Social Media Marketing: Time Trap or Opportunity Magnet? New Study Reveals the Answers

Kristen King

Report exposes best tools and benefits of social media marketing

(www.inkthinkerblog.com) — A surprising 64 percent of marketers are spending five or more hours weekly using social media sites like Twitter, found the just-released Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses.

“Social media marketing is an engagement with online communities to generate exposure, opportunity and sales,” says report author Michael A. Stelzner, founder of WhitePaperSource, “and the real shocker is that experienced folks are investing more than 20 hours each week with social media.”

Businesses of all sizes are leaping into the social media pool–and many are well-known brands. Computer giant Dell recently reported a million dollars in sales by issuing coupons on Twitter. Even Ford is using social media to interact directly with its customers.

“Social media has helped Ford quickly achieve its goal of being a top social brand and has broken down the more conservative communications processes that were in place,” said Scott Monty, head of social media for Ford.

However, for most marketing pros, social media marketing is a fresh new phenomenon–and it’s not just for the young professional. Among the 880 marketers surveyed, 72 percent have been at it for only a few months, and the median age was 40 to 49. “This is a story nobody else is telling,” explains Stelzner. “Most marketers know the future is social media, but they aren’t sure how their competitors are playing the game.”

The big questions marketers most want answered about social media are also revealed in the comprehensive report. Knowing where to start and if there is real money to be made were among the top questions pros want answered.

The leading benefits experienced by social media marketers included:

Generated exposure for the business (81%)
Increased traffic and subscribers (61%)
Established new business partnerships (56%)

The report also takes a close look at the social media tools used by marketers. “It’s intriguing to see which sites the pros focus on compared to the newbies,” Stelzner comments. Twitter is the big winner among all marketers, with 86 percent tweeting regularly.

Packed with 30 color charts and diagrams, the report is sure to be a quick digest for any newcomer or time-starved executive.

Download a free copy of the report.

– Kristen

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Meet Kristen at the Society of Professional Journalists Region 2 Spring Conference — Saturday, March 28, 2009

Kristen King

(www.inkthinkerblog.com) — For those in the DC area, I’ll be speaking at the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Spring Conference for Region 2 (DC) this Saturday.

During the first session of the day, Freelancing: The Business Side, my co-panelists and I will discuss taxes and recordkeeping, insurance, and marketing. Can you guess which one is my topic? (Hint: It ain’t taxes or insurance.)

The conference runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. See the conference program here.

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EVENT: Looking Professional on the Web — Maximize Your Web Site Impact

Kristen King

www.inkthinkerblog.com —

Title: Looking Professional on the Web
Location: Cleveland Park Library, 3310 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC
Link out: Click here
Start Time: 12:45
Date: 2009-03-21
End Time: 3:15

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FREE EVENT! Register via e-mail to bconn@cpcug.org
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——————————————————————-
Saturday, March 21, 2009, 12:45-3:15 pm
LOOKING PROFESSIONAL ON THE WEB:
Maximize Your Web Site Impact
Speaker: Merry Bruns, ScienceSites Communications
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Capital PC User Group (CPCUG)
Entrepreneurs and Consultants SIG (E&C SIG)
(Meets the 3rd Saturday afternoon of most months)

Cleveland Park Library, 1st Floor, Large Meeting Room
3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC

Most businesses can benefit from a good Web site, but there’s more to looking good on the ‘Net than jazzy graphics. Your business Web site needs appropriate content as well. Ineffective Web site content can mean prospective clients pass right over your site, moving on to the next site and business.

Speaker Merry Bruns will provide new practical tips on making your content live up to your site graphics and maximizing your content for your customer.

Merry Bruns is an online content strategist, editor, and Web writing trainer who focuses on communicating Web content to audiences clearly and with impact. Producing and editing Web sites since 1994, she brings a background in communications, advertising, and journalism to her work. Merry provides in-house training for organizations and has taught “Writing and Editing for the Web” to hundreds of students around the world.

Frequently interviewed about content strategy and Web writing issues, Merry Bruns is also an invited speaker and trainer at Web conferences and meetings across the United States. In Washington, DC, she holds open classes at the National Press Club. In addition, since 1997 Merry has hosted “Content & Coffee,” an occasional roundtable at the National Press Club for Web content managers, editors, and writers.

As principal of ScienceSites Communications (http://www.sciencesitescom.com), Merry Bruns has produced and edited Web sites for numerous business, government, educational, and science organizations. Clients for content strategy and training have included Accenture, National Academy of Sciences, BBC London, Porter-Novelli, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Towers Perrin, American Chemical Society, The World Bank, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Georgetown University, American Petroleum Institute, Textron, Environmental Protection Agency, Seton Hall University, and Harvard Medical School.

*****************************************************
Cleveland Park Library, 1st Floor, Large Meeting Room
3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
(west side, between Macomb and Newark Streets)

Metrorail: Cleveland Park Subway Station, Red Line
Connecticut Avenue, NW
Just 1.5 blocks north of meeting site

Parking: Street

For additional Information about the CPCUG E&C SIG and its events (including any updates on topics, speakers, dates, times, and locations; agenda; area map; related Web links; and more), visit the CPCUG Entrepreneurs and Consultants SIG Web pages: http://entrepreneur.cpcug.org/

This event is FREE and open to all. Advance RSVPs are needed for event planning.

To RSVP: Send e-mail to Barbara Conn, bconn@cpcug.org

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25 Tax Resources for Freelance Writers

Kristen King

(www.inkthinkerblog.com) — April 15 is just over a month away, and you know what that means. Tax time for US freelancers! If you’re self-employed, doing your taxes can be a daunting task. Here are 25 products, books, and articles to make tax time easier.

SOFTWARE

Click on the image for more info.

The #1 rated, best-selling tax software in the US , and the only tax software to include e-filing and audit support with every federal return. You can prepare and print unlimited federal and state returns; e-file up to five federal returns (per IRS guidelines) at no additional charge. TurboTax also searches for more than 350 deductions. Order the boxed software or download it immediately after purchase.

Also, if you purchase TurboTax on Amazon, you can get some pretty hefty discounts on Quicken 2009 boxed products.

Don’t want to pay full price for “people”? H&R Block’s Tax Cut software includes up to 5 free federal e-files in every version, DeductionPro to help you maximize your savings, live tax advice from an H&R Block tax professional via one-on-one phone or e-mail consultation, and personal assistance from an IRS-licensed Enrolled Agent with audit representation expertise in the event of an audit.

Need an extension on your taxes? FileLater makes it simple to apply for an extension for your business or personal taxes. Filing an extension means that you won’t be penalized for filing late, but you still may face interest charges on your unpaid taxes. Contact your favorite accountant for more details on what an extension may mean in your individual situation.

Want to file your taxes online for free?You’re in luck, because that’s exactly what FreeTax USA does. Residents of 31 states who have a gross adjusted income of $56,000/year or less are eligible for a free online tax return. Others can file for just $9.95.

And for Inkthinker’s Canadian readers… QuickTax is the #1 tax software in Canada. Options range from a basic free edition to the $39.99 CAN QuickTax Business Unincorporated Online Edition, geared specifically for contractors, sole proprietors, and small business owners.

BOOKS

Click on the book cover for more info.

From Amazon: Updated and revised for the 2008 tax year, Taxes 2009 For Dummies is the only tax guide on the market that walks readers through the major tax forms line by line, including the 1040 Schedules A through E. Filled with helpful tips and strategies for filing income tax returns accurately and on time, this book is aimed at individuals who want to do their own taxes without hiring a preparer.

From Amazon: J.K. Lasser’s Your Income Tax 2009–the nation’s all-time top-selling tax guide–is a proven, accessible resource with important strategies, useful recommendations and of course, all the latest tax law changes. With over 39 million copies sold, Your Income Tax 2009 is the #1 choice for taxpayers around the country.

From Amazon: J.K. Lasser’s 1001 Deductions & Tax Breaks 2009will help you take advantage of every tax break and deduction you may be entitled to. It’s clearly organized by subject matter so you can easily find situations that may apply to you. Each tax benefit is also clearly explained–along with the eligibility requirements for claiming the benefit–while planning tips and common pitfalls associated with the benefit in question are discussed in detail. New tax law alerts are also included throughout the book, so you can make the most informed decisions possible.

From Amazon: J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes 2009 gives you a complete overview of small business tax planning in an accessible manner. Focusing on strategies that help you use deductions and tax credits effectively, shield business income, and maximize other aspects of small business taxes, this valuable guide will show you how your actions in business today can affect your bottom line from a tax perspective tomorrow.

ARTICLES

Dealing with Taxes on Your Own, from Web Worker Daily
5 Strategic Ways to Lower Your Business Taxes, from Sparkplugging Government Resources
20 Tax Deductions for Freelancers, from Freelance Writing Jobs
Freelance Tax Tips and Tax Tips for Freelance Writers, from Freelance Writing Jobs
Make Tax Time Easier: 2 Things You Need, from Home Office Organizer
10 Tax Deductions Freelancers Can Make, from Freelance Switch
Save Money on Taxes by Deducting Your Office Expenses, from Freelance Folder
46 Tax Deductions that Bloggers Often Overlook, from Problogger (a recent recommended read)
101 Tax deductions for bloggers and freelancers, from Wise Bread
Ask the cubicle expat: I had a mix of 1099 and W-2 work in 2008 — are my taxes messed up beyond repair?, from Anti-9-to-5 Guide (a recent recommended read)
Freelancing Under the Table: The Pros and Cons, from Freelance Switch
Can’t Pay Your Taxes? The IRS Offers Installment Plans, from Yielding Wealth at Bizzia
10 Things Not to Send Your Accountant at Tax Time, from Get Shiela (another recent recommended read)
Hate Bookkeeping? Why You Should Learn to Love It , from Freelance Writing Jobs
10 Things You Should Keep for Tax Purposes, from Freelance Folder

Happy tax preparation!

14 comments

Do You Have Business Cards? And Do You Know What to Do With Them?

Kristen King

(www.inkthinkerblog.com) — You need business cards. I don’t care who you are; if you’re in business, you need them. And just having them is not enough. Business cards, even the fancy-schmancy expensive ones, are worthless if they’re sitting untouched in your desk drawer.

Today in the Washington Post, Vickie Elmer shares some great biz card tips from Network Solutions Community Manager Steve Fisher (who, incidentally, interviewed me earlier this year). Chief among them:

Use different business cards for different businesses.
Make your card worthwhile to the person receiving it.

You can read more about working your business cards at the WP website.

Steve wrote a wonderful article about business cards for Technosailor.com last year, Rules for Entrepreneurs: Business Card FAIL, and it’s obvious to me that this guy knows his stuff. It’s also amazing to me how easy it is to screw up something as simple as a business card, but man oh man, do people do it.

As much as I love the article, I don’t agree with all of Steve’s advice. For instance, I like the occasional creative job title from time to time, so long as it tells me what the person does. Steve’s own coworker, Shashi Bellamkonda (@ShashiB), who pointed me toward the WP article, is Network Solutions’ “Social Media Swami.” Seriously, how cool is that?

If you don’t have business cards yet, it’s time to get a move on. Here are some online printing sources that may be just what the doctor ordered, along with a few nice discounts (woohoo!):

Moo Cards

VistaPrint

Printing for Less

PrintRunner

Where do you print your business cards?

Updated 3/12/09: Added coupon from VistaPrint.

(image)

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