This is a wonderful story.

As you most likely realise, the first Pillar of sound Social Media Marketing is listening.

Being able to take the pulse of the marketing place, use listening tools to identify advocates for your product, service or brand and amplify their efforts, use listening tools to identify customer who are having issue and reach out to them via Social Media, and to potentially identify prospects.

Therefore any advance in real time search is to be celebrated. It’s can put you in touch with your advocates, your customers in need of assistance, and prospects while they are using Social Media to talk about your product, service or market.

Kurrently is such a beast. Conceived by Gilbert Lueng and created in 3 weeks (during his Summer Vaction). Kurrently return realtime search results for Facebook and Twitter.

Props to Mari Smith for sharing Jay Baer’s article from Convince and Convert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JAEVkczbk

This short snappy video by was created by Sara Morris of BriteGirl and shows how Ginger Boutique in Winter Park, Florida, is using a simple Social Media Marketing Formula to put customers in their store.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueB2PPyHaNs

Social Media can be a very direct medium, it’s quite intimate. Social Media Marketing is subtle, it can become direct but it starts more obtuse.  As someone wanting to market in the personal space of Social Media it is far more engaging to have a good time and allow other sot do the same.

The video above is brilliant touch in subtly, and watching it I found myself have a pretty good time. It will no doubt position BB&A (the company that posted it on Youtube) as being capable and great to work with. At no stage do they attempt to broadcast their brilliance but instead show themselves getting the job done.  I had a feeling when I met Mark and Gideon (founders of BB&A) on Twitter about a month ago, that here was a company and a couple of guys who really get Social Media and who will do well leveraging it to benefit their business. Tip of the hat lads! Social Media subtle like well … Elvis???

Twitter is a powerful Social Media tool for business and brands. This simple screen shot FAQ shows some of the interactive elements on pages in the Twitter site.

While Twitter growth has slowed, a mere 19, 000 000 plus unique monthly visitorsin may, 2009. From it’s stratospheric growth earlier this year earlier in the year. It remains an important business tool, Dell recently reported $3M in Twitter related sales.

If you have not yet signed up for Twitter, why not head over there now and get started. All you need is an email address and about 4.5 minutes.

If you are on Twitter and found this Twitter Tips helpful click this link to retweet this blog post and we’ll keep tips like this coming.

At the moment there are many people online wondering whether or not they should be signing for Maria Andros‘s exclusive coaching program Social Media Traffic Blueprint when the door open July 31st (US time). The intensive coaching program covers how to develop a magnetic online brand, how to create captivating video marketing, how to leverage sites like Twitter and Facebook, and generally how to use Social Media to attract your ideal clients to your business. Maria is one of the most sought after Social Media teachers in the world today. But the question remains is she able to leverage Social Media effectively?

I must state my interest Byron New Media was recruited to provide community support for 100 students who completed the last intake of Social Media Traffic Blueprint and I am currently promoting her launch as an affiliate. Not to mention the kind words in her Tweet (Twitter message) pictured above.

In the performance stakes Maria sold 100 places in her last course in less that 72 hours, and her students report earning as much as 6 figures in 90 days starting with no website. However what prompted me to write this post is what happened after Maria send the message above to her 44,300 followers (people on Twitter who have subscribed to Maria’s tweets). I had 34 new followers to my Twitter account @byronnewmedia with a couple of hours, based mainly on Maria’s subtle recommendation. If you would like to know more about what Maria does head over to Social Media Traffic Blueprint and sign up for her FREE training videos which if implemented could be worth $1000′s to your business.

Sound familiar? Marta Kagan is the marketing genius who gave us What the F**K Is Social Media? (a cheeky but mind bending look at the world of Social Media as it relates to Business and Marketing) and the Social Media Serenity Prayer:

“Lord grant me the courage to thoroughly explore the world of social media on behalf of myself and my customers before plundering ahead like a bull in a china shop; the strength to accept [and admit] the fact that I might not know what the f**k I’m doing; and the wisdom to know when to ask for help. Amen.”

2 years on (I know the presentation says 1 but it is 2 years since the last presentation) Marta is diving back in for another look. This time she compares starting Social Media with Teen Sex!

I know she knows how to swear and get your attention. Behind her sassy bravado is a well researched carefully crafted look at Social Media in Business content, you really don’t need to her anymore from me, so here is the F**king Slideshow (I wouldn’t normally swear on this blog, but for some reason it seems ok today).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spiJe8ungmU

Now you can go to Social Media Kit- Developing a Social Media Strategy for Your Business or Brand and register to receive all 5 videos and a free Social Media Strategy template.

Leave us a comment below, let us know how the video helped you or what we left out and what you would like to know more about.

Byron New Media- Social Bookmarking via Delicious

Social Bookmarking is a powerful way to rapidly share content with your tribe or target audience. When combined with a smart aggregation service like Friendfeed you can share valuable content to a number of touchpoints (Social Media Outposts) with one or two clicks. This is a great way to streamline your Social Media Workflow.

A word of warning to those looking for short cuts. Most tools can be used for good or bad, if you are not mixing your Social Bookmarking with other original content, your output will soon become quite bland. Promoting the good work of others is an important component of Social Media Strategy, however demonstrating no original thought reeks of a robot. So think balance and you’ll be fine.

You can make your won Word Cloud at Wordle.

Four Pillars of a Social Media Strategy

First Social Media Strategy Pillar – Listen

Understand the conversation in your niche or market before creating any significant content. Understand context and hear the pain of your target audience.

Second Social Media Strategy Pillar – Engage

Uncover your ideal clients/customers/partners in their natural Social Media settings and make contact in a way that enables a meaningful relationship.

Third Social Media Strategy Pillar – Connect

Create or adopt Social Media spaces where your new tribe can connect with your, your content and one another.

Fourth Social Media Strategy Pillar – Share

Having recognised and adopted the first three pillar. Share meaningful content in the right setting and context, that empathizes with the pain being felt by your tribe and demonstrate your leadership.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai9Eg9arZQU

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