The Top 3 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t catch yourself falling into these three traps when it comes to Facebook!

Social media can create a boost to your business and brand—if you do it right. If you do it wrong, it could backfire. Here are three social marketing pitfalls you should avoid at all costs.

1. All about me, not about you. The biggest question on a customer’s mind is “What’s in it for me?” Are you answering this question when you throw out facebook posts? Social marketing should be exactly how it sounds—social. It’s about connecting with people. If you’re posting all about your business and what you do on a daily basis without answering your customer’s biggest question, you are failing at the most critical point of social marketing.

2. Leaving comments unanswered. You don’t want to be that guy – the one who is constantly talking about themselves without listening to what anyone else has to say. If you have a social marketing presence, you are most-likely getting comments and questions. If you are going to keep the interest of those you are marketing to, you must address every comment, especially if it is a negative one. A negative comment can wreak havoc for your business, so be sure to address it right away and always come up with a positive spin.

3. Not mapping out your strategy. Social marketing can bring a return on your time investment, but only if you have a plan. A social marketing plan can keep your business in front of the people you need the most. It can help each post build on one another instead of being scattered and unrelated. It can help you truly address your constituency’s needs and wants.

Have you set goals for your social marketing? Do you have the next month of promotions planned out? Need help with translating how a social marketing plan can bring more brides to your business?

Click here to check out Success with Facebook CD and start making social media work for your business.

And you can always find us online at www.evanssalessolutions.com.

Happy Facebooking from the Evans Sales Solutions team!

• Chris Evans - CEO, Motivation, Sales & Techniques Training - The face of the company, (Grand  PooPah when Becky lets me be)
• Rebekah Evans - Marketing and Sales, PR and Social Media Manager and (The real boss)
• James Mitchell - Internet Expert, Web & database Design, Internet Manager (Jbmwebdesigners.com)
• Vanessa Carroll - Copywriter and marketing Content Manager
• Marc Alex - Graphic designer and Literature Manager

6 Ways Your Business Can Benefit From Exhibiting A Bridal Trade Show

Bridal trade shows and exhibitions are a great way of getting your service out there to the new ‘brides-to-be and grooms,’ planning their weddings. You need to know what you want before you go in order to get the most out of exhibiting.

It is one form of advertising that is far and above your best source of face-to-face visits from brides. This type of advertising allows you to meet every bride-to-be in person, build rapport and ask for an opportunity to schedule a more appropriate time to learn more about the vision for her wedding. (The wedding industry exceeds $ even in this down economy.)

If wedding magazines, newspapers, radio or television could offer what this single form of advertising offers for your business, they would charge you 20 times more that they already do. In fact, it’s the only form of advertising that allows you to do more than simply wait around for the phone to ring. Excerpt from the book,’ How To Double Your Wedding Business in 12 Months,‘ by Author & Sales Trainer, Chris Evans. You will need to make sure you attend the right events to match your objectives.

To find a list of ‘professional & highly beneficial Bridal Trade Shows, ‘ go to: www.EvansSalesSolutions.com

Here are 7 ways your business could benefit from exhibiting at a trade show, and how you can make sure you achieve them.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time The main benefit of bridal trade shows and events should be that you’ve got a ready-made audience. The people (bride-to-be, grooms, family members) attending are likely to be those most interested in your product or service. Prepare what you are going to say to these attendees, hand to them to showcase your business, and how you are going to ‘book a presentation’ with them. A pre-show mailing is very useful and is a feature most promoters can help you with. Post on your blog, Twitter, Facebook pages. Send out an email to your contacts list letting them know you’re going to be there, with a map of the venue and your location in the hall.

2. Meet Other Vendors Exhibitions can be really good places to generate new leads and/or referrals from other ‘like-minded’ service companies. Prior to the show opening (once everyone is set up) Talk to as many people as you can. Ask your staff to wander round the venue and introduce your company to the other exhibitors. Make sure you take business cards, good literature and a calendar. Remember, this doesn’t end with the event: follow up. Send a thank you letter, fliers and more to those you have met.

3. Build Your Sales Plan & Goal Before every show, write down a specific number of visits, contacts and new networking partners your expect to generate from the show. Keep it realistic. Setting a goal is useless if you know it’s impossible to reach when you set it. Share your plan with everyone working in your booth, so that they are on the same page as you. Your literature, booth design and outreach from staff should let attendees know what you do in a glance. Remember to design a ‘qualified message” for your staff to say to every attendee,(sum up your business in 30 seconds or less and asking for a visit). More information on how to do this is in the book, “How To Double Your Wedding Business in 12 Months,’ by Author Chris Evans, available on Amazon.