We’re in the midst of a social media revolution that threatens to reshape the Middle East. The impact of this revolution appears to be transforming media, marketing and advertising in ways that are not yet fully understood.

In the past the advertiser ruled. Now the consumer has the upper hand and a two-way conversation has replaced yesterday’s pitch fest.

I learned a little about what to expect in a revolution as a history major in college. After reading leading works about the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution and other revolutions involving third world nations, I came away with one key lesson:  the only constant in a revolution is change.

Already the current media revolution has wreaked havoc on traditional media – newspapers, television, radio and advertising. In recent years, Google and other search engines led the way. But now with the emergence of giant social media networks, all the rules have changed.

Now real people can publish their own messages, pages, pictures and videos and they no longer tolerate one-way conversations.

These dramatic changes have left whole industries in disarray. For example, I belong to a group of published authors on LinkedIn where the big question is will the printed book survive? With the introduction of the Amazon Kindle and the Apple iPad, these writers are rightfully asking  how these changes and the growing acceptance of eBooks will affect their livelihood. 

Staying on top of all of this change is a daunting task for any business. I can write something only to find that some new wrinkle has altered the landscape entirely.

Several recent studies suggest that we are closer to the beginning of this revolution than the end. I suspect that if we could travel 50 years into the future we might not recognize the media and marketing vehicles.

As a student of history, I would never have imagined that a revolution that began in 1917 with the deposing of the Russian Czar would ultimately culminate in the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.  As a kid, I used one of those black typewriters with round keys and no power source. No way could I have imagined reading a book on a wireless device that could pull new content out of thin air?

My point in all of this is that you should expect change. In business school, they teach you to not only plan for opportunity, but for the worst case scenario as well. This is not an environment where you can grow complacent.

To get a better idea of what I mean,  you should read two recent posts on ClickZ.com, a site I monitor to stay up on changes in the Internet Marketing space.

Learned Helplessness in Marketing

Facebook Ads Get Half the Clicks of Network Banners

Just when the experts think they have it all figured out, some new innovation changes everything.

While you don’t want to respond to every new twist or turn, you do need to adapt to the sweeping changes with strong headwinds. And I suspect that social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube will point the way to the future.

To learn more about the trends taking shape in Facebook marketing, grab a copy of Facebook Marketing Secrets by joining our list.

Franchon Beeks

 Like millions of Americans, Franchon Beeks has a day job. But unlike most of us, she gets to indulge her creative side once a month by producing and performing in her own artistic expression shows alongside some of her favorite local musicians. 

Franchon, A.K.A. SuiteFranchon, is a poet performer, author, live performance producer and community advocate. Usually she performs to packed audiences, which she attracts using two popular marketing vehicles – mobile marketing and Facebook. 

Franchon is not alone in discovering the power of mobile marketing and Facebook as promotional tools. These high-tech tools seem to work so well because word of mouth still reigns in the Web 2.0 era. As major corporations and marketers everywhere are learning all over again, people are much more likely to be influenced by their friends and family. 

“As an entertainer, FB (Facebook) is the best,” Franchon says. “I have been able to expand my fan base and create a network of people who love and appreciate live artistic expression.  I recently set up group & fan pages to promote my last event.” 

How Franchon Uses Facebook and Mobile 

When the details of her next production are set, Franchon updates her Facebook page or group – Suite Franchon. Then she gets on the horn – via her cell phone – to everyone on her mobile list to spread the word. 

Her loyal audience knows they won’t miss a show if they are following her on Facebook, or part of her mobile list. And as word spreads of Franchon’s colorful performances, her lists grow. 

Franchon said she avoids Facebook Invites because everyone’s email is clogged with them and often people don’t look at them and respond any more.  “So, the group page allows me to target those who show a genuine liking to what I do.” 

If you are not on Facebook or using mobile to promote your local business, you should definitely give it a try. Be sure to visit Suite Franchon on Facebook to sample one of her performances, and if you happen to be anywhere near Wilmington, Delaware on the last Friday of the month, you should try to catch Franchon live. 

As you may know, Facebook surpassed mighty Google in 2010, with the largest audience online at any one time — more than 500 million visitors in a single day. And as consumers spend more time on Facebook than they do anywhere else, the site is beefing up its search tools and advertising vehicles. 

But don’t think you can spam your way onto the site that focuses on social interactions. There is a right way and a wrong way to engage people on Facebook. Get it wrong and you could get banned forever. To learn more about how to turn Facebook into a powerful marketing vehicle for your business, grab your free copy of Facebook Marketing Secrets by joining our list. 

We’ll provide list members with lots of great extras about Facebook marketing, mobile marketing and internet marketing in general, so you don’t want to wait. Join now! 

Just in:  

SuiteFranchon Presents is working on a tour for 2011. For a publicity package or to schedule an event in your area, contact her at suitefranchon@yahoo.com or (302) 442-1223.

 We’ve talked a bit about social media marketing, but now it’s time to get serious.

Nothing is hotter right now than Facebook which has about 500 million members and is beginning to give Google a run for its money in both the search and advertising arenas. This is something no small business owner can afford to ignore.

Proposed Savvy Fan Page Logo box

But what is the best way to capitalize on all those raving Facebook fans. My sources say the best way is to create a Fan Page on Facebook. So that is what I am planning to do but I need input from my current fans. I created a graphic to put on my Fan Page which I haven’t published yet? Please tell me what you think.

Also leave a comment of the type of information you would like to see on my Facebook Fan Page.

1. What information would help you develop and promote your blog?
2. What would help you with your small business marketing?
3. What hot buttons are you struggling with right now that I could help you research?
4. Tell me if you have already setup a Facebook Fan Page? What’s on your page?

I have a brand new special report on “Facebook Marketing Secrets” which I will share with anyone who comments. I also will be giving this report away to anyone who joins my new social marketing club. So leave a comment below or add your name and email address in the box on the right to get your copy of Facebook Marketing Secrets.

Thanks for your help and tell me when you create a Facebook Fan Page for your business.

Marcia Ming

Lightning storm - a metaphor for business calamity

You’ve worked hard to attract thousands of followers on social media sites like Twitter. Some of your income and marketing efforts are linked to your social marketing strategies.

So what happens if a server crash suddenly wipes out your thousands of Twitter followers? Or your fan page on Facebook?

Case Ernsting, who writes about social media on his MetaSpring blog, practically had a meltdown of his own when his list of Twitter followers dropped to zero Monday after its servers crashed.

You can read more of what Case learned by reading his guest post here: http://www.webtrafficroi.com/180-minutes-without-tweeps-a-live-blog/

His experience raises important questions for business. How do we protect our companies against calamities that occur on sites we don’t own?

Is this a vulnerability social media will have to overcome if they are to play a major role in the marketing world of the future? What do you think? Leave a comment to share your thoughts or experiences.

Marcia Ming

Making social marketing pay for your business

If you are looking for ways to make Twitter and Facebook more useful in your marketing, you will want to check out 21 tips for using twitter for business by Brian Solis.

 Although many of his examples refer to big business, small business owners should find food for great ideas for their own marketing. This blog post is full of specific uses and great examples. It is one you will want to save for future reference.

 Not only is Twitter a great place to generate buzz, it’s an even better tool for market research. Specifically, you can monitor customer dissatisfaction as a way for you to identify opportunity, Solis explains.

It’s also a great way to segment information to different users in the way Ford Motor Co. uses different twitter accounts to reach car enthusiasts with different interests.

You can check out Brian’s blog or read his new book, Engage.

If you are an avid user of social media, you may have tried a strategy that worked well for your small business. Why not share it with the readers of this blog by adding a comment below.

Marcia Ming

Blogging is probably the closest experience I have had to reporting for a daily newspaper.

I say that because your latest post goes on top with the date it was posted. There’s a lot of pressure to post frequently to build an audience and to keep search engines happy.

Once when I was covering businesses in Wilmington, Delaware a reader reminded me that it’s the one position where everyone can see your productivity. If you fail to post to your blog for awhile, people are likely to think you aren’t working. Not true.

I have been silent for a month or two, but I have been hard at work: 

• Building a couple of websites for clients
• Learning more myself about affiliate marketing with two powerful products: Commission Blueprint 2.0 and Affiliate Launch Blueprint (I plan to review these products soon)
• And learning how to be a better blogger by improving my knowledge of WordPress.

In my quest to be a better blogger, I have been studying some of the best bloggers I know in my niche — people like Lynn Terry, Clicknewz, who I mentioned in my last post and blog sites such as ProBlogger.

Click on the cover to order from Amazon.com

I am reading a book by April Hodge Silver and Hasin Hayder, WordPress 2.7 Complete to find the answers to all the questions about blogging that are hard to find in one place. And I have downloaded several blogging products which I will tell you more about in the future.

I’ve always preferred XSitePro, which I use to create static websites. It makes page design a snap (for non-technical types) once you know how to use the software. Although I am a trained writer, I enjoy the creative process of building my own pages — by adding graphics and other elements to enhance the reader’s learning experience.

Still, there comes a time when you cannot ignore the benefit of two-way communication. And blogs allow your readers to talk back.

Writing can be a lonely process. You learn, of course, from the people you interview while doing your research. But nothing compares with hearing from your readers. Nothing is as valuable as getting immediate feedback when something you write connects with your readers. 

For that reason alone, you may decide to blog.

So in future posts I will share some of what I am learning about blogging as I struggle to be a better blogger myself. Stay tuned.

Marcia Ming

P.S. Now that you know how much I value two-way communication, please leave a comment and tell me about your marketing challenges or experiences with blogging.

How to Write a Product Review

Lynn Terry has written a great post on “How to Write a Product Review.” If you review products as an affiliate, you do not want to miss her post.

The Internet is full of people telling you what to do to make money online. Lynn is one of a few people who actually show you how. I like her ideas, tips and reviews so much, that I signed up to receiver her newsletter. And so far it’s been well worth it for me.

I do not currently have an affiliate relationship with Lynn, but I may sign up if she offers an affiliate program — her advice is that good! Go here now to read her blog post: How to Write a Product Review.

Making the Best Use of Twitter

Everyone is trying to understand how to maximize their return on Twitter, the fastest growing social media tool around. I just discovered a great new blog about Twitter — TwitterWatchdog.com created by Skeeter Hansen and Al Ferretti.

With one visit, I was able to download their “Twitter Success Guide 2.0″ and get a special secret link to to 47 videos on how to drive traffic to your website or blog. You don’t want to miss this. Don’t tell anyone, I am sharing this link: 

http://twitterwatchdog.com/promo/training_videos.html

Well, I’m still reading my email, so I’ll see you later. Let me know by posting a comment of what you think of these two great resources. Take care.

Marcia Ming