The World According to Mitch Fanning

Okay, so you’re eager to harness the awesome power of the Internet and social web to connect with your customers, increase brand awareness, and generate sales.

Great! Now what?

Well, in a crowded marketplace, you need to convert awareness into trust, conversation, and loyalty. To be successful, you must learn how to ‘be social’ online and deliver compelling branded content that encourages action.

‘Being’ social is not about the media or tools you use. It’s about being authentic, helping others get what they want, and empowering individuals who connect with your message to spread it further.

Now that blogging and social media have become popular methods for connecting and sharing content, your ability to ‘be social’ and deliver compelling and unique branded content is what will set you apart from the crowd.

The Same Rules Apply in Both the Real and Digital World

Over time, you start to get a sense of what works and what doesn’t (…I think this is called “wisdom?!”)  For me, It all started back in 2003 when I became self-employed as a marketing professional.

I immediately ran into two hurdles:  1) I had little experience (only 3 years out of University) and 2) the end of the month was coming very quickly!   I scraped by financially in my first year because I was able to build a small, but strong circle of influence through networking (this was before Facebook and Twitter existed).

My network didn’t just build itself overnight.

It was a slow process (I’m still working on it).  However, I realized something important very early on.  Most people whom I met through networking events just handed me their business card or tried to ‘pitch’ me their goods.  This approach made me want to turn and run as quickly as possible.

I decided to take a different approach.

I would first help others get what they want (yes, even the ‘snake oil’ salesman).  Once I understood their business I’d try to help them anyway I could.  Using this approach, I developed a small, but strong network that focused on the quality of the connections and the conversation and less on the quantity.

What does this have to do with social media?

Everything.

If you jump on a Blog, Facebook Page or Twitter account and spam everyone with useless content or your sales pitch people will run away – fast!

If you use new media, however, as a way to help others and deliver compelling branded content you will make friends, fans, advocates, and ultimately, loyal repeat customers.

As the pace of technology and the social web landscape increases, it’s imperative that you develop your own platform, audience, and micro community by consistently providing them with infectious branded content and value.

Your survival depends on it.

If you get it, share it.

This is why I decided to help organize Social Media Club Niagara with Janice Arnoldi and Robin McPherson of Arnoldi McPherson Social Media Strategy and Adam White of JMR Software.  I have a passion for ‘being’ social and helping others achieve their business goals using new media.

Hopefully, my enthusiasm has come through and you feel inspired to join us at our first meeting today for free (May 27th) at 5pm at Dom’s Pasta & Grill.

If not, follow the conversation here on Twitter –> #smcniagara

About Social Media Club Niagara:

Social Media Club Niagara brings people together from the community who ‘get social media’ to share with everyone who has a passion to learn, share and network.  It’s fun, casual and informative.  Like other Social Media Clubs around the world, we‘re excited about Social Media and we care enough about this growing medium to encourage a high standard of practice among industry professionals, as well as end users.

SMC Niagara meets monthly around the Niagara Region  at some of the trendiest and hip locations in the area to socialize (we have to have a bit of fun too) and share the up-to-date information concerning social media strategies, case studies, best practices and resources.

The St. Catharines Standard interviewed the founders of the Niagara chapter of the Social Media Club and and put together this write-up in their paper last Saturday.

About the Author:

Mitch Fanning is an “available-for-hire” online marketing and social media practitioner.  He runs three6media, a “new marketing” consulting firm that advises small to mid-sized businesses how to use content marketing and social media to encourage members of their target audience to become advocates and join their tribe of loyal repeat customers.

He’s spent 10+ years ( and put in his 10,000 hours ) working with businesses of all sizes, from global brand (NBC.com, Nestle) to Canada’s fastest growing Internet companies ranked in the PROFIT 100, creating, selling, implementing both traditional and digital marketing opt-in strategies.

Click here to contact Mitch directly.  Or skip right through the garden and grab Mitch’s RSS Feed right here.