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Interview With Bill McCartney: 5 Steps To Getting Noticed Using Social Media

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 08:31 AM PDT

It's no secret. If you want to attract more customers, you need to invest time and effort into visibility (online and offline) – both for you and your business. And while social media marketing is playing an increasingly large role in whether you get seen online:

Are you clear on what your social media strategies should be?
Have you tried it and been underwhelmed by your results?

Yes? Maybe?

I had a chance to interview one of Northern Ireland's most celebrated social media strategists, Bill McCartney; and here are his top tips on what it really takes to get noticed online:

Bill, what are the most essential things SMEs need to do to get more out of social media?

Good question. But before you start or do anything – it's important to establish what social media is 'not' about.

It's not a quick fix – it's going to take time and effort
It's not digital marketing – it requires different skills
It's not about selling – it's about influencing

Makes sense, but why do you believe social media is about 'influencing'?

It's like a phrase we use all the time in a business-networking group I chair – "Givers gain".

Social media offers a plethora of online networking forums. And the people who do best from these tend to have 2 traits:

They engage through conversations
They display and share their expertise, helping others in the process

And the 'being helpful' bit is absolutely vital.

If you take the tack of making what you do all about yourself, you'll get nowhere. But if you give freely of yourself, others will respond in kind.

In addition to focusing more on giving than taking, what else makes a difference in social media?

Speak in your own voice instead of corporate speak. Show your personality and be enthusiastic.

Just like when you meet people at a function, social media users enjoy spending time with people who have 'something about them'.

Someone with opinions is always more interesting than the guy who just agrees with everyone but doesn't add to the conversation.

So don't be afraid to speak up. And get involved.

How much time does it take to get involved and make an impact through social media?

This is a common question and it's important people don't think they can do social media in 5 minutes a day – that doesn't work, any more than a fitness product that promises you a flat tummy in just 5 easy minutes a day won't work.

If you're going to get involved in social media, you need about an hour a day to make things happen.

But when people ask me where they'll find that time – I tell them to look at what else they do to drum up business.

See if you can't substitute time spent on things that aren't doing much for you – like cold calling – and spend that time on social media instead. You shouldn't feel you have to find extra hours in the day.

One more thing - in addition to online actions, how important is it to work on offline presence as well?

Vital. You don't live online.

You do business with people and there's nothing like meeting people face to face to strengthen relationships.

And if you get the chance to speak to your target audience – using the kinds of skills you teach at The Reluctant Speakers Club – you really have the chance to build Advocacy.

In fact, that's really what it's about online and offline – you're building a network of people who advocate each other and generate word of mouth.

Over to you

What tips would you share about what it takes to succeed in social media circles? What has worked for you and what would recommend SMEs avoid?

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Shhhh... Listen! Do You Hear The Sound Of The Leadership Coach Coming To Your Business?

Posted: 18 Jun 2012 05:38 AM PDT

OK. I've made a big mistake. Some years ago I developed a fantastic and successful leadership and management training program, and even wrote a workbook to complement the training, Leadership in the New Economy. Along the way I decided to call it a manager as coach program, since it appeared to train managers in organizations to become coaches with their employees.

I've found that interest in training managers as coaches is not as keen as training someone to become a leader. See, leaders can make things happen. So what's the mistake? Managers, well, they manage and are viewed as risk averse. Leaders are viewed as risk takers. Think "EXCITING" and "STEADY." What's your preference?

Are Managers Really Boring?

What I realized however, is that some people view managers differently than leaders; that managers, by virtue of their focus on following process inhibit change, creativity, initiative, and innovation; that they don't, well, they don't lead. Sounds scary huh? Well, let me ask you

do we need managers to bring our businesses to growth and success in this new economy?
or do we need leaders; leaders who will work with their employees to create a vision for growth and success?

See, I have always had a problem with trying to distinguish a really great leader from a really great manager. To me, they're synonymous, if that is what you focus on developing in the leader as manager. Yes, the leader as manager, or to satisfy others, call it the manager as leader. What's the difference you say?

Are the terms interchangeable, and if so, what are the differences? Let me ask you – if the objective to each term is the same – is there a difference? I will argue that there is not. And I don't need reference to dictionary definitions – I've read them.

Seeking Convergence and a New Paradigm in Management

I'm not going to develop a long-winded justification for either. What I am going to do is advocate for both. Why – because we need someone to advocate for the convergence of the terms, the values, and the need in business big and small to embrace the opportunity that exists when we unleash the initiative, innovation, and motivation potential that exists within our workforce.

See, I already can see, as pundits argue that we are 2+ years into the recovery from the "great recession" that it's going to be a long time before the economy grows like it did prior to the recession. The assumption is that there has been little change in the way we do business, so, the growth patterns will be slow due to that lack of change.

Do we need to agree with that point of view? Or can we truly develop a different approach to business leadership?

If we allow the collective capabilities of those who produce and serve to restrict their initiative, their intuition, their interest in change for the better – well, the recovery will be slow and altogether not much different than what nearly ground the economy to a halt 4+ years ago. And it may take quite a few years more to recover!

The Leadership Coach

When I speak of a leadership coach – the leader as coach – I am strongly suggesting that our business owners need to be willing to lead their staff to exercise their initiative, intuition, and interest in change. Learning how to lead and coach is a crucial factor in enabling employees to innovate and take initiative, and engaging that owner as a manager is a key piece in accomplishing this objective.

And to move our collective economies into a new paradigm of growth and prosperity.

Am I losing a bit of my marbles? I think it's critical that a new leadership paradigm develops that merges the leader and manager within business into a leadership coach so that the employees we bring into our corporate midst can evolve each business and our economy with their talents, values, and behaviors - as well as their zeal and zest for initiative and change. Call me an idealist - I can handle it.

Are You Ready To Change Focus?

If you are ready for a change in focus, if you are ready to develop a leadership and management structure within business that leads, guides, and manages employees by using successful coaching methods then let's begin to train those who run our organizations to become visionary leaders as coaches, and let's redefine what a traditionally viewed manager, supervisor, and leader – yes leader – is able to do by learning how to enable and unleash the full extent of employees within business.

I have faith that it can be accomplished – and am willing to help others to acquire the faith and determination to succeed. You game? Then let the dialog begin.

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marți, 19 iunie 2012