Social media: Building your opt-in list

The immense popularity of social networks, and the meteoric rise in the last few years of social media marketing, have been some of the most exciting new directions for PR and marketing that I have experienced.

That is why I jumped on board the social media marketing train over a year ago - it has been a huge boon to my performance-based PR business.

But in spite of the many extraordinary opportunities in social media marketing, one drawback I've found is the speed with which one can be forgotten. Even the social-media savvy may struggle to stay in front of and remain memorable in the minds of their friends, followers, connections and fellow group members.

The truth is that being an active and diligent social media marketer, posting and participating with consistent frequency, does not guarantee your messages are going to be seen by everyone you would like to reach. And it’s understandable - people are busy. Some log on to their social networks at different times of day than when you happen to be on, others get involved only sporadically, while some group participants may only check in to see what's happening in their group every few weeks.

Tweets are here and gone in a flash. If your posts are not showing up in someone's news feed or social network home page when they happen to log on, your only hope for that person to see your communication is for them to find you interesting and memorable enough to regularly visit YOUR profile to see what you're up to. Sadly, more often than not, the majority of your prized connections are probably missing your posts.

My solution for this dilemma is to support my social media marketing with traditional email marketing activities. This one-two punch has been a very valuable approach for me: social media marketing has enabled me to increase my email list by thousands with those on the list continuously receiving my newsletters that carry my message.

Each week I email my newsletter containing my articles with tips on how to use PR to promote your business to my mailing list. (I have actually been sending these weekly emails since email became a common means of business communication and prior to email I was sending faxes!)

Unlike my social media efforts, I know that everyone on that mailing list sees my email in their inbox, at the very least. Some read and respond with feedback or a request for information about our services, while others forward it to their own lists.

My newsletter helps my social media contacts remember me and what I do, and this has led directly to many new business relationships. Indirectly, I frequently receive referrals from the members of my opt-in list. And I always enjoy the times when someone from my list, who has been quietly receiving my emails for years without responding, finally reaches out for my professional help and becomes a client!