I Look Fly, I Look Good

I have a weird love for random music.  One of my favorites a few years ago (and I still rock it in my car sometimes today) was "I Look Good" by Chalie Boy.  Now, you may be wondering how this coincides to Social Media or Online Reputation, well here goes it.

Perception is EVERYTHING in our world today.  The way you carry yourself, present yourself, and even view yourself is how people will see you.  The 1st impression is honestly the most important part of networking, interviewing, and in general....life.  While most people will tell you to have a good suit to give a good impression, I think it goes deeper.

Having confidence in yourself is something that can make anything you wear, stand out.  Believe me when I say that I don't own a suit.  I don't think it fits who I am as a person, it doesn't reflect my personality, nor give the impression that I want people to have about me.  HOWEVER, even though my outfits aren't suits, they are professional and give people a sense of who I am.  I can pair a bright colored blouse with a gray pencil skirt, add a belt and heels .... ta-da, my outfit!

Here you can see an example of what I would piece together ...   The bright color embraces personality while the structured skirt gives a touch of professionalism BUT the item that is rocked the best is her smile!  This conveys confidence in that "I Look Fly, I Look Good" sense (and yes, I do say this to myself on occasion as reassurance...especially when putting on an outfit for a business event).

You can create outfits that give a professional impression from the clothes you wear already, you just need to know how to put them together and have confidence that you look good.  Believe me, it took me a bit to master this, and I still question my choices at times...but then I just remind myself that "I look fly, I look good".  As a college student and freelancer, I know that budgeting for "professional" attire is hard, so I try to buy basics that I can incorporate into my daily personal/professional life and am comfortable wearing.  

Now, how does "looking good" matter w/social media and online reputation...well, PICTURES SAY A THOUSAND WORDS!  While you'll be meeting people in-person, the pictures taken at the networking event, school function, etc. will most likely always end up online.   Presenting an overall polished look that reflects you as a person will allow others online to see you, form an impression of you, want to get to know you more!

Believe that you look good and you will outshine that person next to you.  Perception is everything, but that doesn't have to include a $500 tailored suit.  You just need to let your personality shine thru with a smile.

And if you need more insight into how to pair clothing together, check out my Pinterest board as I regularly post professional outfits that I find for men/women that are simple.
http://pinterest.com/anasantellana/professional-wear/ 

Now....for your viewing pleasure (and for me as I get ready for a networking event tonight) ... "I Look Fly, I Look Good" by Chalie Boy.

Who's Who on Your Social Network

How many social networks are you on?  There are plenty out there, like: 

Facebook	LinkedIn
Twitter	Google+
FourSquare	Tumblr
Flickr	MySpace

                            and so much more! 

Now, how do you interact with everyone on each of your social networks?  

If you're a small business, then knowing the demographics of the people online should definitely be a priority.  Tailoring your social marketing efforts towards these demographics will hopefully increase your conversion rates and help you understand the importance of knowing your audience.  Here's some insight into the demographics on the a few social networks.

While I enjoy looking at infographics to help me get a broad understanding, I've simplified it down to the top 5 social networks (in the United States) for which small businesses should take notice.  

Facebook: 

(stats are based on population aged 12+ .... http://www.slideshare.net/webby2001/the-social-habit-2012-by-edison-research)

• 54% of the American population has a Facebook profile (up 3% from 2011)
• Avg. of 143 million Americans!!!
• 1/2 of these users are 45+ and make on average annually $55,000
• 25% of users check their personal profile page at least 5x daily
• 47% of population influenced on purchase decision from Facebook
• In 2011, only 24% said Facebook influenced their buying decision...HUGE INCREASE!

Twitter:

(stats are based on population aged 12+ .... http://www.slideshare.net/webby2001/the-social-habit-2012-by-edison-research)

• 10% of population on Twitter (up 2% from 2011)
• Avg. of 26 million Americans 
• 29% of users are using their accounts multiple times daily 
• This is up 11% from 2011, a SIGNIFICANT increase in usage ... TAKE NOTICE!!
• INFLUENCERS are on here.  Reach out to influencers to help you spread your brand BUT don't become a spammer! 

Pinterest:

(http://dailyinfographic.com/a-marketers-guide-to-pinterest-infographic) 

• 60% of users are Female
• This is NOT TRUE in other countries, example..UK Pinterest users are 56% MALE!
• 29% are btwn the ages of 35-44
• HUGE DRIVER OF REFERRAL TRAFFIC!
• Pins should give DIRECT URL to products
• FASTEST growth of a social networking platform EVER!

Google+:

(stat info taken from the Chase BIS event with speaker Tim Sanders http://timsanders.com)

• 67% of users are Male
• 42% are single
• 20% are students 
• Engineers are the 2nd highest occupation
• In my personal opinion .... jump on this bandwagon now & start building ASAP.  I think this will take off pretty quickly since BUSINESS PAGES have just launched. 

LinkedIn:

(stats are based on population aged 12+ .... http://www.slideshare.net/webby2001/the-social-habit-2012-by-edison-research)

• 71% of users are most likely to have a 4-year College Degree
• Average annual income of a LinkedIn user is $109,000
• Tip ... most businesses don't see the value of LinkedIn for their business.  Depending on your business though, networking can help increase drive and you should utilize this site to drive traffic to your business website.  These users have $$$$$!