(A post from the toinfinity blog)

I think that in 2009 we all did social media and twitter to death! Agree? What's next?

I was sent a link a couple of weeks ago to a slide share presentation by Rory Murray [Link] but I wanted to pick up on one thing that stood out to me... a common lie that is spouted by many ' Gurus' and 'Experts' about the cost of Twitter and other social media to your business.

A comparison is done on slide 12 between direct mail, billboard advertising and twitter:

It's hard to see how these figures equate to reality - Does the cost also detail the time and effort put into the design, printing etc of the direct mail and billboard advertising? Is the number of customers a true reflection on the ROI these things are so hard to measure?

For one moment do I not believe that Twitter is FREE.

Any one saying this should be hung drawn and quarter for misleading people. The cost involved may not initially be cold hard cash, but I do think that there are other costs that a few (not all) of these so called experts often leave out.

The real cost = Your time!

Social media marketing, like any other marketing vehicle, is a tool to be used in line with your overall marketing strategy for your business. It is not something that should be treated as separate.

The first thing that you will need to understand is the reasoning behind these guys and gals saying it is 'vital for the survival of your business to be on Twitter' and 'The return on your investment is massive!' - if you don't know how to drive a tank, you're gonna be no good in war. Don't jump into social media until you know why you should and how your business will benefit from it. You could just end up wasting your time.

If after looking at this and you feel that there would be a benefit, you may need to then dig in and learn how to use it (and all other related mobile applications and desktop programmes) and how not to use it. Oh... this will not happen in an instant... it will take time.

Once you've learned how to use the system there is then the small matter of either generating content or syndicate other peoples content over the social media platforms... and the small matter of engaging with people that ask questions of you, send you direct messages and also being involved in conversations to generate interest in particular subjects. Will this all happen without you giving any focussed time and effort? No... it will take up more of your time.

Then once you start - how is it going to reflect on you, your brand and your business activities if you stop because you can't keep up. Staying active and in the networks is key to the 'building relationships' focus on social media platforms. More time to plan for the future!

So how do people really find the time to do this whole social media thing?

All in all this whole business of time is the big fear that I hear many businesses speak about. 'I just don't have the time to do all of this' - after sitting down with them and showing them ways in which they can streamline and put strategy to this activity it becomes less of a headache and much more of a great profile building and 'profitable' long term relationship building exercise where transactions may indeed fall off the timeline of relationships.

In light of this I have decided to lay on a FREE seminar in Swindon on the 19th February 2010 where I will go through this much more detail. I will also have a couple of people talk about how they benefit for using social media, given their initial response similar to above.

Date and time: Friday 19th February 2010 - 3pm-4pm (then you can go home early!)

Location: Basepoint Business Centre, Swindon, SN5 7EX - click here for directions - (plenty of FREE parking)

To book in on this seminar call me on 01793 238697 or email seminars@toinfinity.co.uk. Spaces are limited as we don't have a huge seminar room, so book in early.

Sorry! Gone - blog post put up at 10pm Sunday, Sold 7am Monday!With the use of a new Apple MacBook Pro my old one has been sat at home, unused and wasting away.

With a clean install of the operating system to wipe all files and software, it's ready to be sold.

I thought I would post up on my blog and let my twitter, facebook and linkedin connections know first.

Spec:

MacBookPro (Model identifier 1,1) 15"
Intel core duo 2Ghz
2GB 667 Mhz DDR2 SDRAM
100GB Hard drive
Super drive (CD & DVD read/write)
Radeon x1600 graphics card (256mb)

Small shallow dent below keyboard (had it checked out - not touching anything underneath)
Slight wear below cmd (apple) key - well used

No power lead - burned out on lead and Apple refused to replace (Available here)

Worked like a Trojan for me running Adobe Creative Suite with no probs... used primarily for graphics and web design.

Bargain at £350 OVNO in original box. FREE delivery to anywhere in UK (using Royal Mail) - pick up from 10 miles around Swindon available - and we can grab a coffee at the same time if you want.

Payment to my Paypal account - details emailed on request.

Images below

         

Click here to download:

Im_selling_my_MacBook_Pro.zip (2026 KB)

Spotted this on the web...

Here is the first UK customer with an iPad... me!

Apple's iPad (AKA the Kindle Killer) has got to be the most exciting product in my lifetime that Apple has produced.

I am just thinking about those media presentations and seminars that I am going to present with it, controlling my presentation with the Keynote remote and seeing my notes in a more readable format, or even plugging it in to the projector itself! WOW!

Boy am I looking forward to getting one! - You gotta love photoshop!

I was concerned on leaving the house this morning about the amount of rubbish that now adorns the kerbs of my street, not just from the wheelie bins left at the end of peoples drives, but also the extra bags left by the side and the overflowing bins themselves. Would the bins that are overflowing and the bags left by the site not be collected? Would we have a problem with rats and other vermin, even foxes and cats ripping bags apart?

It's been over three weeks since our last household waste and recycling collection and to be honest, I was getting concerned over the extra bags and overflowing bins, and the fact that my Sis-in-law had to argue with the bin man to take her bin yesterday - even though the lid would not close.

Swindon borough council say [link] that waste will not be collected if:

• The bin lid is not shut.
• There is any side waste.
• It is not in a wheelie bin or blue sack supplied by SBC.

If your waste has not been collected for one of the above reasons, we will place a sticker on your waste, explaining why.

I called them this morning to ask why my Sis-in-law had to chase down the refuse collection agent to get him to take them bin. Not collecting for over three weeks, when we have collections every two weeks, means that it would be wholly unreasonable to think that there would not be an excess in rubbish.

I was advised by the very pleasant lady (who clearly has had many calls asking the same question - as it sounded very rehearsed and scripted)...

"We are doing all we can to collect missed collections and overflowing wheelie bins, together with bags left to the side of bins will be collected"

And I got her to repeat...

"Yes we will collect overflowing bins and any bags left by the side of them."

Great, let's see if they actually do it!

After being interviewed on BBC radio over the weekend and asked the question "How do you sell ice to Eskimos?" - I thought I would let you all listen to it.

Predictions city! That's what December and January are all about.

I have seen so many blogs write about the coming decade and how things are going to move on again for us in the digital world or online marketing and social networking etc... so why not join in?

I have recorded a short audio podcast on some of the things that I have picked up, saying if I either agree or disagree with the things, plus a plea to steer away from DIY - if you're not expert in it... don't do it... for risk of looking very amateur.

Here is the podcast - enjoy

Click here to download:

The new Digital Waves for 2010.mp3 (5066 KB)

I would love any feedback - post your comments below

Subscribe to my
podcast on itunes here

I have just recorded and posted a short message on the company blog (http://blog.toinfinity.co.uk) about how organisations should take a look at their digital marketing strategy for 2010.

This was too cool to not post on my blog!

See the larger image by clicking here

On the way through the snow this morning, which took 20 mins longer than the 10 it normally takes - because of the 20mph speed we had to travel at, I heard on the radio that here in the UK things are really picking up.

John Lewis said "sales surpassed the totemic £100m-a-week" over the Christmas period [Link - Telegraph] and today comes news that it is the "fifth consecutive month of higher staff appointments, and the fastest rate of growth since July 2007" [Link - Telegraph] - even salaries are on the up too.

Does this mean that we can now see some of the big boys starting to spend freely again? If they are investing in staff, there must be work to be done, money to be made and then money to be invested into marketing, design and advertising again... or will we see the rate of increase in spend in our industries grow at a slow rate?

Whatever the markets do, I know and wise Uncle once told me "Position yourself at the foot of growth, that way when growth happens your ready to grow with it" - Digital marketing, websites, email marketing (and video - coming soon with a great new partner), together with being on the decks of these social networking cruise-liners... I'm positioned for the new spend coming. Are you?