I Know Social Media Marketing Has Really Arrived When …

On the same day I read in the Sept. 19-25 issue of TV Guide about the fall TV shows each with their Twitter usernames (e.g., @HOUSEonFOX, @NCIS_CBS, @BodyofProofABC, @nbcsvu) and the September California CPA magazine's cover story "Using Social Media to Find Your Firm's New Talent."

TV shows and accountants. Quite a range of business models.

Of course, neither TV shows nor accountants may be using social media effectively. But at least TV shows and accountants have gotten the message that social media should be an arrow in their marketing or advertising or promotional quiver.



Every so often I hit a "follow" limit on Twitter. (I do NOT follow back automatically; every Twitter account I follow I have personally followed.)

When I get notified by Twitter that I can't follow any more people, I go to www.manageflitter.com to see who that I'm following is an inactive Twitter participant – and I unfollow those people so that I can follow more people who interest me.

I just did this so I could follow the four TV shows whose Twitter usernames I listed above. And what surprised me is, given their business models, how many accounts that are inactive should be active!

Often the problem, I suspect, is the lack of understanding how to effectively utilize Twitter for creating business connections.

If this is true of you, read my Business Chopstix post "Do You Understand the Power of Twitter for Businesses?" now.

I realize that people often get frustrated because they don't see immediate results from participating on Twitter (or other social media sites).

Here is the thing:



Social media is NOT an overnight miracle worker. You must be willing to put in time and effort to reap results. And you must be willing to share information and not just try to sell your products or services.

In addition, while other social media sites do not require daily participation in order for you to be effective, Twitter is the one site where daily participation is important. In fact, my business partner Yael K. Miller and I caution clients not to start on Twitter if they aren't willing to commit to daily participation.

But – and this is an important but – Twitter need not take hours a day. Once you have set up an effective Twitter profile and have a strategy for connecting with people who might be interested in what you have to offer, you can easily be an effective Twitter participant with less than 10 minutes 3 times a day (morning, afternoon, evening).

(For help with setting up an effective Twitter profile, get our FREE report.)



If you are an active Twitter participant, you, too, can follow your favorite TV shows or favorite accountants on Twitter. And you can also follow me at @ZimblerMiller and Yael at @MillerMosaicLLC.

© 2011 Miller Mosaic, LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the marketing consulting company Miller Mosaic, LLC, which offers "done for you" and "do it yourself" social media services including marketing-focused WordPress websites.

Visit Phyllis' "about" page on Google Plus.

View information on Phyllis' books and ebooks at http://budurl.com/PZMbooks