How Social Media Is Beneficial For Restaurants

If you’re a business owner, specifically, a restaurant owner, multitasking is a key element dealing with staff, managing customer service, event planning, accounting, advertisements, decorations, vendors, inspections, inventories and even down to the menus and specials for the today. To say the least, there are a lot of on your plate! Being an owner and or a manager of a restaurant is hard work but it’s also satisfying to see that all that hard work and effort come to fruition.It’s an amazing feeling!
But, let’s face it – social media is probably the last thought a restaurant owner has in mind. After all, they are either busy managing their business, busy learning about social media and put it to good use or simply may have heard of it, but unsure where to begin. Knowing how to market your business using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn  and to gain visibility online is not always easy or time consuming but it’s possible. Let me show you the advantages of having a social media profiles for your business.

Facebook -

1. If you already have a personal account, create a fanpage that will enable your customers and future patronage to check you out online. (If you don’t have a personal account yet, create a simple one. Remember, you will need a personal account first before you can create your own business fanpage).
2. Offer discounts or specials on a regular basis to entice customers to come in and dine at your establishment by posting information online daily or weekly.
3. Encourage your staff to inform your customers to check your Facebook Fanpage. In turn, also invite your staff to “like” your fanpage to grow participation and involvement with your employees.
4. Use the search option to search people who may be interested in your restaurant and interact with them – better yet, “friend” them!
5. You can ask questions to your customers and audiences, and answer questions directly and privately as well.

Twitter –

1. Similar to Facebook, this type of platform encourages business owners to gain online presence and brand awareness.
2. Setting up a Twitter account is simple to do. You can create your profile using your restaurant name or even your name, if you’d like.
3. Again, similar to Facebook, you can also search people who maybe interested in your establishment.
4. The best way to gain “followers” is to also follow them, interact with them and to “Retweet” (RT) their comments or posts online. ‘
5. Remember that Twitter only allows 140 characters so conversation will be short.

LinkedIn –

1. This is an ideal place for businesses, executives,  and entrepreneurs – but truly anyone really who wants to establish their “brand” and “brand awareness.”
2. You can also search for specific target customers. Do make sure that your LinkedIn profile is filled out completely so that readers can view your profile completely.
3. Similar to Facebook and Twitter, you can also communicate and stay engage not only your customers, but also leaders in the same field or other fields.
4. You can also have your customers endorse or recommend your restaurants by simply posting their announcements about you, customer service, staff, etc.

Social Media is a great online networking tool that almost, if not everyone can use and be a part of. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn are user-friendly enabling everyone to utilize it’s potential to grow your business, increase brand awareness and online visibility. As for restaurant owners, it’s a great way to offer discounts on a regular basis without print ads or the high costs associated with it and still remain connected with customers as well as a larger audience online.

3 Top Social Media Manager Passions

Social Media Manager, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Networking and even Social Media Virtual Assistant are important terms, or keywords that social media team players as well as social media enthusiasts love to read, learn and or write about. After all, social media is the “it” brand nowadays in regards to marketing your company, products and services both offline and online. In addition, social media is an implementation of developing and building social authority. Large corporations, small firms and entrepreneurs utilize social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, WordPress, TypePad, Plaxo, FourSquare, and many others in some level. If not, they will soon enough.

Enter Social Media Manager. What is a social media manager (besides being sociable)? Social Media Manager interacts, engages, researches,  writes, knowledgeable about social media and manages social media platforms on a regular basis. He or she is a marketer and a social media marketer. She or he loves to learn about the latest technology and applications and embrace them. Having said all this, what are the three (3) top passions of social media manager?

1. Passionate about helping people. They love to interact with people on a regular basis. In fact, they thrive on human interaction.You will find them socializing in many events, conducting webinars or teleconferences, and or hosting an event. Did I also mention they love to share their knowledge as well?
2. Passionate about education – whether educating people or bettering themselves, they are continually learning, reading and writing about social media. In addition, they love to show people what they know, what they’ve learned and how to implement what they’ve learned into marketing efforts. In any case, they are often, if not always, hungry for more knowledge.
3. Passionate about social media. They are huge  fans of social media. They may not always know every plug-ins or techniques from all social media platforms, but they know enough how to implement and utilize them. If not, they will find a way to learn it. They are natural-born seekers of anything social media.

Social Media is a key tool in marketing a company and branding awareness, but just the same, social media manager is also an important element. Social Media Managers can assist companies and entrepreneurs grow their online presence and monitor (also called as “analytics”) their brand awareness both online and offline. They are strategic gurus, educator and brand-builder.

Facebook’s FanPage Importancy

If you are a business owner, a social media guru or a Facebook friend with business owners who has a Fanpage, more than likely, you know what a FanPage is and know the significant factors a FanPage can bring to individuals and business owners. For instance, FanPage can:

1. Bring brand exposure and recognition of your business, organization and cause(s) to the next level of marketing, especially on Facebook.
2. It adds value and trust as people always like to work and be involved with people they know, like and trust.
3. Engagement – interact, discuss, and communicate with your followers, prospects anytime.
4. You can link other social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. from your FanPage.
5. There are millions and millions of Facebook viewers and users – why not join us with your custom FanPage?
6. Last but not least and the bottom line is…..it brings enormous promotion of your services and products to your network online, offline and the public.

Do make sure you, the owner of the business or the developer of the business create your company’s FanPage and not under your employee’s personal Facebook account. If they are the admin for your page and iff they leave the company, and or delete your page, you may not be able to access your FanPage account.

If you have a Facebook account, let’s connect there too and don’t forget to “Like” me
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ISocialMobile-LLC/152013371521993

Famous Twitter Quotes That Inspire!

A compilation of famous Twitter quotes stated by famous people over time.

1. Social Media puts the “public” into PR and the “market” into marketing. Chris Brogan, President of New Marketing Labs, chrisbrogan.com.
2. Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard with your face on it. Erin Bury, Community Manager at Sprouter, erinbury.com.
3. LinkedIn is for people you know. Facebook is for people you used to know. Twitter is for people you want to know. Author Unknown – Via socialmediatoday.com & Via Jay Baer, Convince & Convert.
4. Focus on how to be social, not on how to do social. Jay Baer, Convince & Convert.
5. Social Media is a powerful communications tool. But it can’t be approached with traditional marketing messages and positioning. In the Social Media world –chest thumping and “me me me” marketing is the fastest way to send your audience packing. Rebel Brown, rebelbrown.com.
6. If you’re a brand marketer looking at this as a creative way of just getting that one-time transaction done, you’re not recognizing the power of social media and how consumers are playing in the marketing space. Chris Perry, President of Digital Communications at IPG.
7. We’re living at a time when attention is the new currency. Those who insert themselves into as many channels as possible look set to capture the most value. Pete Cashmore, Founder of mashable.com.
8. “140 characters ought to be enough for anybody..”-Bill Gates

Who would have thought you couldn’t make a powerful statement using only 140 characters or less….
Sources credit to:

1. Ingrid Abboud – http://www.famousbloggers.net/66-awesome-social-media-quotes.html
2. Social Media – http://blog.awardspace.com/top-30-funny-quotes-about-twitter-by-famous-people

Social Media and Bridgestone Tires?

If you watched 2011 Superbowl XLV last night, Packers Vs. Steelers, then you already know the winner. Both teams played well but Green Bay Packers won 21-17 against Pittsburg Steelers. Besides the game, most of us were also eager to watch the newest and innovative commercials from companies such as Mercedes, Audi, Doritos, Budweiser, GoDaddy, Groupon and much more, for the year. After all, these commercials would be the talk around the water cooler the next day or two in the office and social settings.
However, do you know how social media is just like the Bridgestone Tires’ commercial called “Carma?” If you have not seen the video, feel free to watch it by clicking “Watch Carma”. As described by Bridgestone’s Facebook content [here], “It’s the belief that one’s good driving deeds do not go unrewarded. In this memorable tale, a chance encounter on an idyllic woodland road puts one driver’s fate squarely in the paws of a very special little beaver. What happens next may change the way you drive forever.”

How is this video about tires remotely relatable to social media or what is the analogy between Bridgestone Tires, a man and a beaver to social media? Simple, social media is a tool much like the tires in the commercial. The Bridgestone tires caused a reaction between the man and the beaver to communicate in some level. They’ve even formed their own dialogue in the end. Social Media, as a tool, is about developing relationships and allowing you to connect with more people in different levels. Social Media creates an impact in some level, engages relationships anywhere and holds no demographics. Also, much like the Man and the Beaver in this commercial, building relationships in social media requires trust; after all, social media is about building trust and the authentic connection between people.

As I quote Bridgestone’s commercial ending, “It’s Bridgestone or nothing,” and same can be applied to social media, “It’s Social Media or nothing.”What happens next with building relationship and trust may change the way businesses and entrepreneurs think about social media.

What is Social Media?

To quote one of the most influential, successful woman and social media guru to this date, Liz Strauss @lizstrauss of Chicago, she will tell you that “social media would be any object or tool, that connects people in dialogue or interaction — in person, in print, or online. In common usage, social media has come to mean a category of practices, technology, tools, and online sites that are based in social relationships, participation, and user-generated content. Social media adds a more personal context to the traditional business relationship” (http://bit.ly/gaDWyR).

What is Social Networking? 

“Most literally, social networking would be meeting and making connections and relationships — both business and social — online and offline. In the lexicon of social media, social networking involves establishing an online presence and connecting regularly with other people and businesses who have done the same. Connections are made through hyperlinks and references embedded in personal profiles, comment text, audio comments, podcasts, videos.

Social networking sites provide efficient ways for individuals (and individual businesses) to find and connect with friends and colleagues, to establish new relationships and deepen them, and to introduce friends and colleagues to each other. Many social networking sites also offer platforms for discussion of topics that a community or network finds mutually interesting or beneficial.

In the most concise terms, a social network is a group of like-minded individuals connected by a common interest” (http://bit.ly/fQsl2C).

About Liz: 

Liz Strauss is “a social web strategist and community builder. Coming from a background of publishing, business, and instructional design, Liz understands how people perceive a blog, a product, and an experience — how the head and heart engage to make a fiercely loyal customer. She can articulate what makes things irresistible — what keeps people coming back — from literacy, editorial, design, and marketing sensitivities.
Liz works with businesses, universities, and individuals to help them understand how text, words, and images work in the culture of the social web. She has over 20 years in print, software, and online publishing, and has strategized with publishers in Europe, Australia, the UK, and Ireland. She was recently a featured speaker at the Cass Business School of City University in London and taught a Master’s Level class at the CityU School of Pubishing.

Liz is a founder of the highly successful business bloggers conference SOBCon — which has gained the partnership of companies such as Intuit, IZEA, ReveNews, Walmart, Colgate, Allstate, and Klondike Frozen Treats, as well as the attention of BusinessWeek, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the Innovation Initiative of the Kellogg School of Business. She has been named to the Top 100 Social Media & Internet Marketing Bloggers Top 100 Most Influential Marketers of 2008, the 50 of the Most Powerful and Influential Women of Social Media, NxE’s Fifty Most Influential ‘Female’ Bloggers and her blog is listed on Alltop Social Media and Alltop Twitterati.”

Our Inpiration and Motivation....

And, Viola!

Inspiration and motivation are two important words, at least in my mind. For some of us, inspiration may have pursued in the earlier phase of our life, or for some, in the later part of our life — slowly, quietly and surely. Yet, inspiration is like fingerprints – different for everyone. Different for you and I. My inspiration comes from different reflections and or sources – sound, photos, people, etc. and could be different from you and others and the same goes for others. However, in some level, we were both inspired.

Motivation is energy. It awakens us.  It gives us vision – a mental image of what we want to achieve and it strengthens by the level of our desires. Motivation grows with our ambition, gives us courage and certainties to succeed. Nonetheless, motivation awakens us, pushes us forward, and encourages us to take action to make our vision a reality.

Inspiration and motivation play a significant part in our lives. It gives us creativity, enthusiasm, emotions, desires, directions, visions and reasons to act. Yes, it gives us an impulse to act. For me, the sources of my inspiration and motivation are my family and from within myself. I am here to begin this new journey in my life. A journey into the social media realm.

Nonetheless, and among other things, without inspiration and motivation, there is no inspiration….

Thank you for reading my very first post!

Thank you kindly,

-Ires