A Holiday Greeting...

 

www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

 

Happy Holidays from LNT!

Happy Holidays from LNT Social Media Training!

 

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Looking to end the year with a Social Media boost for your business?

We're still booking sessions leading up to 2013 so be sure to contact us today for your one-on-one session.

Need help creating a Facebook page?

How about USING your Facebook page for business?

Not sure what Twitter is or how to manage it?

Need ideas for what to post on your LinkedIn account or creating a group page for your business?

Let LNT help!

We specialize in training for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Blogging from beginner to advanced users.

 

What we've been up to...

 

LNT Social Media Training presented the

"Business Basics of Social Media" at the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce 'Women Mean Business' event in November.

 

Lauren N. Tice of LNT Social Media Training

 

We enjoyed presenting and networking with a wonderful group of women and sharing new Social Media ideas for the businesses that attended.

 

If you are interested in booking LNT to speak at YOUR business event or meeting contact us to find out more!

 

www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

 

 

 

Until next time,

 

Stay Social

~LNT

 

 

Social Media & YOUR Business: 5 Helpful Tips

Fall is in full swing and LNT Social Media Training has been keeping busy lately with lots of exciting new clients!

Today, we would like to share 5 helpful tips to kick start

Social Media for YOUR business...

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1.) TIME!

Set aside time each week to focus ONLY on your Social Media accounts. This could be a simple fifteen minutes a day or once a week. Having a "scheduled" time set aside to manage your Social Media will give you the practice and patience to really take your online presence to the next level. 

2.) INTERACT! 

Communicating with your fans and followers is key to Social Media. Make sure you are tweeting, liking & supporting posts and updates from your fans and other businesses. 

This can really help grow your Social Media and in turn have others interact with your business online.

3.) SCHEDULE!

Learn how to use the scheduling features on Facebook and other Social Media management tools such as Tweet Deck and Hoot Suite. These tools are amazing for managing sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Blogging sites also offer scheduling options, which is a great idea to manage posts. Such sites make having multiple Social Media sites much more manageable when you have a busy week ahead of you and not enough hours in the day. 

4.) LEARN!

Take the time to learn about what is going on in the Social Media world. Set aside some time to do a little research on what works for other similar companies or ask for advice from mentors or business partners and friends. We had so much support when we first started out from other small business owners in our area and learned SO much by reaching out to others and supporting their businesses as well :-)

5.) DON'T GIVE UP!

There are always weeks that will be slower than others. 

Weeks when you will only get a couple "likes" or followers and you might want to give up on Social Media...DON'T!

Your fan base will continue to grow if you put effort into your posts and updates. Remember to keep material interesting for others to keep coming back to YOUR business Social Media sites. 

It won't always be easy, but once you get that FIRST customer or new contact from using FREE Social Media, you will see that hard work really does pay off.

We hope you enjoyed our tips and if you are looking to book a one-on-one training session with LNT Social Media Training check out our website by clicking here!

October Specials!

Check out all of our October specials at this link.

You won't want to miss out :-)

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Hope everyone is having a great Fall so far!

~LNT

Social Media {Networking}

Hi again~

Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day off and we're excited today to share some networking tips for Social Media!

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Your Social Media Network is a very important tool that can be used to not only get NEW business and clients but manage and maintain current clients and contacts.

Networking through Social Media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others can help you in this process daily!

Here are a few tips we found helpful when networking through "Social Media"~

*Start with your own personal network and grow your contacts from it! 

You can communicate with others you are already linked to and find out about networking groups and how to really become active in the community you already belong to.

This will lead to other networking opportunities, take the risk!

*Join FREE online networking groups and become ACTIVE. 

This is so important especially for a new businesses(like us). 

Joining a networking group and interacting with others could bring you not only new clients but friendships and mentors that can offer help and suggestions to you. 

* Don't just limit yourself to ONE networking group. 

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there and make sure your business has a presence you can grow on many Social Media networking sites. 

We have found this very helpful when posting information we think that others might find interesting or want to pass along to their clients.

* It's not ALWAYS about the number!

As a new(er) business we had to really try to grow our Social Media presence and quickly. 

We recently hit 100 "likes" on Facebook and over 100 followers on Twitter and we are continuing to try to grow those numbers daily. 

The important thing to remember though is that you want to be able to manage and communicate with your "followers" and have them interested in what you are posting. 

That's it for today!

If you are interested in learning more about how Social Media can benefit your business contact us today to help...

www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

*Don't forget to click the blue "follow" button to get updates and posts from our training blog or follow by email!*

~LNT

Social Media Management {Tips}

Hello!

After two much needed summer vacations we are now back and eager to help clients with their Social Media needs as we move into Fall.

Today we will be sharing some helpful suggestions for managing your existing Social Media networks and sites. 

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Here are a few TIPS we have found helpful for clients-

*Set aside a certain amount of time each day/week for Social Media, we suggest 15-30 minutes either at the end or start of your day! 

* Use FREE Social Media Management sites such as www.HootSuite.com or www.TweetDeck.com, both are very helpful in managing ALL of your Social Media at once(and they offer scheduling for your posts, genius!). 

*Ask for suggestions or insight from your fans and clients! Posting a survey on Social Media sites or just a mere tweet or status update can cause quite a buzz!

*Don't become overwhelmed, Social Media is a great way to grow your client base and enhance your business online, so use it to your advantage, but don't feel pressured into always posting, etc!

*Seek help if needed, don't know where to start on Facebook, Twitter or how to start a blog? Other business professionals are great resources and of course Social Media Training businesses like ourselves that offer one-on-one sessions for a low cost!

*Make it FUN, we say this a lot but it really is true. If you aren't having fun with Social Media, what is the point? It can only HELP your business so WHY NOT? :-)

Hope you enjoyed our Social Media Management tips and be sure to check our our website for new specials we're offering and our services!

www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

Is your business utilizing social media? It should be! {Guest Blogger}

Today we have a very exciting guest post from Adrian Brooks, she also has a passion for Social Media like we do and you can check out her blog with more posts by clicking here!

Many business’ are catching on that the use of social media can immediately boost their business and become the pinnacle marketing tool they need to reach the masses. Many of the big corporations are utilizing social media. However, it is the smaller businesses that have not joined the social media trend because they may not know where to begin or not grasp how beneficial it really could be. Though social media marketing is a relatively new idea and perceived as a younger generation niche, marketing through social media sites is only going to grow larger and become the only way to market. This being the very reason why it is important to educate business owners now on how to utilize social media for their company, before they fall too far behind the trend. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and even the new-comer, Pinterest, can be the only marketing a business will ever need. Making it even easier, is how these sites now correlate with each other. Gone are the days of commercials and print marketing. Though they still exist and are used, they are considered ‘out of touch’ and a slower method within society. Social media has now dominated the marketing world and is on a fast-track to being the only way of reaching customers, in the quickest amount time. Technology and social media feed into the fast paced lifestyle that our society thrives on. We seek information and deals quickly which businesses on social media can deliver.

Business owners that do not understand the social media world and may not know where to even begin are seeking help from social media professionals and marketing organizations.  Some businesses, large and small, have even begun hiring social media specialists’ positions as part of their Marketing/Public Relations department. Social media professionals can give business owners the education and building blocks they need to help market their business successfully. So business’ owners make sure you are utilizing social media and reaping the benefits that it can provide to you and your business!

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By: Adrian Brooks

Thank you Adrian for sharing & remember if you need help taking YOUR business to the next level by using FREE Social Media, contact us today!

www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

~LNT

Social Media Marketing: Do's & Don'ts

Do's and Don'ts of Social Media Marketing!

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Do's

DO set up accounts on all the Social Media sites

DO attempt to become active on Social Media sites for your business benefit

DO ask for help when needed

DO take Social Media Marketing one step at a time

DO look at other businesses similar to yours and ask for advice

DO make an attempt to communicate with others on Social Media sites, you never know who could end up your customer OR even refer you to others :-)

Don'ts

DON'T be intimidated by Social Media, one step at a time!

DON'T over post on Social Media sites, less content is sometimes MORE.

DON'T be afraid to ask for help when navigating or setting up Social Media sites.

DON'T limit yourself to just one Social Media outlet, they are FREE!

DON'T give up if you don't see results, it takes take to establish a business on Social Media

That's it for today, hope you found our tips helpful :-)

**Check out our special valid until the end of July, $10 off ANY Social Media Training Services!

Contact us today at www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

~LNT

Social Media Marketing {Benefits}

Today, we'll be sharing some of the benefits of Social Media Marketing!

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—Connect with clients/potential clients.

—Post about news in your business.

—Share events and networking opportunities.

—Promote your business products/services.

—Gain more “branding” for your business.

—Communicate with customers and other businesses.

—And of course it’s FREE!

If your business needs helps with learning how to use Social Media contact us today at www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

~LNT

Event {Networking}

Come out tonight to support Lady Ashley Designs at this great event!

*Effective immediately, Lady Ashley Designs has "Teamed-Up" with Anastacia's Floral Design located at 8826 N. 56th Street in Temple Terrace.
Join us on Thursday, June 21st from 5:30-7:00 PM at Shamrock's Ale House in the River Run Preserve Shopping Center at the corner of 78th Street and Temple Terrace Hwy. for our "Kick-off" Party. There will be light appetizers and drink specials.

Stop by for an opportunity to chat about our new venture*

LNT Social Media Training is donating a 1 hour Facebook Training Session ($50 value), see you there!

June Special!

Check out our June SPECIAL!

Facebook one-on-one training session only $30 (one hour) until end of June! 

*

Contact us today to book your session and learn how to create & maintain a Business Facebook Fan page. 

Appointments will be booking up quick so contact us today!

~LNT

www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com

Branding & Social Media

Today we'll be discussing "branding" and how you can help achieve a strong brand status among your Social Media sites.

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You can use Social Media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all to build your brand.

What is your "brand" you might ask? Your brand is what consumers think of your business(or you!).

Think of McDonald's, we picture the yellow arches, insurance companies often have catchy tag lines that always remind you of them and cities often have interesting slogans to make an impact on you either the visitor or resident. We recently attended an awesome seminar on "Branding" and came away with so many amazing insights on what truly a "brand" is.

You want people to remember YOUR brand.

You can do this by doing a few things through your Social Media sites to achieve the branding desired.

Here are a couple tips I have learned over the past few months:

• Make sure your logo, company colors, etc all match. This is the first thing a consumer sees representing your company(and yourself so wear your colors!!) so make it bold and make it something they will grow familiar with when they think of your business. Think of yourself as the brand and the main thing you are "selling" to others.
• Use Social Media to interact with your customers/future customers. If you have a  "mission statement" or any other tag line use it throughout your different sites to grow your branding and image.
• ALWAYS be a good representative of your brand, whether you work for a company or own your own business, whenever at a business function be professional and through Social Media outlets such as blogging and Facebook/Twitter. Create a separate business account for more professional related contacts and a personal account for home life. This is just our suggestions that have worked for clients.
• Remember: You want to be positive, trustworthy and someone YOU would want to do business with. If you don't believe in yourself why would someone else??

Hope you learned a little about branding today and contact LNT at LNTSocialMedia@hotmail.com if you need help setting up your Social Media sites to take your "branding" to the next level!

~LNT

Social Media {Blogging}

Hi there!

Hope everyone is gearing up for a fun Memorial Day weekend :-)

Today, we'll be talking about how to use Blogging to grow your business through Social Media.

I have found Blogging to be a very valuable(and free!) tool that can be setup through sites like www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com to use yet another source of Social Media to connect with your customers(and future customers).

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Some business owners ask us "What do I blog about"? That is the best part about blogging.

You can blog(or write) about anything you desire!

I like to blog about Social media since that is what my company is about but blogging is a way to communicate through articles and little "blurbs" if you will about topics related to your business.

Different ideas to share on your blog are interesting facts or specials your company is having, articles related to your business industry, news and events or even just insights to what your business offers to clients.

I have found blogging a great way to meet more individuals or companies that "follow" along with blog posts and can be potential clients(or just interested readers). Others can share your blog posts which will give your business even more exposure.

If you need help setting up a blog for your company contact LNT today at www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com to see how we can help :-)

Social Media & Networking

Hi everyone!
Been a couple of very busy weeks but hoping to write some more informational articles and eventually host some seminars in the next few months. Today I want to talk about how you can use Social Media to your advantage at a networking event. I go to many networking events and organize them for my daytime job so I have come in contact with many small business owners.
The first thing you want to have done are perhaps some mini flyers or cards you can pass out at these networking events with you Social Media site links on them. You can choose to focus on just Facebook or Twitter to start out(or even your blog link) and hand out these mini advertisements for your Social Media sites to get people interested in "connecting" with you in more ways than through your website or email alone. You can even have a link on your business card if you would like, just something interesting that will catch someones attention and make them want to go look your business up on Social Media perhaps when they go back through their business cards from the networking event.
I think this is a great tool that can be done for a very nominal fee and that will help to get you those new customers that perhaps use Facebook or Twitter a lot and to inform them about your business and what YOU are all about.
Hope this helps and I will be providing more tips in the future.
Please feel free to send your questions our way and we will try our best to answer as many possible in upcoming posts.

*$99 Complete Set-up special is still going on through May so contact LNT today to make your appointment!
~LNT

First Event {Open House/Networking}

Hi everyone!

Hope you have had a wonderful week and I just wanted to say a special thank you to everyone that came out to our event last night at Lady Ashley Designs :-)

We had a great time networking and I can't wait to have more of these events and Social Media Training seminars in the future. I will be returning next week with some tips and tricks for your Social Media Marketing but wanted to share a few pictures of our event.

{Event setup..I had some new marketing materials made and had wine/snacks for everyone, also lots of door prizes donated by some of the attendees, Scentsy Wickless Candles, Velata, Lady Ashley Design and LNT}

{Some of the event attendees(including some amazing friends that have been a great support system to me)}

*So now it's your turn, comment with your Social Media questions and we will feature them on our blog next week with our answers!

~LNT

Great Article!

Check out this feature article about us on the Temple Terrace Patch today!

http://templeterrace.patch.com/articles/lnt-social-media-training-ready-to-help-businesses-grow?ncid=newsltuspatc00000001#comment_3205533

Hope to see some of you at the open house/networking event tomorrow at Lady Ashley Designs!

~LNT

Open House Event!

We're having our first ever open house/networking event later this week!

"Like" us on Facebook here to find out more, would love to see/meet some of you :-)

I will be giving away a complete Social Media setup package(valued at $150)!

-LNT

Twitter..does it really work?

Hi followers!

Today I will be writing about Twitter and how you can use it for your business growth. If you already have a Twitter account how often do you "tweet"? I think if you start off by posting tweets about three times a day you are on your way to growing your contacts within twitter and making NEW contacts.

By tweeting your business specials, information, insights or just responding to your "followers" comments in general you will start to build up your Social Media presence and attract others to your tweets. Being interesting while tweeting is always in your advantage. No one wants to read the same tweets over and over or tweets just about what you offer ALL the time.

Make your tweets interesting! Post about WHY you started your business or maybe highlight a client of the week or special interest. By keeping others interested in your "tweeting" you will not only gain more clients or contacts but keep yourself involved in the Social Media outlet of Twitter.

I hope these tips helped today and if your company needs help with setting up a Twitter account or wants to learn how to tweet we can help!
lntsocialmediatraining.com

-LNT

Social Media Tips for Facebook

Hi friends!

Today I will be sharing some tips for using Facebook Fan pages to the advantage of your business Social Media Marketing.

When I log into Facebook, I first notice status updates. I am more likely to look at a status update with something interesting like a special or promotion with a picture, then JUST text. I try to tell my clients to put interesting images or even their logo or something seasonal in the tag line of their status update. Put something interesting that YOU think would catch others attention. Using caps or interesting/exciting wording can really make a difference.

I often tell business owners that having a Facebook fan page isn't enough, you have to be active with posting. This will let your customers and future clients know that you are available and interested in communicating with them. There is such a thing as also posting TOO much.

These are a few tips that I hope you find helpful with your Social Media Marketing.

Not sure where to start with a Facebook fan page or what to post?

We can help you from the very beginning. Contact LNT Social Media Training today at LNTSocialMedia@hotmail.com or see our current April special at www.LNTSocialMediaTraining.com
~LNT

Social Media Marketing and HOW to do it..

Hi followers!


Happy Friday & hope everyone has a great holiday weekend.

Today I will be writing about Social Media Marketing and provide a few tips of how to make the most of your social media sites. It is not only important in today's business world to HAVE social media for your business, but to be ACTIVE on these sites once they are set up. 

Your social media sites will be of no benefit to your company if you don't post on it at least a few times a week and keep up with it. I suggest to my clients to start off by posting two to three times a week on ALL their social media sites(yes blogs too!). I know this might seem like a lot for someone that isn't used to being online as much, but trust me it will not only help your business but help you gain more social media skills to further your growth in today's technology. 

Another suggestion I give my clients is to post VALUE over quantity. For instance, don't post continuously about your website or what your services are. Change it up a bit and feature a monthly special or have a "fan" contest on Facebook. It'll keep your customers interested and draw NEW customers into your fan base. Social Media Marketing is different for each company, but consistency always wins. Reach out to your customers and make sure they KNOW you not only care that they choose to do business with you, but that you also appreciate them. 

That's my social media advice for the day, keep on being "social". 

Don't forget for the entire month of April, LNT Social Media Training is offering a $99 introductory special, see more information here!

-LNT

Website is LIVE!

Hi everyone,

I'm pleased to announce the official LNT Social Media Training website is now live at...http://www.lntsocialmediatraining.com/

Please check it out and pass along to others that might be interested!

Thank you to Alicia of Alicia Elliott Photography for my new head shots & also Christi of Created by Christi for the awesome website design!

-LNT

Social Media~Overwhelmed?

Hi!

Today I thought I would write about my recent findings when having meetings with current/potential clients about their social media needs. The one comment that kept coming up in my meetings was "I just don't know where to start...it's so overwhelming". My response to this comment was always "Begin slowly, gain knowledge about how social media works and start/manage at your own pace".

I think this is true for business owners that might not be too familiar with social media or how it works in today's business world. Everyone had to start somewhere, no one started out on Facebook or Twitter knowing exactly how to use it or how to gain "likes" or new clients overnight. This has been my advice to my current clients and even potential clients who might be feeling overwhelmed with starting social media for their businesses.

My advice to them(and you readers) is start with one social media site and grow with what you learn. I recommend starting with a Facebook fan page to my clients. It's a great way to reach a LOT of new customers and gain exposure for your business in so many ways you didn't know were possible. I have helped a few clients over the past week set up their Facebook fan pages and some already have close to 20 "likes" which I think is fantastic! The pure joy I see from my client even getting a simple comment saying how "interesting" they think the business is or that they want more information on their products and services makes me feel very happy and glad I chose this business as a career path.

LNT Social Media Training CAN help you start your Social Media Marketing at a pace that's good for you. Our website will be going live next week and can't wait to share that with everyone and announce our fantastic and affordable April special.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!
~LNT

LinkedIn Connections

Hope everyone had a great week!

Today I will be discussing LinkedIn and how it can help you as a business professional. LinkedIn is often described as the "World's Largest Social Network" and you don't want to miss out on this free social media tool.

Are you currently on LinkedIn? I am and let me tell you all of the great connections I've made in the business community have really helped my business and personal career growth!
LinkedIn is a tool that many individuals use to not only "connect" with other business professionals, but to post a resume, recommendations from connections, post events, promote businesses and get the inside scoop to what is going on in the business community through the discussion forums.

You can make a LinkedIn group page to promote your business in just a few easy steps. Then by posting events, updates and adding members you can have another form of social media to attract potential clients and keep your current clients interested.

I have learned that LinkedIn can be such a valuable tool in today's society just because of the connections alone you can make. Many CEO's and very important business professionals have LinkedIn and you can use your business "group" page to get their attention.

If you need help creating or learning how to use your current LinkedIn account please contact LNT Social Media Training, WE can help you with all the tools you need to become a "LinkedIn" expert!
lntsocialmedia@hotmail.com

Stay tuned for our official website coming soon with our specials and introductory rates!
LNT

Why do you need "fans"?

Hello!

Today I will be writing about Facebook & WHY it is so important to have a fans "like" your "fan page".

Think of your fan page as the first bit of information potential clients or existing clients will see about your business. You want the page to have a positive impact on viewers and keeping it informative and designed with your "brand" in mind is key.

What is this "brand" you might ask? Your "brand" is what you want your customers to associate your business with. Think of major brands like GAP, Walmart or Target, they all have their main logo/branding that you think of when the company name come to mind right? That is what YOU want your customers to think of when they look at your social media outlets.
If you need help creating a Facebook "fan" page for your small business or company, we can help!

Check out the LNT Social Media Training Facebook "fan" page here and see what all the hype is out(and while you are there go ahead and "like" us too!) :-)

Lauren

Why Tweet?

Hello!

Today I will be writing about Twitter and WHY you should "tweet". Twitter can be overwhelming to some business owners and I'm here to tell you it's OK! Once you sit down and sign up for your Twitter account, that is the first step. Learning how to tweet and "following" businesses and indivuduals is the next step. The good thing about tweeting is that you only have to use small phrases and sentences. BUT the great thing is that you don't get too "wordy" and your customers(and potential customers) can get the information they need quick and to the point.

For instance you can tweet "Today only, 10 percent off for new customers" or "Try out our brand new *insert product* this week only!" or something like "Check out our website *insert here* for the deal of the day!". All of these are short and to the point, and enough to keep your "followers" interested.

If you need help setting up a Twitter account and learnnig how to "tweet" for your business, LNT Social Media Training is here to help!
lntsocialmedia@hotmail.com

Social Media & WHY it's important...

Social Media is becoming such an important tool for businesses to use in today's society. A business can use social media to not only gain new clients, but to maintain and interact with their current client base. Using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogger and LinkedIn can take a business to the next level. It is so important to learn how to use these FREE tools available to you and that will give you just as much as a presence as some of the biggest and most successful companies in the world. My goal with LNT Social Media is to train individuals to manage their business social media outlets to help gain you that exposure that is necessary through technology today.
Social media is something that should not be seen as something used only by "technology" savy individuals but as a tool that anyone can use or can learn to use. We are here to help you learn these free social media sites to help your business be the best possible. By offering one-on-one training and also complete set-up for these social media sites, LNT Social Media will help you as much or as little needed so that you feel comfortable with social media and how it is changing the business world.
-Lauren

Let's get social!

Hi everyone!
I'm still working on getting my company up and going but you can now check me out on the social networks by clicking my buttons to the left of this post!
Hope you will follow along with me on this new adventure~
Lauren

Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of LNT Social Media Training!
Stay tuned for more to come...
~Lauren