Tag Archives: Twitter

Who’s Your Ideal Customer?

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Zeb Welborn
The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.
Latest posts by Zeb Welborn (see all)

Ideal Customer vs. Average Customer by Cynthia De La Torre

Who’s your ideal customer? Depending on your business, the difference between average and ideal customers could be hundreds, thousands or millions of dollars.

The average customer is someone who buys the product or service and has no relationship with the business beyond the buying and selling of goods.

The ideal customer is someone who continually buys the product or service and promotes the product or service to others.

As an entrepreneur, I learned early on that my success was dependent upon having people invested in my business and sharing my business with others. The Tutoring Solution, which provides tutoring for students across Southern California, was able to locate these ideal customers through email and social media campaigns. These ideal customers loved our product, loved the relationship I had developed with them, and encouraged other parents with kids in need to sign up for our tutoring services. One parent emailed her entire school telling them what a great job we were doing with her son, another encouraged five different families to receive tutoring from us and another, a High School Counselor, continues to refer every struggling student she comes across our way. These connections are not made by chance, they are fostered and have resulted in thousands of dollars in increased revenue.

Facebook and Twitter have given businesses the opportunity to locate these ideal customers and develop a win-win relationship that, when used effectively, will result in increased revenue. Not only do they make it easy to identify our ideal customers, but Facebook and Twitter encourage our customers to be more like our ideal customers. Every time they “like” our page, every time they “comment” on our page,and every time they “share” one of our posts, they are acting like a sales machine for our business.

Welborn Social Media has helped locate these ideal customers for the businesses we work. At Scrapbook Expo we developed a strong relationship with a scrapbooker from Georgia who continually re-tweeted our stuff. We connected with her and she told us she was contacting all of her Scrapbooking friends from across the United States to attend one of the Scrapbook Expos. Not only that, but she was sending our sales messages off to everyone she knew. Similarly, at Los Serranos, we located two fervent supporters of the golf course; we encouraged a stronger relationship which has resulted in the creation of our 19th Hole Stories where golfers share their most memorable events at the golf course and have taken their weekly golf match from a rival course to ours. At WireSpeed Systems we connected with Cisco Systems – the largest producer of computer networking equipment – where they made us their SuperFan of the month and consequently shared our business with more than 225,00o of their followers.

Facebook and Twitter give us the opportunity to identify, connect and grow our relationship with our biggest supporters. In the tutoring business, this has resulted in thousands of dollars in increased revenue. In other businesses, it could mean much, much more.

By its very nature, Facebook and Twitter encourage the sharing of information, and people will share what is important to them. If you give them an opportunity to connect with your business and make it easy for them to share your product or service, your business will benefit. If you want to make more money for your business, find who’s your ideal customer. From my experiences there is no easier way to find your ideal customers than through social media.

Contact Zeb Welborn today at (909) 973 – 9089 to schedule a free personalized presentation to demonstrate how we can help grow your business.

Black Hawk Helicopter Pilot Uses Twitter to Get Tickets to a Denver Broncos Game

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Zeb Welborn
The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.
Latest posts by Zeb Welborn (see all)

Black Hawk Helicopter Pilot, Jimmy Wilson, is the biggest Broncos fan.

Jimmy was coming home from Iraq for some R&R in October of 2011. His wife, Merriah, wanted to make sure it was a trip he would never forget so she concocted a plan. She was going to surprise Jimmy by taking him to visit his sister, Amy; flying his mother out from California; and by taking him to a Broncos game.  When she began calculating the finances, she realized they wouldn’t be able to afford it. Then, she turned to Twitter.

Merriah started by sending messages to every email address she could find on the Denver Broncos website. She came up empty.  Next, she decided to contact the players.  Merriah is not much of a football fan, but she checked out the rooster and got to work.  She was able to contact almost every player on the team through Twitter and received one response from @LanceBall . . . Running Back for the Denver Broncos.

The black hawk helicopter pilot uses Twitter to get tickets to a Denver Broncos home game.

“I told him my husband was coming in from Iraq for two weeks and wants to see a Broncos game.  Can you help us out?” Merriah said. Lance Ball sent her a message telling her to contact him through his email address.  They exchanged some messages and were able to settle on a game day when Jimmy would be in town.

The details got a little sticky from there.  Jimmy’s departure date was set back and he was forced to fly directly to Colorado. Merriah packed up some of his things so her plans could be carried out.

Jimmy was picked up by his wife… and his Mom, a complete surprise to him.  They all went and visited his sister Amy and his newborn nephew. And ,when Jimmy saw the clothes Merriah packed for him . . . all Broncos gear,  Merriah caved. She told Jimmy they were going to a Denver Broncos game.  He couldn’t believe it . . . he was ecstatic.

Jimmy and Merriah took a train to the stadium, picked up their tickets at Will Call and made their way to their seats.  It was an experience Jimmy Wilson will never forget. They sat in the section with all the friends and families of the players. They were five rows back from the field, near the tunnel where all the players made their entrance.

Social media has the ability to connect people like never before. It gives people an opportunity to help in brand new ways.  And it can create memories that will last a lifetime. The Wilson’s will never forget the kindness of Denver Broncos Running Back Lance Ball.

Jimmy and Merriah Wilson

 

When used for the right reasons, social media can have a tremendous impact on any business. Contact Welborn Social Media to find how we can help you build your business using social media.

Social Media is the Preferred Marketing for Everyone!

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Lacey Welborn
Lacey and her brother Zeb Welborn founded Welborn Media. She has designed and launched websites, several projects, marketing materials, a podcast, a book and more. Her passions include her family, her friends, creating things and helping businesses grow.
Latest posts by Lacey Welborn (see all)

Direct mail, radio commercials, television commercials, billboards, flashing web advertisements, pop-up ads, and horribly timed telemarketing phone calls are all forms of marketing most people find extremely annoying. They are intrusions in our lives — always interrupting. They’re not like social media marketing. The biggest difference between this kind of marketing and social media marketing is that people get to pick and choose which social media messages they receive.

On Facebook you choose which pages you like, on Twitter you pick who you follow, when it comes to blogs you pick which ones you read. Social media allows you to subscribe to messages for the products and services you actually want to hear about.

Marketing your business to only those that want to receive your message at times during their day when they’re able to take in your message is more effective and less expensive than other forms of marketing. There are two forms of marketing, inbound and outbound. Inbound marketing is any form of marketing that helps you get found by potential customers. Outbound marketing is marketing that interrupts consumers and forces the message on them. When you think about it like this, outbound marketing sounds rather rude.

Social media has quickly become the most effective means for inbound marketing. But, simply switching your messages from outbound marketing outlets to your social media outlets isn’t enough. Outbound messages are trying to be heard over the massive amounts of other messages that a person is bombarded with each and every day. Outbound messages are the equivalent of screaming at someone. Inbound marketing in the form of social media is for people who are already seeking out information from you. They may appreciate something with more detail. And, since social media platforms are a place for conversation, it’s a perfect place to be conversational and to encourage interaction.

Social media marketing is ideal for both businesses and consumers. Don’t just try to be heard. Invest in social media marketing, get your message to those customers who are not only interested in your message, but are also at a point in time when they can fully absorb your message and interact with your brand.

At Welborn Social Media we truly believe that every business can benefit from social media marketing. If you’re interested in social media services for your business please contact Zeb Welborn at (909) 973-9089 or email Zeb@WelbornSocialMedia.com

How We Can Create Fun, Exciting and Customized Websites for Any Business

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Lacey Welborn
Lacey and her brother Zeb Welborn founded Welborn Media. She has designed and launched websites, several projects, marketing materials, a podcast, a book and more. Her passions include her family, her friends, creating things and helping businesses grow.
Latest posts by Lacey Welborn (see all)

I recently got the opportunity to design the landing page for a magazine website. While working out the details of the assignment my client told me, “I just want to see what you put together without a ton of input from me. I want you to go ahead and design what you think would work best and we can go from there.”

This is a good news/bad news situation. The good news is I have complete freedom. The bad news is that without the back and forth and asking, do you want this or that? it’s hard to figure out what the client really wants.

We already run the Twitter account for this business. She was very happy with the Twitter background I created for their Twitter profile page and she wanted to see what I could do for her new website.

After doing some research I had some good ideas for this webpage but was having difficulty fitting ideas together. Then my client sent me a message, sort of an outline of their plans for this new website. It had a list of the different sections they wanted on their website, the type of content they wanted on their page, but nothing about what they wanted for a design.  However, at the end of the document there was a section titled Brand Personality with a list: Friendly, Fun Creative, Inspiring, Imaginative, Informational, Educational, Savvy, Good Clean Fun, Social.

I wrote this list down. After reading the words a couple of times I knew how I was going to design the site. I knew how it would look. I knew this because I now knew how the site should feel.

After spending a few days developing the design I submitted a first draft mock-up to my client. They had some minor changes for me, but overall they loved it. They really liked the overall layout I set up. They loved how I integrated social media. They loved the feel the design achieved, saying that it was friendly and warm and still clean and organized.

I got to talk to another employee, whom I’ll be working with to get the site live, and he shared with me the joy my client had for the design I put together.

Apparently, they formerly had a full-time graphic artist who’s esthetic didn’t match my client’s esthetic. It was hard for them to reach design solutions that made the client happy. After getting it right on the first attempt my client has a lot of faith in me and has hired me on to help get the site live.

It can be hard to tell what a client wants. By paying attention and putting myself in their shoes, I was able to get some good ideas. Then, with the help of a few simple words, I knew how I was going to put it all together. It’s a design that I’m proud of and that my client is stoked about.

Now it’s a mad dash to get the site up and running to stay on the schedule. It’s going to be a busy week!  Stay tuned for the finished product when the site goes live.

If you are interested in getting customized websites designed for your business, contact Lacey Welborn at (909) 973 – 9088.

The Top 11 Moments for Welborn Social Media in 2011

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Lacey Welborn
Lacey and her brother Zeb Welborn founded Welborn Media. She has designed and launched websites, several projects, marketing materials, a podcast, a book and more. Her passions include her family, her friends, creating things and helping businesses grow.
Latest posts by Lacey Welborn (see all)

We founded Welborn Social Media in June 2011 and despite being open for business for roughly six months, we have many memorable moments.  The following is our top 11 moments for Welborn Social Media in 2011.  Thank you to our friends, family and the businesses who have used our services this year.  We are extremely optimistic about 2012 and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for Welborn Social Media and the people we interact with.

  1. We began the year by expanding our social media, graphic and website design knowledge by learning new ways to promote The Tutoring Solution.
  2. In June, Welborn Social Media got it’s start with our first client Scrapbook Expo.  We have been running the Scrapbook Expo Twitter Page ever since.
  3. In July, we started work on Los Serranos Country Club‘s blog, Facebook and Twitter pages and continue to run their social media presence.
  4. In August, we began working for WireSpeed Systems, a global supplier for new and refurbished networking equipment.  We run their Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages.
  5. In October, we started a Facebook and a blog for System 1 Interiors, Los Angeles’s best acoustic ceiling removal company.
  6. We launched the Welborn Social Media website and began developing our own social media presence.Welborn Social Media Online
  7. Attended the Arizona Business Growth Expo and began developing business relationships with wonderful people that will continue to help us as our business grows.
  8. As a result of our work, our client, WireSpeed Systems, was recognized by Cisco, the largest corporation in the networking industry, as their Facebook SuperFan. WireSpeed Systems has been featured in Cisco’s Facebook profile picture since the beginning of November.
  9. Hosted our first Twitter chat for our client Scrapbook Expo. It was a success and we’ve been hosting two Twitter chats a month ever since. Follow #ScrapChat at 6pm PT on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month to join in!
  10. Launched DLT Growers brand new website, built by Welborn Social Media.  DLT Growers sells ground cover to companies like Lowe’s and Home Depot.
  11. Helped the Women’s English National Football team’s starting goalkeeper, Karen Bardsley wish fans a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

It’s been a truly memorable year. The most exciting part of this year is the possibilities for next year. In the past few weeks we’ve been talking with a variety of businesses about enhancing their brand with our social media services. We already have some exciting things in store for 2012 and can’t wait to write the year in review at the end of next year, it’s bound to be packed with even more memorable moments.

Happy New Year!

A Merry Christmas from Karen Bardsley: Goalkeeper from the Women’s English National Football (Soccer) Team

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Zeb Welborn
The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.
Latest posts by Zeb Welborn (see all)

Karen Bardsley is the starting Goalkeeper for the Women’s English National Football (Soccer) Team and she wanted to make a special Merry Christmas video for her fans.  For help. . . she came to Welborn Social Media.

We hashed out a lot of great ideas and filmed three different videos.  Karen finally decided on the Christmas party video and was extremely happy about the final product . . . along with her fans.

Karen you’re an amazing player and we loved watching you play in last year’s Women’s World Cup and can’t wait to see you in action during the upcoming Olympics.  You can follow Karen Bardsley on Twitter at @klbardsley.

Welcome Scrapbookers!

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Lacey Welborn
Lacey and her brother Zeb Welborn founded Welborn Media. She has designed and launched websites, several projects, marketing materials, a podcast, a book and more. Her passions include her family, her friends, creating things and helping businesses grow.
Latest posts by Lacey Welborn (see all)

Thanks for visiting us from Scrapbook Expo’s website. Scrapbook Expo is one of our most valuable clients and we are thrilled they gave us the opportunity to inform you about the social media services we provide.

We develop and execute social media campaigns for small and medium sized businesses. That can include anything from setting up a blog and creating profile pages to doing daily posting and gaining followers. Our goal is to connect your company to new customers while creating a more engaging relationship with your existing customers.

The tools we use to connect your current and potential customers includes Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.

 

Currently we advise Scrapbook Expo on their Facebook strategy and manage their Twitter account. Check out their Twitter feed below.

 

Because you found us through the Scrapbook Expo website, we would like to offer you a Free Personalized Consultation discussing the benefits Social Media can have on your business. Please fill out the form and we’ll contact you within 48 hours.

Name:
Email:
Phone:

For more information contact Zeb Welborn at (909) 973-9089.

Thanks again for visiting our Website! Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

“Life is just a Scrapbook waiting for us to put it on Acid Free paper.” …and tweet about it, and post it on Facebook and write about it on our blog.

Turning Your Business into a Social Business

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Zeb Welborn
The owner of Welborn Social Media and the founder of The Tutoring Solution.My goal is to help business owners share the passion they have for their business with as many potential customers as possible.By helping passionate people achieve their dreams I am helping to create a society of passionate leaders that will help inspire others to make their dreams a reality.
Latest posts by Zeb Welborn (see all)

In a recent survey by Regus, they found the amount of businesses who used Social Media to acquire new business jumped from 35% to 43% in the United States this year.  Every year those figures increase as more and more businesses realize Social Media is becoming a necessity.  But, how can companies maximize the potential of their Social Media campaign?

The companies who incorporate Social Media and become Social Businesses are the companies who will thrive in the new economy.

What is a Social Business?

According to IBM,

A Social Business isn’t just a company that has a Facebook page and a Twitter account. A Social Business is one that embraces and cultivates a spirit of collaboration and community throughout its organization—both internally and externally.

Social Businesses focus on the customer.  Tools like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogging and Google+ are all used to develop a relationship with the customer and the customer is given the opportunity to interact with the business.  In turn, the business then modifies or arranges their policies to better suit the needs of their customers.

What Makes a Social Business

If you want to maximize the potential of Social Media your business needs to embrace Social Media as a vehicle to engage and interact with the customer.  These interactions should result in implementing policies and procedures to connect with what your customers truly want and need.

Overall, those companies who are considered Social Businesses experienced greater revenue and profit increases this past year than businesses who did not use Social Media.  This year, in the same Regus survey, 48% of businesses who did not use Social Media saw an increase in revenue and 39% of businesses who did not use Social Media saw an increase in profits.  During the same time frame, 53% of businesses who used Social Media saw an increase in revenue and 44% of businesses who used Social Media saw an increase in profits.

The numbers are clear, if you use Social Media your business is more likely to see an increase in revenue and profits.  For more information on how your company can become a Social Business, contact Zeb Welborn at (909) 973 – 9089 for a free consultation.