42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business: A Modern Survival Guide That Answers the Question What Do I Do with Social Media?

'42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business' is the modern survival guide to effective social media communications and the answer to the question, "what do I do with social media?" Written by communications professional Jennifer Jacobson, this book is designed to help working professionals find social media that fits their business and get the most out of their social media presence. From networking communication, to social branding, '42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business' addresses specific rules of engagement, as well as the fundamental approach to online, as opposed to traditional, media. As part of the 42 Rules series, this book is designed to quickly and effectively equip business professionals with the tools they need to generate an effective customer community through social media, that translates into customer loyalty, excitement for the brand, and return business that eventually generates a dedicated customer base and increased revenue. This book demystifies social media and teaches readers why social media is important to their business and how they can maximize their social media effectiveness. Introduction : the changing context of communication Rule 1. Rules are meant to be broken pt. I. Social media communication 101 (Rule 2. Communication is communication both on and offline Rule 3. Know your audience Rule 4. Thoughtful social media generates thoughtful people Rule 5. You don't need a million friends Rule 6. People only blog if they think someone is listening Rule 7. If you write a good blog, people will read it Rule 8. People recognize bad viral behavior Rule 9. When 1 person complains, 100 support you, and 500 don't even notice Rule 10. Not everyone follows the rules Rule 11. There's always a reason to communicate) pt. II. Your business's identity (Rule 12. Build a great profile Rule 13. Not everyone needs a MySpace page Rule 14. Meet with customers virtually Rule 15. Use your own media Rule 16. Have a username that reflects your business Rule 17. Build a virtual home Rule 18. Get a real email address Rule 19. Edit your media) pt. III. Understanding social media (Rule 20. Know your social media platforms Rule 21. Learn to evolve with technology Rule 22. Find social media patforms that work for you Rule 23. Eighteen-year-olds will always be ahead of you in technology Rule 24. Your social media page is not your Website Rule 25. Engage customers first. Then sell Rule 26. Have enough lifeboats to save your blog Rule 27. Real customers are more than friends) pt. IV. Mastering your skills (Rule 28. Be findable Rule 29. Flaunt it with a podcast Rule 30. Like like there's no tomorrow Rule 31. Spoon feed the press Rule 32. Friends don't let friends pay full price Rule 33. Get a guru Rule 34. Blog your best blog Rule 35. A little planning goes a long way Rule 36. Publicize your company events Rule 37. Make a killer virtual portfolio Rule 38. It's all fun and games until they find out what you did last summer Rule 39. Kevin Bacon is your friend Rule 40. Maximize online directories Rule 41. Advertise with social media Rule 42. These are my rules. What are yours?) Your rules : write your own rules.