It seems like social media is everywhere these days – Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Gowalla, Pandora, flickr, and the list goes on. Without a true “social” aspect to a product or service you are giving up a segment of your market that is probably “low hanging fruit.” But once you know about “the Twitter” how do you take the next step in understanding how social media fits into your lifeyou’re your business? Amber Mac has literally written the book, Power Friending, on where to go, what to do, and how to keep it all together in the world of social media.
The first thing you’ll notice is that despite being a hardcover, the book is only about 7 inches tall and 5 inches wide or about the size of an open hand. If the book were a friend, it would be easy to shake their hand. Think of Power Friending as the written form of Amber Mac herself. In a baseball game worth of chapters Amber takes readers through a history of social media followed by the building blocks, strategies and techniques that can lead to success. And of course, examples of those who have used social media well and those who….chose poorly.
As a Twitter and Facebook user for a few years there was a lot that was familiar, but almost as much was new. I’ve recorded a handful of videos on my laptop over the years despite the one-click video production on my MacBook. Mostly because I didn’t really have a good idea about producing video – especially lighting. I probably could have looked up these tips, but Power Friending presented them in an easy to understand manner.
For the big test: Amber follows her own advice. She promoted the book on Facebook, talking with prospective users, tweeted about it, and offered some goodies like “Email the receipt for the preorder today for a free t-shirt.” And of course, a fun trailer on YouTube.
It you’re a social media expert or a newbie trying to establish yourself online there are probably some great tips waiting for you in Power Friending.