#GetOrganized - Participate in Groups on Facebook & LinkedIn

These days, no matter what business you’re in, you have to pay attention to social media. Chances are you have spent a lot of time (and probably money too!) developing a great social media strategy. You work hard to make the most of your pages by keeping them up-to-date and relevant. You design your posts with engagement and collaboration in mind and you race to keep up with the latest trends. Even with all of that, you may not be taking full advantage of a key social media channel—groups.

The main difference between a page and a group is that groups are, by design, collaborative. The whole idea is to have conversations, build networks, and interact with people you have something in common with. Right now, the place to take part in groups is on Facebook and LinkedIn. Both of these platforms have made a big push to get their users to participate in these mini-communities. If you aren’t already active in groups, now is a great time to get started.

So how do you get the most out of social media groups?

The first step is to think about your goals. You want to engage with others who are like-minded and may be interested in buying your products. You may also want to become established as an influencer in your industry space so that people will turn to you when looking for advice, insights, and trends. Being an influencer can help both your personal and business brand.

Do Your Research

Regardless of your goals, you need to do a little research to find groups that are appropriate and relevant to your business and your interests. Once that’s done, jump in. It’s easy to lurk – that is, sit on the sidelines and watch – but to make the most of groups, you have to really participate. That means commenting, contributing, and being a worthwhile part of the conversation.

Decide What Works For You

Once you become active in groups, you’ll notice that all of them are not created equal. At first glance, a group may seem to be the perfect fit when, when it is really just a repository for spam, and there is no real give and take. You can scratch that kind of group off your list. Instead, look for groups that are truly interactive and at the same time allow you to get the word out about your products and services. Many groups now set aside a particular time to allow people to present what they have to sell to others in the group who may be interested. Put these promotional opportunities on your calendar and keep track of them. Otherwise, you may miss the chance to connect with someone who is already sold on you and your company.

So, take a fresh look at your social media strategy to make sure that you have included groups. These tools are a great way to make contacts, build your network, and improve your company image. You never know, you may just find that you make new friends and have some fun too.

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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+,YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars

#GiftYourBusiness - The Gift of Team

As we cover different ways in which you can gift your business this holiday season, we need to focus on adding team. For many small business owners, it can feel overwhelming tackling all the different aspects of owning a business. There is a lot that goes into what you do that is most likely outside of your passion or your calling. Or there is a stack of work that keeps piling up but you haven’t been able to figure out how to find more time in order to tackle all of it. If either of those cases sound like you, it’s time to find help.

What Type of Help Do You Need?

When it comes to finding help there are a variety of different methods available to business owners. You could go find and hire an employee. You could hire a company or vendor and outsource the work. There is also the possibility of hiring an independent contractor on a project or task basis. What are the differences?

Employee

An employee is someone that works for you and you are in charge of the work, the output, the hours and other aspects of the role. As a company, you will need to provide equipment, space, payroll and a set number of hours. An employee will represent your company and all work will be completely under your control. This can be an expensive choice for small businesses in the beginning due to the overhead costs of hiring your own team member.

Vendor

There are plenty of reputable companies available that specialize in the type of work you need help with. Contracting with a company for a project or service is as simple as finding a landscaper or plumber for your personal residence. You’d contact them, interview them, discuss costs and payment and set up an arrangement. The project, staff and delivery method would be discussed up front but that is where your control of the work ends. However, you would be able to terminate the service at any time without fearing legal repercussions.

Independent Contractor

An independent contractor is a blend of the two options. They can be tasked like an employee but provide their own equipment and set their own hours. You would pay them like a vendor and would not need to be concerned with payroll or benefits. They have control over how they accomplish the task given, but you can work closely with them to establish a better working relationship than you would be able to with a company or service provider.

Using Social Media to Find Team

There are a lot of traditional ways to find and recruit team members. However, since my realm is social media I’d like to focus on using social to find help. The first step in transitioning connections into team is to make sure you have built a brand, company culture, with your own social media.  The impact of attempting to recruit using social is that interested team members will go to your social media first to determine whether or not to work with you.  By focusing on your social media you are building a funnel of connections automatically – so, attracting the right type of connections will be so much more effective. This is a way to encourage the right person to want to sign up for what you do even before you start posting for help.

Ask Your Network

The first thing to do when seeking help using your social channels is to simply post asking for referrals. In your vast network of followers and fans, someone will probably know a person that is able and willing to do the work you need help with. Be sure to bring it up at networking events and ask for suggestions in that network as well. For Twitter, plan to post at least once per day that you are looking for assistance. On Facebook, plan a post per week until you find what you are seeking.

LinkedIn

When thinking about recruiting, people often think of the local classifieds, staffing agencies and top recruiting websites. However, LinkedIn is not only the social media platform for businesses and professionals but it also has a fantastic built in recruiting area. While you could pay money to post a job ad, try just posting an update asking for help first. Your LinkedIn network will see your update and might know a great place for you to look!

Use Groups

Facebook and LinkedIn both have group functions that can connect you with a like-minded group of individuals. It’s a great spot to ask for help or simply to ask for ideas on where to find help. Utilize the expertise and knowledge of the people in these groups to find the team members you need to be successful in the new year.

Finding team members via your network or social media is not a complicated process and doesn’t take up a lot of time. However, locating a valuable individual to help unload your plate so you can focus on being more strategic is a great way to start off the new year on the right foot. I want you to #BeAwesome in all that you do and that is why spending time this month to #GiftYourBusiness will help you become more successful.

~ Social Media is changing the way people do business.  Don't get left behind ~ 

Be sure to Follow us and Let's Engage!

Hollie Clere, of The Social Media Advisor is a "#BeAwesome" Developer, Social Media Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn,Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+ , YouTube,Pinterest, Instagram  and the tools to manage them. 

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars.