Can social media sites http://www.anthonymora.com“target=”_blank”>develop business models that can generate even a fraction of the billions that Google is racking in?  To this point the answer is a resounding no.  Sites such as Facbook and Twitter are growing at an astounding rate, but are they primarily relationship sites, or will they turn into marketing and business building powerhouses?

There are those who insist that MySpace is yesterday’s news and that Facebook and Twitter are basically fads that will soon be seen, as far as marketing is concerned, as interesting but failed experiments.   According to this reasoning, these sites will remain as vehicles for social interactions, but when it comes to helping build businesses or generating ROI, they will be seen as monumental failures.

Google has more than proven its ROI capabilities.  Adwords alone is reported to generate up to 95% of its revenue stream, which is more like an ocean.  But unlike Google, which serves as a basic (if the term basic can ever be applicable when describing Google) search engine, Facbook, Twitter and other social media sites have markedly different formats and face very different marketing challenges.  Originally developed for friends and acquaintances to interact, the posting and images on social media sites can often be confrontational, controversial and at times obscene.  Therein lies the marketing problem; do companies want to take the risk of having their messages, ads and brand equity positioned next to such possible loose canons?  Does a chain that sells children’s clothing want to risk having its ad positioned next to a sexually explicit post?

Add to that the question of user’s perceptions.  How do those that utilize social media sites feel about ads?  According to studies many find them annoying and intrusive at best.  According to eMarketer, a marketing research firm, social networking revenues rose an extremely modest 4% last year.   Click through rates on Facebook and others sites are minuscule compared to those on Google.  Because of that, many companies choose to have a presence on social media sites, but only a small fraction choose to buy ads.  But in order for social media sites to thrive and come of age as business sites and marketing avenues that can compete with traditional media outlets such as TV and print publications, they need to attract advertising revenue.    To be sure many large corporations are giving social media ads a shot.  But it’s a slow build.  The very quality that makes social media sites so attractive, the free flow of content, is precisely what makes advertisers so very cautious. 

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

Anthony Mora began his media career as a freelance journalist for such publications as Us, Rolling Stone and other local and national publications. He served as editor-in-chief of two Los Angeles-based entertainment and lifestyle-oriented publications, and co-founded Phillips & Mora Entertainment, a public relations and personal management company, which ventured into video and film production. In 1990, Anthony formed Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. a Los Angeles-based media relations company that specializes in media placement, image development, and media training. AMC Inc. has placed clients in: Time, Newsweek, 60 Minutes, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and other local, national, and international media outlets. Anthony has been featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, Entrepreneur, Fox News, MSNBC, and other media. He has written three books. The most recent, \”Spin to Win,\” is a step-by-step guide on how to define goals and utilize the power of the media to achieve success in any field. Practical and user-friendly, \”Spin to Win\” can be utilized by heads of major corporations, small business owners, and entrepreneurs.
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Marketing restaurants and food joints in large cities and suburbs is often considered an arduous task. This is mainly because competition is intense and customers have different options. While every restaurant owner is aware that proper marketing holds the key to success not everyone is successful in achieving effective marketing. However, there are a number of simple marketing strategies and tactics that can help promote a restaurant at a local scale.

Some of the simplest marketing tactics that restaurant owners can adopt to promote their food joints locally are as follows:

Distribute leaflets and business cards

As a restaurant owner your chief responsibility is to first identify who your target consumers are. For this, you should closely monitor the crowd turning up at your restaurant. Based on your observation, you will be able to find the clients who you should focus on. An effective way to reach out to them is to distribute leaflets, menu fliers and sample cards.

Remain in the public eye for all the good reasons

While it is important to stay in news, it is even more important to stay in the headlines for all the right reasons. This can be achieved by promoting your restaurant locally. You can make special announcements, offer attractive discounts on memberships and sponsor charity events to stay in news. You should also make sure that people turn to your food joint on special occasions. For this, you should make special preparations during the festive seasons.

Social networking

We are in the 21st century when it is practically unthinkable to do away with the Internet. Social media, in particular, is a very powerful medium that has opened new avenues of growth for entrepreneurs. You can use social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace to target customers in your area.

Apart from these initiatives, you should also lay special emphasis on making your menu interesting and unique. A combination of good quality and effective marketing can make your restaurant instantly popular.

Roland Poitevin is a dedicated writer with a passion for business and environmental issues.
You can check out his new website at Chaise Lounge Furniture which helps people find the best Chaise Lounges and Outdoor Chaise Lounge Chairs and information they are looking relating to this subject.

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What is “branding yourself” mean? This means getting your name and face out there so people know who you really are. The internet is very saturated with the “next best business opportunity”. People want to “see” other people, not just the next big opportunity. People that are searching for something to do to create more time and income are looking to work with real people! Get your name and face out there. People are going to recognize your face and name and are going to feel more comfortable in connecting with you. There are many reasons personally branding yourself will affect you in your business or any other opportunity you are seeking. 

Using the many social media tools we have now like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Squidoo, are great ways to get you name and face out there. Be very active with these sites. Share informative links that will help people.  Don’t pitch your products or business, people will definitely get turned off by this.  People will soon know the person you are by the way you talk and carry yourself. How many people out there want to work with someone they have never met?

Video marketing is HUGE right now. Getting to actually see people in their own environment will also make potential prospects feel better about you and possibly joining your opportunity.  Some say they don’t like doing videos.  Trust me, start doing them. You won’t be perfect at doing them, but you will get better.  All these ways are FREE! (unless you don’t own a video camara). 

Tell your story! The human brain responds to stories. People buy people. There are many individuals who have been in the same situation at one time, so they will relate to you this way.  Share your stories and experiences. We all have stories about our pasts.  People will respond to those from-the-heart stories.

Establish yourself as an expert in authority. People will definitely feel more comfortable working with someone that know what they’re talking about.  So get your profiles set up on all your social media sites and make sure they are 100% done.  Make sure you provide as much information to others by having links to other authorities in your industry.  

Be creative. I know you may not have all the knowledge to compete with the established successful entrepeneurs in the competitive mind. Being creative will show people that you have a lot value to bring to others in a different way.  Figure out what you can do to be more creative.  This will take some time.  I always believe a creative mind will always outduel a competitive mind. 

Thanks for your time. Hopefully this helps you move a little more forward in your business. 

Greg Schmidt

Internet Marketing Consultant 

Greg Schmidt is an internet marketing consultant who love to share his ideas to better the marketing skills it takes to become a more successful internet business owner. He shares his stories of struggle, sacrifice and success with everyone.

Greg’s Bio/Blog: http://www.gregschmidtsblog.blogspot.com
Greg’s Internet marketing system: http://www.livelikegreg.com

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