Maximize Your Social Influence with Neal Schaffer

144: How to Do Influencer Marketing the Right Way in The Age of Influence Jan 24, 2020

There is an incredible amount of misinformation out there about influencer marketing. Fake followers, phony engagement, people that come out of nowhere and get paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars for posting a single photo on Instagram. Is this influencer marketing bubble about to burst? These are some of the ways influencer marketing is portrayed, but they miss out on a holistic definition of digital influence, which existed way before Instagrammers or YouTubers, and also ignore other trends in digital marketing that will push more and more brands to creating collaborations with influencers. Learn about how to do influencer marketing the right way by listening to this podcast - and if you are interested in The Age of Influence pre-order campaign, simply pre-order the paperback version from Amazon (https://nealschaffer.com/ageofinfluence) and send me the receipt to neal@nealschaffer.com. You will then get access to my invite-only upcoming two webinars ... pre-order 3 copies, and you'll also get free access to my upcoming Business of Influencer Mastermind Group Coaching Program!

143: Fanocracy: The Next Evolution in Marketing? Jan 07, 2020

Join me for an insightful interview with the bestselling marketing author David Meerman Scott, whose The New Rules of Marketing and PR has sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide. David joined me for an interview where he revealed the background and a preview of his new book: "Fanocracy: Turning Fans into Customers and Customers into Fans." While the theme of "fans" has been something covered by others, David offers a unique approach backed by case studies and neuroscience which I believe you will find quite insightful. Once you hear the scientific background behind Fanocracy, you might join me in believing that it really might be the next evolution in marketing - for those forward-looking companies who empower their marketing and customer experience teams to push forward on a fanocracy initiative. For my listeners, even if you are not a large enterprise, the same concepts that David discusses can be leveraged by any entrepreneur, small business owner, or marketer. You can purchase your own copy of Fanocracy here.

142: How Even the Smallest of Businesses Can Leverage Influencer Marketing Nov 06, 2019

If you think influencer marketing is just about famous consumer brands spending lots of money to have YouTubers and Instagrammers talk about them, you are far from the truth! Discover how any business in any industry can and should leverage influencers in this episode #142. Learn more about my upcoming book on influencer marketing, The Age of Influence, at https://nealschaffer.com/ageofinfluence.

141: How Can Marketers Stay Ahead in a Rapidly Changing Industry? Oct 21, 2019

If you are a marketer, especially a digital or social media marketer, it really gets more and more difficult with each passing day to keep track of all of the changes going on in the world of marketing as well as all of the excellent and insightful blog content that are being published. From following social media feeds to subscribing to RSS feeds and newsletters, all of us marketers have our own system that we have created to try to cope, but this approach may not be ideal, especially for the subject matter that we are less familiar with. This episode #141 features an interview with Yam Regev, CEO and Founder of Zest.is. We discuss all of the changes in marketing that marketers need to be concerned about, how can marketers consume all of the blog content that is being published on a daily basis, as well as how a combination of Community + Content + AI utilizing the free Zest.is app can help support today's marketer. You can access Zest at https://zest.is As mentioned in the intro, I do host livestream shows with some of the top thought leaders in marketing infrequently, so if you are interested, please make sure you subscribe to my newsletter so that I can let you know the next time I record one. You can do so by going to my website and entering you email address on the sidebar widget or the one at the bottom of each page: https://nealschaffer.com

140: If You Want to Excel in Social Media Marketing, You Need to be an Active Consumer of Social Media Oct 06, 2019

For whatever social media channel you want to become proficient at, STOP listening to this podcast and START becoming a user of the channel! As marketers, we sometimes look for new social networks or content mediums to utilize for marketing, but instead of reading blogs or listening to what advice others give us, becoming actual users and consumers of the content on those platforms or of those mediums is probably the single most important thing you can do at the beginning to get better at them.

This episode #140 was inspired by my own podcast and the confession that I personally wasn't a consumer of podcasts yet was a podcast creator. While the positive thing is that I might not have been influenced by other podcasters and thus my podcast might be unique, it also means that I failed to grasp the importance of certain things about my podcast or the needs of podcast audiences.

As mentioned in the intro, if you haven't subscribed to my newsletter, please do so by going to my website and entering you email address on the sidebar widget or the one at the bottom of each page: https://nealschaffer.com

LinkedIn for Students: What Do I Put in My LinkedIn Profile if I am a College Student? Jun 21, 2019

How do you advertise your profile amongst so many professionals while you are still only a college student? And what might professionals learn about their own LinkedIn profile optimization from my advice to college students? Listen on for the details!

Why You Must Embrace Customer Experience Marketing To Stand Out As A Business (with Dan Gingiss) - Ep. 138 Mar 14, 2019

Customer experience marketing. It's a buzzword that a lot of people throw out, but what exactly does it mean, how important is it to you business today, and what are the first steps you can take to implementing customer experience marketing the right way?

I could not think of a better person than friend and customer experience marketing expert Dan Gingiss to have on my podcast to answer these questions and more for my listeners.

As Dan explains, customer experience marketing is a vital aspect to both your online and offline business. It also could be the one defining thing that can differentiate your brand from your competitors.

Dan takes us through the correct way to implement customer experience marketing. Listen in and read the show notes below to learn more.

How To Optimize Your Blog Posts For Higher Search Rankings And Stay Ahead Of The Competition - Episode 137 Feb 28, 2019

Getting to the front page in the search rankings is a battlefield - you're fighting a war! The struggle to stay relevant and compete with an ever growing number of competitors requires the right tools and the right approach to revitalizing existing blog content and strategically creating new content.

If you are approaching content from a social media marketing perspective, or from a blogging perspective, today's podcast is going to really resonate with you because I want to give you a hopefully new and really holistic way of thinking about search engine optimization and therefore the content that either you already have on your site or new content that you are going to blog in the future as part of your content marketing and social media marketing efforts.

The (Social Media) Marketing Trends You Need to Understand Today Jan 03, 2019

Social media keeps changing. It seems that every few weeks you hear that Facebook has some new algorithm that messes up all the energy youâve been putting into it. Then a new feature appears and everyone tells you how amazing it is for branding and marketing. And then it turns out that itâs not as amazing as everyone says (remember Periscope?). How do we keep track of the social media marketing trends? How do we adapt? How do make sure to stay atop of the ever-flowing changes but at the same time never waste too much energy on them either? Today I interview an expert to help you answer all those questions about social media marketing trends. During my recent trip around the world, I was able to go to the Falcon.io "Spark" conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, where I finally had a chance to meet up with someone I've known and respected in social media for quite some time: Matt Navarra, a social media consultant and former social media director for the The Next Web as well as consultant to organizations such as the United Nations and BBC. In this interview I talk with Matt about what has happened to social media in the past 12 months and whatâs next for the future with regards to social media marketing trends. Should businesses continue experimenting with Facebook? How can brands make use of both Instagram and Facebook Stories? What is the next big thing? Listen to find out!

Wake Up Call: It's Time for Social Media Marketing 2.0 â Podcast Ep. 135 Dec 13, 2018

16 days. 6 countries. 2 continents. After a business trip around the world, I pondered what role businesses should play in social media. And then it dawned on me: Social media marketing has been going on for ten years, but brands on average still suck at it. Should businesses keep trying to do the same thing? Or is it time for a next generation, new approach to social media marketing that takes into account the fact that we are now entering our second decade of implementing organic social? Listen on for the conclusion that I have and the advice for you to completely blow up and reconstruct your social media marketing efforts to be more effective in 2019 and beyond.

Itâs Time to Bring Content, Organic Social and Performance Marketing Teams Together â Podcast Ep. 134 Nov 26, 2018

I recently keynoted social media enterprise platform company Falcon.io's Spark conference in Copenhagen, Denmark on the topic of influencer marketing. I had a chance to meet with their founder and CEO, Ulrik Bo Larsen, at the event and get his perspective on all things social media marketing. Listen in for his advice.

Your Definition of Influencer Marketing is WAY Too Narrow: Influence is EVERYWHERE in Social Media Oct 31, 2018

Influencer Marketing is about way more than just Instagram influencers with millions of followers. This episode is a preview of Neal's new book on influencer marketing, The Business of Influence, and aims to change your mindset to understand that influence is literally everywhere, on every social network and content medium, and those who influence include your followers, customers, partners, and even employees.

The Influencer Marketing ROI of Creating and Publishing a Roundup Post â Episode 132 Oct 23, 2018

Roundup posts are a powerful form of influencer marketing when strategically planned and implemented correctly, especially but not limited to B2B businesses. Learn how to create your own roundup posts with this interview with Codrut Turcanu, one of the global leaders in producing expert roundup blog posts.

How to Create Your Own Instagram Followers Policy to Increase Your Community and Gain More Engagement - Episode 131 Oct 19, 2018

On this podcast I first compare the concept of an Instagram follower policy with that of other social networks and then focus on detailing my experience on Instagram to help you create a policy that will help you grow both Instagram followers and engagement.

An Insider's Look at the Influencer Marketing Industry - Podcast Ep. 130 Oct 08, 2018

What are the biggest issues facing the influencer marketing industry today? And how can marketers best navigate the influencer landscape? Join me for an exclusive insider's look at the influencer marketing industry in this interview with Eric Dahan, CEO of the leading influencer marketing technology company OpenInfluence.

How Fresh is Your Content? A "Fresh" Look at Content Marketing - Podcast Ep. 129 Oct 01, 2018

How fresh is your content? Content is the currency of social and digital media, yet what type of content in what content medium do you publish in what outlet or social media website? Join Neal for an insightful look into why content has an expiration date and what you can do to get the best ROI from your content.

How Harvard Medical School Does Visual Social - Podcast Ep. 128 Feb 24, 2016

Today Neal is mixing it up with an interview as he gets ready to hit the road again in the next couple of months. He’s talking to someone he’ll be meeting at the upcoming Social Tools Summit in Boston, Jay Shemenski, who is the Digital Manager of the Harvard Medical School. Listen in to hear him talk about how he got to Harvard Medical School, what his goals are in managing their social, and what he’s looking forward to talking to at the Social Tools Summit.

10 Tips to Hack Your Social Media Growth - Podcast Ep. 127 Feb 18, 2016

Today Neal is talking about something he hasn’t talked about before: growth hacking. Growth hacking is basically how to quickly create a robust social presence on a newly launched effort in a short amount of time. Neal has had a few companies reach out to him for advice on this subject, and was recently asked what his first steps to start building a big presence would be. The ten tips he’s talking about today are great not only for social media newbies, but also for folks who maybe need to take a step back and make sure they haven’t missed these important steps.

How to Create Processes for Your Social Media Program - Podcast Ep. 126 Feb 12, 2016

Today’s show is about something Neal is very passionate about both for his clients and for his own brand: taking social media seriously. Social is becoming a bigger part for businesses large and small, and they are spending more and more resources on it, but it’s important to take it seriously and look at what you’re getting out of it. Putting processes in place can help you streamline your social media program and examine what is the best strategy for your business, which will in turn provide more ROI.

Product Hunt Ask Me Anything: Answering Your Questions about Social - Podcast Ep. 125 Feb 03, 2016

Not long ago, Neal was on an “Ask Me Anything” on Product Hunt, a website that showcases new products, apps, and startups. Today he’s sharing some of the questions he answered during that session because he thought maybe if one person is asking this, other people are having these same questions. Listen in to hear Neal talk about everything from the best platforms to be on, tools to be using, advice for startups, and tips for fundraising for your new social business.

My Social Media Theme for 2016: Focus - Podcast Ep. 124 Jan 18, 2016

Happy new year and welcome to the first solo episode of 2016. Neal has been thinking a lot about skills of the best social media marketers, and what he’s going to be focusing on this year. The answer is focus: social media marketers wear lots of hats, and the only way to maintain a strategic approach is the ability to focus and keep on track. Listen in to hear how Neal keeps focused, and why focusing on your business objective is crucial to your success.

Enterprise-Wide Employee Advocacy is a Natural Outcome of Social Business - Podcast Ep. 123 Jan 05, 2016

Today Neal is sharing an interview he did with Marylin Montoya of Sociabble. Sociabble, one of the sponsors of the 2015 Social Tools Summits, is an employee advocacy platform that uses content marketing and social media networks to connect relevant content to employees in order to showcase their company’s brand. Marylin is sharing her insider perspective and offering valuable information and advice based on lots of experience helping large clients plan and implement employee advocacy programs. Listen in to hear her talk about the value of employee advocacy, why your employees are your best assets, and why enterprise-wide employee advocacy is a natural progression of social business.

An Essential Component of Content Marketing - Podcast Ep. 122 Dec 21, 2015

The Social Tools Summit was a couple of months ago now, but Neal is still sharing some great conversations he had around the event. On today’s podcast, he’s talking to Chad Abbott, the CEO of Abbson Live, the company that provided all of the live streaming for the Social Tools Summit. Listen in as he goes a little deeper with Chad, discussing how and why video is an essential part of content marketing.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Employee Advocacy - Podcast Ep. 121 Dec 14, 2015

Today on the podcast, Neal is sharing an interview he did at the Social Tools Summit in San Francisco with Chad McCaffrey and Daniel Hebert of PostBeyond. Listen in as they talk all about employee advocacy. This episode is full of great reminders for any company thinking about establishing an employee advocacy program, reasons to start one, and tips to help convince your team or executives internally as to why it’s time to try it.

How to Reach Out to Social Media Bloggers and Influencers - Podcast Ep. 120 Dec 07, 2015

Today Neal is talking about how to reach out to bloggers, influencers, and anyone else you want to cover your story. It’s important to remember that these bloggers are busy people, and you’re asking them to take time to use your product, and maybe even tweet or write about it - time isn’t free! Listen in to learn how to build a connection, what you can and should offer them, and how to make the relationship last by involving them in your content and programs.

Rediscovering the Value of Social Media for Business - in South Africa - Part Two - Podcast Ep. 119 Nov 30, 2015

Neal recently visited South Africa and was interviewed on South Africa FM. Last week, you heard the first half of that interview. This week, listen in to hear a continuation of the conversation about social media for business, and what it might be like if we could start over with social media. What would we do differently? Would we change our priorities? You’ll also hear more about Neal’s story and how he got to where he is, as well as an entertaining countdown of questions.

Rediscovering the Value of Social Media for Business - in South Africa - Part One - Podcast Ep. 118 Nov 23, 2015

Neal is back! You’ve heard him talk about keeping it real in your social and your content, and he wants to keep it real. Neal’s goal is always to do this podcast regularly, but everyone’s busy! Since the last podcast, he’s traveled a lot, successfully launched the second Social Tools Summit in San Francisco in October, and spoken at a conference in South Africa. This episode is part one of a radio interview he did while he was there, and focuses on the value of social media and taking a step back and looking at the big picture.

Announcing Neal's New Ebook Maximize LinkedIn for Business - Podcast Ep. 117 Nov 16, 2015

Today Neal is coming to you from Clearwater, Florida, where he actually did this podcast episode as a Periscope broadcast. And while he does talk a little bit about Periscope in this episode, what he’s mostly discussing is his new ebook which just came out on Kindle. It’s called Maximize LinkedIn for Business, and it came about from his visit to the LinkedIn Headquarters over a year and a half ago. Listen in to today’s episode for a rundown of what you can find in the ebook, and where you can get access to it.

How to Refine Your Visual Voice and Engage on Instagram - Podcast Ep. 116 Jul 31, 2015

Neal has been in Japan these last few weeks, and he’s been thinking a lot about the power of mobile. This week Neal is talking about the social network that you can only engage in from mobile: Instagram. It’s important for businesses to find their visual voice and be original and organic on this platform. The beautiful thing about Instagram is it’s power to connect with people. So remember, don’t go for the hard sale on Instagram - instead, focus on personality, engagement, and authenticity.

How Cathay Pacific Built a Global Employee Advocacy Program - Podcast Ep. 115 Jul 06, 2015

This week Neal is coming to you from Japan, and he’s talking to Dennis Owen, from Cathay Pacific. The two are talking about Cathay Pacific’s extremely successful employee advocacy program, which Dennis launched simultaneously with their brand campaign “Life Well Traveled.” Dennis explains how he got the higher ups behind him, the platform they use, what kind of content is successful, and the rewards they give for engaging in the program. This is a great episode to listen to if you’ve been trying to figure out how to factor an employee advocacy program into your business plan.

Why It's Time to Prune Your LinkedIn Connections - Podcast Ep. 114 Jun 30, 2015

When Neal first started speaking and blogging about social media, he focused on LinkedIn. But the platform has changed so much since the beginning, and of course the interactions and recommended use of it have evolved too. Today, Neal is talking about editing your LinkedIn connections. Not only is it important to comb through your current connections to edit out people who may not be relevant for you, but it’s also good to have some guidelines for accepting new requests. You want your LinkedIn to be curated so it’s productive, fun, and adds value to your life and business.

My New Video Workshop: Content Marketing for Social - Podcast Ep. 113 Jun 25, 2015

This week on the podcast, Neal is sharing a new project with you. In his social media consulting business, he gets very broad and occasionally vague requests all the time, and there’s just no way he can help every person that reaches out. So Neal has decided to repackage the content he creates for trainings and make it available to more people. The first version of this is a 9-day online video workshop, complete with videos, worksheets, and a forum where you can chat with Neal. In this week’s episode you can learn more about why he’s starting this project, what this first version will be all about, and how you can join the party.

What Content Marketers Can Learn From Publishers Jun 18, 2015

Neal is at the Corporate Social Media Summit this week, speaking and leading panels on all things social media and content creation. In this episode, he chats with Saul Leal, the Director of the Family Share Network, a group of Facebook pages, websites, and other social media accounts. They discuss how to create engaging content, how to monetize social media content and drive traffic to a website, and why publishing is more of a dialogue now than a monologue as it used to be.

How to Create a System for Your Content Marketing Jun 10, 2015

After talking with people all over the world about social media, today Neal is talking about content. Yes, content is important, but with an oversaturated market, it’s important that the content you are creating and sharing is legendary! So why not leverage successful content you’ve already created and used in the past? This week is all about why you shouldn’t be scared to repurpose old content, and how to best go about using what you’ve already got.

How to Generate Leads from Facebook with TabSite May 26, 2015

This week, Neal is coming to you from Victoria BC, where he spoke at Social Media Camp. At the event, Neal ran into friend Mike Gingerich of TabSite. TabSite is a great tool that helps you run contests and capture leads, mostly on Facebook, but also on the web. It integrates with tons of common platforms like MailChimp, Infusionsoft, Canva, and Hootsuite, and it’s so easy to use. It’s a great way to grow your following, get shared on social networks, and engage with people.

My Best Social Media Advice? Ignore Everyone's Social Media Advice. May 19, 2015

Coming to you from the Women’s Business Symposium, sponsored by Comerica Bank, and benefitting Girls, Inc., this week Neal is discussing when to listen to advice, and when to ignore it. Last week, he held the event that he’s been talking about for months, the Social Tools Summit. It got him thinking about why it’s important to be unique in the world of business and social media. When planning the summit, Neal got lots of advice from his peers about how to run the event. Yes, it’s good to listen to advice from peers and role models, but it’s also good to know that you don’t always have to take that advice.

The Value of Content Curation with Curata May 12, 2015

Today Neal is talking with Pawan Deshpande, the CEO and Founder of Curata. They discuss Curata on the eve of the Social Tools Summit in Boston. Curata provides tools that help marketers curate content and publish it many channels, as well as provide analytics, best practices, and machine learning to make content curation and creation easier and more effective. Curata can schedule content, build posts from relevant metadata, and even suggest images. Pawan also discusses the company’s history, the value of content curation, and the future of content curation and creation convergence.

Creating Employee Advocates with GaggleAMP May 04, 2015

Neal talks with Glenn Gaudet, the CEO and Founder of GaggleAMP. This tool helps companies and social media manager create employee advocates within their companies, and makes it easy for employees to share company-created social posts. They discuss how employee advocacy has grown, and how you can get started doing employee advocacy if you haven’t tried it yet. Glenn will be present at the Social Tools Summit in just a few weeks and also hosts AMPlify, the employee advocacy conference, directly after the Social Tools Summit in Boston.

Using Simply Measured to Drive Social Media ROI with Measuring and Planning Apr 30, 2015

Neal discusses an amazing tool that is used by serious social media marketers everywhere, Simply Measured. He’s talking to Ron Schott, the Director of the Professional Services Team at Simply Measured. This tool helps big brands and small companies alike reap the benefits of social media by understanding their analytics and planning future social media campaigns based on the measuring and reporting that Simply Measured provides. The tool also has the ability to track competitors and market sectors, plus so much more. These are the kinds of tools Neal is excited to introduce you to and conversations they’ll be having at the Social Tools Summit in just a few weeks.

How Likeable Hub Helps Businesses Capture the Benefits of Social Apr 27, 2015

Today Neal is introducing you to another social media tool that can help you reap the benefits of the wide world of social: Likeable Local. He’s talking Nicole Kroese, the Director of Marketing and Partnerships, about all the things Likeable Local can do and how it’s growing and changing. Likeable Local’s mission is to help businesses, especially small businesses, grow with social media. How? It makes it easy to create content with post templates and timely content at your fingertips. It also has metrics, so you can track your likes, looks, and leads generated by your social efforts. These are the kinds of tools Neal will introduce you to and conversations they’ll be having at the Social Tools Summit in just a few weeks.

How to Use Live Video in Your Marketing Strategy Apr 21, 2015

This week, Neal Schaffer interviews Chad Abbot of Abbson Live. Chad will be joining the Social Tools Summit next month, and Neal wanted to talk to him about the powers of video. We know that video is an incredibly powerful marketing tool, and we know that live streaming can be helpful for events, but Chad shared some other ways that live video can be used in your marketing strategy. Use of video across platforms is growing, and now is the time to jump in and try it for yourself!

Introducing OktoPost: The B2B Social Media Management Tool Apr 13, 2015

This week Neal Schaffer introduces you to Oktopost and the man behind it, CEO and Founder Daniel Kushner. Oktopost is another great social media management tool that specializes in B2B services, tracking relationships and helping you target your marketing. They’ll soon be launching an employee advocacy program as well, helping companies simplify the advocacy process. Learn more about Oktopost, and where Daniel sees social media being used in the sales process in this week’s episode.

Reintroducing Agora Pulse: The Social Engagement Dashboard for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Apr 07, 2015

At the Social Media Marketing World event in San Diego last week, Neal Schaffer met all kinds of great people, one of them being Emeric Ernoult. Emeric is the CEO and Co-Founder of Agora Pulse, an engagement dashboard tool for Facebook and Twitter. Agora Pulse allows you to track the most important fans and interactions on social, gathering data unlike any other tool. Luckily, Emeric is going to be joining the Social Tools Summit in Boston in May. Listen to learn more about this great tool, what inspired its creation, and other tools that Emeric loves.

From the CeBIT Global Conferences 2015: Introducing Blappsta - Turn Your Blog into an App Mar 31, 2015

This episode brings you into the atmosphere of the CeBIT Global Conference, where Neal Schaffer met Steven Zielke, who helped found the Rock the Blog event. But that’s not the only thing he’s founded: enter Blappsta, a new app that can turn your blog into its own native app. Neal is very excited about this app, and even more excited to share it with you. Blappsta provides yet another medium to access your readers in this increasingly mobile world, holding your hand through the registration, allowing you send push notifications, and above all, becoming the provider of your own app.

From the CeBIT Global Conference 2015: The Role of IT in Social Media Mar 25, 2015

This week is a special episode, recorded at the CeBIT Global Conference (CGC) in Hannover, Germany. Neal Schaffer spoke and participated in this great event, and had such a good time sitting down to speak with Ingo Stoll about the role information technology can play in social media. This episode takes a step back from the usual more applicable advice and looks at the bigger picture, including the current state of social media, and the future of the industry.

7 Reasons LinkedIn Should Become Your New CRM Mar 06, 2015

Many companies invest in using a customer relationship management tool, or CRM, such as Salesforce. But there’s a free tool at your fingertips that you need to take advantage of: LinkedIn. LinkedIn has plenty of functions like searching and tagging that allow you to keep track of and maintain your professional relationships, sometimes better than CRM tools that are already out there. After collecting boxes of business cards for many years, Neal Schaffer decided it was time to take the plunge and use LinkedIn as his CRM. In this week’s episode, he explains why you should do the same.

Guest Blogging is Here to Stay: Respect the Content and the Creators Feb 23, 2015

Some people say that guest blogging is dead, but Neal Schaffer disagrees. Content curation is a great way to have enough content to share, and it’s beneficial for both business and the content creators. How? This week, Neal talks about the importance of building those relationships between brands and influencers: how organizations can strategically partner with bloggers, and work with them to create a mutually beneficial relationship that leverages each of their networks.

There are Options: How to Help Your Small Business with Social Media Feb 11, 2015

Neal gets a lot of requests saying, “We’re behind on our social media, and we need help.” A lot of these calls for help are coming from people with small businesses, so today Neal discusses some of the options that are available for you, such as working with consultants, agencies, and virtual assistants. We know that social media requires its own set of skills, so it’s important to be willing to dedicate the time to educate and the money to get you access to resources that can help take your business to the next level.

5 Things You Need for a Successful Social Selling Infrastructure Feb 04, 2015

Neal has talked a lot about the benefits of social selling and some of you are farther down the road of creating a successful social selling program than others. Social allows you to create connections faster and contact prospects you otherwise might not have been able to. If you haven’t started your social selling journey yet, this week Neal wants to help you begin. It can seem overwhelming, but Neal breaks it down, starting by creating the infrastructure and leveraging LinkedIn profiles, connections, recommendations and groups.

The Role of Stories and Human Interaction in Sharing Your Expertise Jan 30, 2015

You’ve heard about Neal Schaffer’s Social Tools Summit that he’s launching this May in Boston, but maybe you haven’t heard why he’s creating this event. Aiming to educate organizations about the social tools that are available, the goal of this event is to close the gap between customer understanding and company potential. By bringing vendors, CEOs, and potential clients into the same room, everyone can gain insight into the value of these tools and how to leverage them. In this episode, delve into the importance of in-person interaction, sharing stories, and showcasing your subject matter expertise.

Employee Advocacy, Social Selling, and The Missing Alignment Between Sales and Marketing Jan 26, 2015

What is the relationship between social selling and employee advocacy? Neal goes deep into describing the evolution of social business and how it is bringing sales and marketing together with the emergence of these new trends, together with practical advice on how to align your sales and marketing departments for social selling success.

9 Things You Should Focus Your Social Media Efforts On in 2015 Jan 13, 2015

Where should you focus your social media efforts and budget in 2015? In this episode, Neal Schaffer encourages you to start the year by analyzing your content and process. This means helping you find more places to share your content, explaining the importance of internal education and ownership, and advocating for systems that help you amplify your strategies, like paid social and automation.

Restarting Your Social Media Strategy for 2015 Dec 24, 2014

Is your social media strategy stuck in "2011 social media?" Let Neal help guide you through how to re-measure your social media ROI and reallocate your precious resources for your social media program in 2015.

Announcing the Social Tools Summit Dec 16, 2014

Neal introduces the how, what, and why of the first social media event in which he will be curating and co-producing to serve the social media industry: The Social Tools Summit in Boston in May, 2015.

LinkedIn Publishing Platform Tips: Should I Republish My Blog Content on LinkedIn? Dec 09, 2014

Now that you see the value in publishing on LinkedIn, should you simply republish your blog's content on LinkedIn? Or ... ? Neal responds to the question point blank with advice to help you better understand, leverage, and maximize your LinkedIn content marketing.

9 Concepts to Raise Your Social Media to the Next Level Dec 04, 2014

Neal gives a preview of his upcoming one day workshop in Bucharest, Romania by focusing in on those advanced social media marketing concepts that you need to dive into to help you raise your social media to the next level.

This is How You Create a Community in Social Media through a Social Media Campaign Nov 26, 2014

Neal shares best practices with social media campaigns by showcasing Passion Planner's Kickstarter campaign and what can be learned from it.

Want to Improve Your Social? Start with These Six Ideas Nov 19, 2014

Neal describes a pre-sales social media consulting call with six ideas to improve your social media that go above and beyond your social media.

What I've Learned in Building a New Social Media Community Nov 11, 2014

Neal talks about the launch of his new Social Media Center of Excellence Facebook Group and what he has learned building a new community in social media - and how you can leverage Neal's experience.

Protecting Your Content and Brand Equity in Social Media Nov 04, 2014

As your company's social media presence grows and you begin to yield "influence" in social media, you will be faced with those who copy your content as well as attack you. Neal shares his own experience as to how he deals with these issues to help prepare you and your business for what may lie ahead for you.

Rediscovering the Potential Business Value of Facebook Groups Oct 28, 2014

Have you had a bad experience on a social network and refused to venture back into it? That's not good business sense. Perhaps it has happened to you by being opted-in to several Facebook Groups without your permission. Now is time to join Neal in rediscovering the potential business value of Facebook Groups.

Making the Instagram Transition from Personal to Business Oct 24, 2014

As Instagram continues to gain in popularity, many haven't started to leverage the opportunities that Instagram provides businesses. Neal introduces his own story of the why and how he is transitioning to use Instagram as a more integral part of his social media marketing - and why you should as well.

How to Take Your Employee Advocacy to the Next Level: An Interview with GaggleAMP Oct 15, 2014

Neal interviews Glenn Gaudet, CEO and founder of GaggleAMP, and talks about the history of employee advocacy and the challenges that face companies that try to launch such a program internally.

Ello? What's all this talk about ELLO? Oct 10, 2014

A first look at the newest social network Ello. Should you sign up? Spend much time there? Use it for your business? Listen to Neal's advice and gain some rational perspective on what value Ello might be able to provide you and your business.

Creatures of Habit and The Business of Social Media Oct 01, 2014

How should small businesses approach an investment in social media? Learn how a social media consultant views how small business should consider what business value they should derive from social - and how to better manage their expectations vis a vis budget spend on social.

The Single Question to Help Guide Your Social Media Marketing Sep 23, 2014

If you're looking to better leverage social media for marketing, this is the one question that you need to answer to help guide you towards implementing the right social media strategy.

The Importance of Consistency (and How It Relates to Paid Social) in Social Media Sep 16, 2014

Building a brand in social does not happen overnight. Learn about just how important consistency in your social media efforts are and how to use paid social to help accelerate it.

Debunking the Pinterest Myth Sep 09, 2014

How can a B2B company find success in a social network like Pinterest? Find out how and learn some new tips, tricks, and concepts to help you Maximize Your Social in this episode.

The Secret to Getting Content Featured into LinkedIn Pulse Sep 03, 2014

Neal takes a deep dive into LinkedIn Pulse and reveals a "hidden" back door to help you get your content featured into LinkedIn Pulse.

It's Time to Ctrl-Alt-Delete How You View LinkedIn Aug 26, 2014

LinkedIn is not about the connections but the engagements and relationships you can build with other professionals and businesses. This episode will change your perspective on LinkedIn for the better.

How to Leverage Big Data to Optimize Your Social Aug 19, 2014

Neal introduces the concept of an anchor network and how to leverage big data through tools that analyze your own social presence to better optimize your social.

Holistic Social Media 101: Asking the Right Social Media Questions Aug 12, 2014

When looking at optimizing your social media program, are you asking the right questions? Neal will provide examples of a holistic mindset to help you ask the right questions that will truly help you Maximize Your Social.

Understanding the LinkedIn Publishing Audience Aug 05, 2014

Neal reveals his "aha!" moment from his recent blog post on LinkedIn and offers advice on better understanding the unique demographic that is viewing your blog posts on LinkedIn.

Neal's Fave Social Media Productivity Tips & Tools Aug 01, 2014

Spending too much time in social and achieving too few business results? Neal shares his favorite social media productivity tips - and a plethora of tools to help you and your business improve your social media productivity by leaps and bounds.

Is it Time for You (and Your Business) to Unplug from Social Media? Jul 30, 2014

A look at why unplugging from social media is a critical component to a social media strategy as well important to understanding the ROI of social from a business and personal perspective.

The Definitive Guide to Employee Advocacy Jul 24, 2014

Neal announces his new free ebook, created together with the employee advocacy platform PeopleLinx, on how to create, manage, and measure an employee advocacy program regardless of the size of your business.

Social Media Lessons Learned from the Japanese Countryside Jul 23, 2014

Neal shares the four things companies need to launch a successful social media program based on time he recently spent in rural Japan helping farmers get social media savvy.

Social Media Engagement from a London Pub Jul 16, 2014

Join Neal in a candid conversation over a pint from London as he introduces three of his social media friends who help provide fresh (but sometimes "old school") insight into leveraging social media for your business.

The Uniquely Engaging Pinterest Community Boards Jun 24, 2014

Pinterest Community Boards have a unique role in the world of social media. Find out why you should be leveraging them as part of your social media strategy.

LinkedIn's Latest New Premium Features - What are They and Is it Worth the Upgrade? Jun 18, 2014

LinkedIn recently upped the ante of becoming a paid member with the new "Spotlight" account. Is it worth the upgrade? Listen on for Neal's detailed advice on the new features and why you may (or may not) be interested in them.

Want Social Media Success? Be an Active Community Member! Jun 13, 2014

If you're not finding success as a member of any given social network, chances are you simply aren't spending enough time there and becoming a true community member. From Twitter to Pinterest to SlideShare, Neal shares the secrets behind social media success.

Are You Using Social Media for What it's Meant for? Jun 09, 2014

A look into the different ways social media users use Instagram as well as other social networks - and Neal's recommendations for being the most effective with your social media marketing.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Crowdfund Marketing May 28, 2014

Neal interviews crowdfund marketing expert Peter Trapasso at Cisco Live and gets to the gist of how to use crowdfunding as a marketing vehicle.

The Only Constant in Your Career is Change: Learn to Embrace It (Part 2) May 20, 2014

Neal continues providing his advice that he recently gave LinkedIn on career change and learning to adapt to – and thrive on – the constant change that is part of our everyday life.

The Only Constant in Your Career is Change: Learn to Embrace It (Part 1) May 13, 2014

Neal provides his advice that he recently gave LinkedIn on career change and learning to adapt to - and thrive on - the constant change that is part of our everyday life.

Google Plus is Dying! Read All About It! May 07, 2014

A blog post recently published on TechCrunch claims that Google Plus is dying. Neal Schaffer analyzes the facts behind the article, the evolution of social media, and yields some insight on the least understood social network today: Google Plus.

It's Time to Reset Your Email Marketing May 02, 2014

Are you providing true value and building a relationship with your email subscribers? If not, it's time to do a hard reset with this advice from Neal Schaffer.

Are You Helping Your Customers Create Photographable Memories? Apr 22, 2014

Neal provides advice to hotels - which is equally applicable to any brick-and-mortar establishment - on creating photographable memories to help your customers promote your presence in social media.

Social Media for Professionals (and Students): A Professor's Perspective Apr 18, 2014

Neal interviews social media professor Niklas Myhr about his social media classes and advice for both professional MBA students as well as undergrads.

Dynamically Adapting a Changing Content Focus to Your Social Media Strategy Apr 08, 2014

Is your business changing? Offering new products or services or maybe concentrating strategically on one or two products instead of ten? Your content strategy needs to change as well. Learn what you need to do - and what to expect as a result - from this podcast.

How Social Media Complements Your Sales Funnel Apr 01, 2014

How to properly build a sales funnel that flows from social media to your website. Where does the funnel building process start?

How to Determine Objectives for Your Social Media Strategy Mar 26, 2014

Are you having a problem aligning business goals with your social media activities? Whether you are a large or small business, solopreneur, non-profit, NGO, or religious organization, here are some ideas to help you begin Maximizing Your Social.

Protecting Your Online Content in a Digital World Mar 18, 2014

As companies create more content, more of that content will be illegally copied on the Internet. Find out what you can do to protect your content and fight those who steal it.

Understanding the Compelling Power of the LinkedIn Publishing Platform Mar 13, 2014

My firsthand experience of blogging on LinkedIn - and why and how you can leverage the power of the LinkedIn publishing platform.

Best Practices in Blogger Outreach Mar 04, 2014

Your comprehensive guide to finding bloggers, auditing them, building relationships with them, and then inviting them to be part of your blogger outreach campaign.

Internal Communications and Social Media - What You Need to Know Feb 25, 2014

Neal interviews Internal Communications expert Rachel Miller while in London about the role of internal communications, internal communications versus public relations, and internal communications best practices.

Maximize Your Facebook Feb 19, 2014

Neal interviews Mike Gingerich from TabSite on best practices in maximizing your Facebook marketing for your business regardless of size.

Finding Time for Google Plus Feb 11, 2014

Many businesses see the potential value in Google Plus but few are investing the time they need to results. Join Neal as he interviews Google Plus superstar Amanda Blain and fellow social media marketer Charise Strandberg to learn tips and tricks on how to cross the chasm and derive benefits from a Google Plus presence.

Is Social Media Marketing World the Best Social Media Conference? Feb 04, 2014

Neal interviews Michael Stelzner, founder of Social Media Examiner, as he talks about the upcoming 2nd Social Media Marketing World in San Diego, California in late March, 2014. Learn what differentiates his social media conference from others.

How Social Media is Taught in Universities Jan 28, 2014

Social media is beginning to be taught in universities as a core skill that students will need in the business world. Neal Schaffer interviews two professors at NOVA Southeastern University, Jim Barry and John Gironda, on how they got started with their program, what they teach, and the challenges that they and their students face.

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