There are so many social media platforms out there today and everyone has a different opinion about which platform is best for your business.

As a marketing consultant, you probably dabble in all of the big social media sites for your clients but, which ones do you use for yourself?

Pinterest might be one of them.

This colorful social media platform is a great way to drive traffic back to your website and get even more exposure for your business. The question is…how do you use it as a marketing consultant? Most people will tell you that Pinterest is mainly for B2Cs (Business to Consumers) but, there are plenty of ways that B2Bs (Business to Business) and specifically marketing consultants can use Pinterest to grow their reach and drive traffic back to their site.

Below you will find 4 examples of how Constant Contact’s Solution Providers (our version of Marketing Consultants around the country) use Pinterest to their advantage.

1. Drive back to your content

Who: Shelley Roth

What: Driving back to your original content is a great example of how any B2B can use Pinterest. This platform gives you one more place on the internet that your current and prospective clients or customers can find your content. Pinterest can also help build your SEO (search engine optimization) and it allows videos. This is just one example of how Pinterest is a great way to drive traffic back to your website or original content.

Shelly Roth Pinterest

2. Showcase your expertise

Who: Romona Foster of Admin Tech Consulting

What: As a Marketing Consultant, one of the most important things you can do is prove to your prospective clients that you know what you’re talking about. By creating “boards” around your specialty and expressing your knowledge through “pins,” you can really showcase your expertise. Romona, Social Media Trainer, does a great job at showing her knowledge by offering over 60 tips on how to use Pinterest and just using her Pinterest account correctly…bonus!

Romona Foster Pinterest

3. Let your personality shine through

Who: flyte new media

What: Pinterest is a great place to let the personality of your brand shine through. Social Media is unique because it allows you to have a little more fun than you would in traditional advertising and the name of your business may get in front of more people just from others “repinning” your fun content. So get out there and enjoy yourself!

flyte new media Pinterest

4. Show off your current clients

Who: BJC Branding

What: One of the best ways to convince your prospective clients or customers that they should go with your business is by highlighting the fabulous work you’ve already done. By creating a board with your current clients and projects, you not only get to brag about the work you’ve done but, you also have the opportunity to drive more traffic to your client’s websites. This is a win-win in my book.

BJC Branding Pinterest

Give it a try

There are many ways B2B’s can use Pinterest to gain even more exposure and traffic to their brand and website. As a Marketing Consultant, you have a unique opportunity to use Pinterest to showcase what you’ve done, what you know, and why prospective clients should choose you.

Don’t feel confined by the “norm” either. There are many ways you can use Pinterest to brand yourself and your business as well as stay top of mind.

Go ahead…dive right in…and let us know how you’re using Pinterest for your business in the comment section below.

You’re likely aware that hashtags are now used across all major social media channels. But what exactly does that mean? Why are hashtags so important?

Let’s start at the beginning.

What is a hashtag?

A hashtag consists of words or phrases (with no spaces), preceded by a # sign (i.e. #SBW13 or #StanleyCup) that is used to tie various social media posts together and relate them to a topic. Topics are sometimes connected to an event, TV show, sporting event, or any happening or trend of your choosing. Originally, hashtags were created on Twitter, but today they can be used on Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Vine.

By clicking on a hashtag in a social post, that social network will automatically curate and display a feed of other messages also incorporating the same hashtag.

What is the point of a hashtag?

Hashtags let you add context to a post and show that it’s a part of a larger discussion. They can be good for connecting people to other individuals discussing the same topic and are also great for connecting people at events.

How can I use a hashtag?

To create a hashtag, simply include a # in front of a word or phrase, without spaces. A hashtag can occur at the beginning or the middle of a post. As a business, you can use a hashtag to make an event even more social, join other conversations, boost the visibility of a promotion or explore new content for content ideas.

How not to use a hashtag

Don’t abuse the hashtag, save it for when you need it. Too many hashtags looks spammy, and research has shown that engagement drops when a tweet has two or more hashtags.

Twitter Hashtags3

#DontCreateAHashtagThatsTooLong: Keep your hashtag short and sweet, easy to spell, and easy to remember. If you want to incorporate your hashtag across multiple channels, you need to consider the character restrictions of those social networks. If you’re creating a hashtag for an event with a long title like National Small Business Week 2013, consider using an abbreviation or acronym, #SBW13.

Extra Tip: Do a search for the hashtag you intend to use before you use it. You never know what people may be using hashtags to discuss. You wouldn’t want to accidentally connect your business to a negative, controversial or embarrassing topic.

It sounds complicated, why should I use a hashtag?

Whether you like them or not, hashtags are a key part of social media marketing. In fact, 71 percent of people on social media use hashtags. They aren’t that bad either. The same study found that 43 percent of hashtags users think they’re useful and 34 percent use them to follow categories and brands of personal interest like your business!

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This week (June 2-8, 2013) is National Business Etiquette Week. I often run into people who think worrying about proper etiquette is passé. Personally, I couldn’t disagree more.

In today’s fast-paced, competitive market, I believe minding your Ps and Qs are more important than ever. Missteps in any business situation can tarnish your reputation, ruin your business relationships, and cost you valuable opportunities.

If you’re a little rusty on proper etiquette, this week is a good time to pull out your copy of Emily Post’s etiquette book, brush off the dust, and freshen up your skills. To help you evaluate how well you’re doing, I tasked some of my followers to share their biggest pet peeves. Here’s a list of the top five.

1. Turn it off

One of the biggest breaches of business etiquette is the use of a smartphone or other mobile device during meetings. Unless you’re dealing with some sort of an emergency, most emails, calls and text messages can wait until your business is concluded. So turn off your device and tune into your customers and clients.

“Many times I have seen people try to sneak a peek at their phone during a business dinner or simply set their phone down in the middle of a table, like it’s a part of the meeting. Developing business relationships are so important, and getting a chance to be physically present with colleagues or clients is becoming increasingly rare. Take full advantage of those opportunities by being present and making the people you are with feel important and valued. Turning your attention to your phone does not do that,” explains Taylor Rasted, BookVolume.com Account Manager.

2. Be respectful of time

Etiquette really boils down to showing respect to others. We all know in business that time is money, so disrespecting someone’s time is a huge faux pas. If you’re running late for a meeting, alert the person that you’re meeting with and explain the reason why.

“My biggest pet peeve, when it comes to business etiquette, is being aware of other people’s time. Paying attention to being timely for meetings, not overstaying your welcome, and being able to judge when a meeting will end are key factors to business success. Be succinct. Be prepared. Be aware of others and listen. I have a 15 minute rule when it comes to meetings. If someone has requested a meeting with me and is 15 minutes late, if I haven’t heard from them, I’m done. Of course there are exceptions for a true emergency situation, but as a general rule, that’s my policy, “says Deborah Sweeney, CEO of MyCorporation.com.

3. Too much information

Social media creates an interesting dynamic in the business world. Many of us use it for business and as a way to keep connected with family and friends. As a result, some people get too personal with the information they share, which may interfere with your business relationships and opportunities. Be careful what you post via social media platforms. If you wouldn’t want it broadcasted on the network news, then don’t post it.

4. Email overload

There is a general consensus that email abuse is rude and a huge “no-no.” Hitting “reply-all” for example when only one person needs to receive the information or vice a versa and failing to respond to all when the information should be shared with the group can be perceived as rude.

Elite Status Marcomm Founder and Managing Director, Julie Beltz says, “When people are inconvenient or incompetent about the cc line in email, it’s a huge business annoyance. Including the right people in the right conversations is essential for business success. The best tip is to review not just the content of the email, but also the recipients before hitting send.”

5. Too intimate

Being friendly in business is good, but too much intimacy can easily be misunderstood and misconstrued. Avoid sharing intimate details of your personal life in a business setting. A brief recap of a weekend trip is fine, but the ugly details of your recent break-up with your significant other or how horrible your step-children treat you is in poor taste.

While the business world may be getting less formal, practicing good etiquette remains important for success. You may not think other people care or pay attention, but they do. So brush up on your skills to help your small business enhance its success.

What is your business etiquette pet peeve? Share with us in the comments below.

About the Author: Susan Solovic is THE Small Business Expert. Sign up for Susan’s Success Tips Newsletter and get your free copy of “Smart Marketing Strategies for Small Biz” ebook.