One of my favorite clients is Ken McLarty of Tenacious Training & 91ĘÓƵ and Series 33 Triathlon. Being the seasoned athlete that he is, this guy knows how to transform anyone into a triathlete within 10-12 weeks.

One of the reasons I love working with Ken is because of his approach to improvement: focused objectives, weekly action items, and a mix of short-term and long-term milestones.

When his business recently picked up around the start of the new year (big surprise, huh?), it naturally got me thinking about marketing and social media … If you hired me as your trainer, what would I do to help get you into social media marketing shape?

When it comes to resolutions, it’s best to have realistic, achievable goals. So, here are some basic tactics to get your social media marketing where it needs to be in 2014.

Build a solid foundation

Make sure all of your social media profiles are consistent and relevant. For example, if your Facebook business page is listed as a “business service,” make sure your LinkedIn business page also is listed as a “business service.” If your website lists you as the founder and CEO of your company, make sure your personal Twitter and LinkedIn accounts say the same.

Also, each profile should have a call to action. The profile should direct new followers to your preferred platform and manage their expectations on how you’ll engage with them. For example, if you aren’t on Twitter, direct people to where they can connect with you – like email or Facebook.

Each social media profile is a digital asset. Ensuring that all of your digital assets are consistent builds a stronger brand, improves your search engine optimization (SEO), and ultimately helps educate and grow your audience.

Set a realistic routine

Updating multiple social media platforms can take time and quickly become overwhelming. If posting to social media does not come naturally to you, start by dedicating one day a week to this area. Dedicating one hour to research and collect content, and another half hour to schedule messages for the rest of the week goes a long way.

Follow up with a smaller block of time to respond with any interactions your posts inspire. The more you stick to the routine, the easier it will become. Third-party software like HootSuite and TweetDeck also allows you to manage and schedule posts across multiple social media platforms.

Experiment by building routine into your posts, such as Trivia Tuesday, Throwback Thursday, and Blog Article Friday. This approach makes your content easier to create and more approachable for your audiences.

Need more support? Find a social media buddy. Just like a gym buddy, this friend/colleague can help you brainstorm, search for content, and develop your “online voice.” Social media marketing is meant to be social, so why not make it as social as possible?

Push yourself

Now that you have a solid foundation and routine in place, push yourself to try new tactics. Try posting more frequently, or posting content aimed specifically at sparking a conversation. Experiment by creating your own meme or graphics interchange format (GIF). Reach out to a new person you’ve always wanted to connect with.

Similar to a fitness routine, as you hit a plateau with social media marketing, challenge yourself to change your tactics and expand your skill set.

Measure results

Regularly check your growth and results on social media. Whether it’s measuring the number of new followers, the number of posts or the increase in engagement, take time to evaluate your results, see how they measure up to your goals, and then refocus from there.

Social media is all about experimentation. Have fun with these tips, and tap into others for help. Good luck hitting your social media goals!

Elaine Volpe co-owns and operates KEEL Creative, a social media marketing and design firm. Contact her at elaine@keelcreative.com. She also is a member of American Marketing Association PDX. Learn more at www.ama-pdx.org.

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Some people live for business networking, while others view it like a trip to the dentist. Showing up to a packed room full of complete strangers wearing name tags, eager to ask you about what you do and why can be a daunting experience.

But it doesn’t have to be. Networking can be a fun, social way to meet new people able to help you and your business. And when you use social media tips and tricks, business networking can become more like online dating or a party where having fun and being yourself can yield big payoffs.

Set goals and objectives

Like with a social media approach, establish clear goals and objectives before heading into a networking event. Determine what success will look like. Whether it’s collecting five business cards, making one or two great connections, or providing advice to a few key people, know what you want out of an event. That will help keep you motivated to stick around and meaningfully engage.

Look for networking events that match your goals and objectives. And be sure to pick events in locations that make you feel comfortable. Some people love happy hours; others prefer lunchtime functions that meld networking with education. Try a number of different events and see what fits best.

Know what you want and how you want to help others

Too often people in conversations ask, “How may I help you?” and no immediate answer comes to mind. Be honest and candid with what you are looking for or how you can help. People respect and respond to those honest lines of communication and it will lead to a better relationship moving forward.

Knowing your elevator speech – that tight, 30-seconds polished pitch about what you do and who your work for – is crucial for catching the attention of a prospective business partner.

Ask engaging questions and listen

At a networking event, make sure to not make it all about you. Get to know the people who are there, why they are there and what they like to drink. It doesn’t always have to be serious. As with a Facebook page, be sure to engage the audience with a variety of options – perhaps a joke, a funny picture or an interesting article. Make the conversation two-sided and social.

Good karma

What I love about social media, especially Facebook and Twitter, is the ability to spread good karma by tagging and promoting other businesses and people in every update or post. This method can start a conversation and build a relationship. It makes you look good for acknowledging others and directing traffic to them by spreading the love.

You can do the same thing while networking by providing great introductions for people in a conversation. Perform advanced scouting about who will be at events via Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, and then take the next step to see who your networks have in common. It’s a smart and sneaky way to line up an arsenal of talking points and make connections even easier.

Good integrity

If you offer to follow up, do it! Even if you don’t have good news, continuing the conversation and being honest helps build the connection and your integrity. Social media can be a safer, less intimidating method than the phone or even email – and you can pull in other connectors in your social web!

Elaine Volpe is the co-owner and marketing strategist for KEEL Creative. Contact her at elaine.volpe101@gmail.com.

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