Let’s focus on Facebook for business. Most of us sit down,  jump on our Facebook pages and check to see who has left comments, who is doing what and if there are any interesting articles or posts from business associates, friends, or maybe even potential clients.

Then, it’s time to engage. Which leads me to ask, what is your social media style? I have broken it down to four ways most people interact on Facebook (and other social media venues).

THE COASTER: This is the person who likes everything. They scroll down their newsfeed and click like everywhere. They coast along, not engaging and thinking (mistakenly) that by liking they are cool. Not so much. This is a person who doesn’t want to get involved or maybe has nothing to say!

THE ROASTER: This person has plenty to say, but it’s usually sarcastic or not on topic. They like to be controversial, egg people on, say something edgy that might not be appropriate in the public stream. They challenge people are antagonistic and frequently get unfriended on Facebook. They contribute, but not in a positive way.

THE BOASTER: We all know one or two boasters! It’s all about them, all the time. What they have to sell, how much money they made, where they are being invited to speak, present, guest blog. They don’t interact, they announce and flaunt.

THE TOASTER: A giver, a person who engages, stops to comment and celebrates others’ successes. They share links, direct people to interesting content and often share posts from pages that are of interest to their Target Market. They get it.

What is  your style on social media? Coasting along, not being involved, roasting others efforts just to be ornery?  Boasting about how wonderful you are? Or, toasting your fans, followers, friends and attracting referrals? Do you know people in each category?

Laurie Hurley is the Founder of The Social Networking Navigator and likes to think she is a toaster.

Some of my clients do not think it’s important how they look on Social Media, especially their own sites.  Take Facebook, for example. The new Timeline for businesses went into effect on March 30 and many people still have not posted a cover photo. The space Facebook gives you to put a really nice visual in place to attract attention should at least have a nice photo!  When I ask people why they haven’t jumped on board, I hear all kinds of answers. Thought it would be fun to share them with you and provide a solution for each excuse I hear.

1) I don’t know how.  Boy – that is easy to solve. Just go to the Facebook Timeline directions and follow them.  Takes maybe two minutes!

2) I don’t know what kind of picture to post. Ok, here you have to be careful. Facebook has rules as to what you can and cannot do and it’s pretty simple. No selling, posting your phone number, website or having any other kind of “call to action.” Here is a wonderful blog post that explains it really well.

3) I don’t know what to put in the smaller box.  Ok, so let’s say you grab the Timeline, come up with a fabulous cover photo and you are stumped as to what to put in the smaller profile picture box. My suggestion is either your logo, if it’s not on your cover photo or a nice picture of you, so people can identify you, your product, or service. Keep in mind the size of the profile picture is 180 pixels wide by 180 pixels long.

4) So now my Facebook page is set up. What do I do next?  This is the most important part. Start engaging, posting relevant material that  your Target Market wants to read about. Follow the 80/20 rule – 80 percent of the time you are posting informative tips and techniques, story telling, encouraging conversations. Twenty percent of the time, you can sell, offer your specials and discounts but be certain to tell your audience why they need you. Take their pain away. Solve a problem. Respond to posts, don’t just hit “like”.

5) How do I make time to even post on Facebook? Well, my friends, if you have fifteen minutes a couple of times a week you can schedule one to three posts. I use Post Planner because it’s easy, intuitive and it works!  Check it out. There is no need to have a fabulous looking Facebook business page with no content or consistency of content.

So, there are some ways to look good on Facebook. Can you think of any more that you would like to share?

Being visible on Social Media is important. But, being consistent with excellent content is even more valuable in order to deliver your message to your audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field.  Don’t worry if you aren’t well versed in every social media platform. Focus on what you are good at!
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Laurie Hurley is the President and Founder of The Social Networking Navigator and helps small businesses and entrepreneurs overcome their overwhelm in the social stream.

Who ever thought training for a half marathon would teach me something about social networking? I sure didn’t when I was in the midst of long exhausting runs on dusty trails. In fact, social media wasn’t even on my radar then – about five years ago. Today, being a social media coach, mentor, consultant and speaker on all things social media, I give advice, cheerlead when necessary, and help small business owners and entrepreneurs conquer the fear, confusion and overwhelm many of them experience when finally deciding they need a solid sales and marketing strategy that will bring results.

It occurred to me this past Sunday on my morning run, that many of the tips I learned about preparing for my first 13.1 mile race apply to assisting a business person dive into social networking.

1) Always start out slow – if you speed ahead quickly, you will run out of steam. So true when racing and very true when attempting to learn Facebook for business, Twitter, blogging, You Tube and more. You can’t possibly do it all at once. Pick one venue, attain a nice comfort level and then move on.

2) When running rocky trails, look where you want to place your foot, don’t look at what will trip you up. Having not heeded this advice in my early running days, I know this to be true! Look at that pointy obtrusive rock and you are guaranteed to step on it and slip or fall. Same thing with social media. If Facebook for business is your goal; focus on it 100% and learn how to be engaging, interactive, influential, and educational. Even though you may see posts in your stream done on You Tube, if you are not there yet and do not know the strategy, don’t attempt to shoot a quick video, post it without tagging it and thinking hard about the right title. One step at a time!

3) Don’t push through the pain. Slow down, walk and stretch. Being a survivor of foot surgery, this is a big one. The “no pain, no gain” theory just doesn’t apply. Being authentic online means working at your comfort level. Sure, it’s OK to push yourself a little and get beyond your limiting beliefs, but if you truly have not embraced Twitter, for example, don’t tweet yet. If it’s not enjoyable for you and you see no point, your readers and followers will pick up on your lack of enthusiasm. This is not worth your time.

4) Be consistent with your training runs, for it’s far easier to increase your mileage if you run at least five days a week. This training tip is so applicable to social media. Show up, consistently. Making a brief appearance on Facebook once a week or writing a blog once a month will do nothing to establish yourself as an expert in your field. Schedule your time on social media on your calendar – preferably 30-45 minutes once or twice a day and stick to it!

What “training” tips do you apply to your social media strategy? Are you getting the mileage you want from your efforts?

Laurie Hurley is an avid runner and social media coach who finished her first half-marathon in 2:22 at the age of 52.