Social Media is Social Selling

Tips for using social media effectively to grow a business

1. Start slowly
Start on Facebook, Linkedin, Google+ and/or Twitter. You don't need to be on every platform

2. Make a plan
Put it on your calendar to post a couple of times a week. Define what you want to achieve, who's going to manage your social media channels and what metrics you'll use to measure success

3. Start a conversation
Engage with fans and followers, answer their questions as quickly as you can. Listen to what they have to say and thank them for their comments. Ask questions, create special offers, run polls or hold competitions to encourage activity.

4. Be Genuine
Too many professionals feel they have to put up a phony front. Remember, we're all people with the same successes and failures. Facebook is quite different from LinkedIn, so keep that in mind when posting and commenting.