From Linda Pophal, Strategic Communications, LLC

Invariably as I talk to people about social media or make presentations to various professional groups about the use of social media, this question will come up: "How can I find time for all of this?" It's a good question and one I grapple with myself. But, while the options seem endless and it is definitely possible to spend hours exploring Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter postings, clicking on links that take you to all sorts of interesting information and reconnecting with old friends, it is possible to remain focused and strategic in your online activities.

Many of my contacts, especially those from corporate environments, think social media is a waste of time. It can be. But, for businesspeople and especially those who are entrepreneurs or consultants, social media can represent significant business development opportunities, if used effectively.

As I manage my own social media efforts and the efforts of some of my clients, I've found that organization is a must! (I have to admit, I'm much less effective at managing my own...) Here are some tips that I've discovered through my own social media experimentation:

Clarify your purpose and stick to that purpose.
Focus on those tools that connect with your desired market. You don't need to be engaged in all of the various online sites. In fact, when you're just starting out pick the one that seems most appropriate for your needs. Then focus on that one tool and gain some experience to help you learn how to best manage your time.
Set specific times to focus on different activities. For instance: business-related activities from 4-5:00 p.m. or 8-9 a.m. every day; social online activities from 8-9 p.m. No magic to the numbers; it's just what works for you and allows you to stay in touch.
Develop a schedule that works for you - maybe one posting a day to each of the social media sites you frequent, one blog a week, a visit to certain group forums 2-3 times/week - whatever works best for you and serves to keep you engaged with your target audiences.
Write material in advance and schedule its release through various online tools. You can do this with your blog and you can use tools like HootSuite or TweetDeck for postings, etc.
Set up folders to gather relevant materials. You're likely already reading various newspapers, trade journals and publications, as well as information you come across online. Set up folders for specific topics and, as you come across something interesting, copy or clip it and drop it in the folder. This will give you an ongoing supply of idea generators for your online communications.
Repurpose materials. Use portions of your blog content in a tweet or LinkedIn update, or in your e-letter. If you respond to a relevant question on LinkedIn, use your response to generate a blog posting. If you see an interesting tweet use it as the basis of a blog. If you write articles, use portions of those articles in your blogs, e-letters and tweets. Leverage the things you're already doing to increase your efficiencies.
Most importantly - stay organized and stay focused. The #1 key to being effective in managing time online is forcing yourself to stay focused and not going down all of the intriguing rabbit holes that will present themselves. In fact, you may want to schedule an hour or two every week simply to explore those rabbit holes - you never know what you might find!

For more tips on how to maximize the use of your online social networking activities, see our most recent white paper. If you have tips and tools that have helpd you maximize your use of social media tools let me know about them and I'll share in the next issue.