Strategies and Tactics for Women by Dr. Shannon Reece

1. Pinterest – A Pin Says A Thousand Words

When I first saw Pinterest, I thought WOW! What a great idea! I’d heard a few underground rumblings about it, & upon investigation saw that it really had great potential. Pinterest had gotten wise to the popularity of images of Facebook, & devised a platform where any user could collate different ‘Pin boards’ for various images of things that took their interest, which also capitalised on the hashtag-type feature of Twitter. Now, this new kid on the block may have seemed like just another channel vying for your attention, but stealing position No.3 in the social media stakes told us that Pinterest was a serious contender. As a Lead Generation Tool, or promotion channel it has huge potential, limited only by one’s inventiveness. Take note, or a ‘Pin’ – Pinterest is here to stay!

Find my Pinterest boards at http://pinterest.com/2excelcoaching/ and me on Twitter @Coach2Excel

Thanks to Grant Willcox of 2Excel Coaching

2. Keep Calm And Carry On Pinning!

I believe in Pinterest! In my opinion, Pinterest is yet another layer of exposure in the social media world! Apart from time each day to keep your boards current and spread some love with pins, Pinterest is an inexpensive way to subtly get the word out about your company. I use Pinterest to promote giveaways, share smart tips and my blog with images, plus spread general information that would interest my followers. I have seen an increase in website hits plus more Twitter and Facebook fans. It takes time to build your boards and your followers but I believe, it is well worth the effort!

Check out Teach My’s Boards on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/teachmy/ and @teachmy on Twitter!

Thanks to Christy Cook of Teach My

3. I LOVE Pinterest

I am new to Pinterest, and I already love it. You can pin both videos and images, so I have created a board for my Internet Strategy Tips. I am finding that they are repined, shared on Twitter, Favorited, and commented on more than the other social media platforms. Other things that I pin are business ideas, images that spark thought, images I may be able to use in future blog posts (with permission), and images that have personal interest. I have also read from social media gurus that Pinterest drives more traffic than Facebook and Twitter – the jury is still out on that for my website. So far it does have more Social Interaction. Check out my Internet Strategy board and give me your thoughts.

Find my Pinterest boards at http://pinterest.com/premiumwebsites/internet-strategy-tips/ and me on Twitter @AskDotty

Thanks to Dotty Scott of Premium Websites, LLC

4. There Is A Future For Pinterest

I see a lot of potential in Pinterest yet to be tapped in the U.S. for businesses. I say in the U.S. specifically because Pinterest in the U.K. is already being used very differently. While crafts, weddings, and food items are primarily targeted by users in the U.S., U.K. users are using it to pin favorite business articles and ideas. For businesses who want to drive traffic in the U.S. they need to come up with something creative to get people involved, such as a contest or a promotion. Have people take pictures with your item, or pin pictures from their favorite blog posts for a chance to win a prize. This will encourage more pins and give back to the people spreading the word about your biz.

You can find my board at http://pinterest.com/kimberly721 and me on Twitter at @SavvyCopywriter

Thanks to Kimberly Crossland of The Savvy Copywriter

5. Not For Everyone

Pinterest really doesn’t fit the criteria for many businesses. There is just too much clutter to sift through to find any kind of connections. Personally, we feel that it’s a waste of time. We could be spending that valuable time on marketing, public relations, or better sources of social networking. Every week there seems to be a new networking fad. This one will fade and fall like the rest of them. It’s tough to compete with the two social media monsters, Facebook and Twitter. Eventually, one or the other will buy out Pinterest, and shut it down for good.

Find me on Twitter @GovtAuctions

Thanks to Max Aronson of Government-Auctions-Guide

6. Lead Generation Tool

Study your analytics to see where your traffic is coming from. For my business, I get lots of hits from Pinterest each month! Definitely a keeper!

Find me on Pinterest and on Twitter @trainingonthego

Thanks to Zenee Miller of Training On The Go

7. My Work Is So Visual…

Pinterest really does work for me. I’ve used it to get the word out about my free events and free gifts in a variety of ways – by designing quotes to get pinned and re-pinned, and by making special graphics to share.

I’ve created a couple of special business boards where I share business-related stuff. I also keep a few “extracurricular” boards as well. Plus, I’ve pinned things from many other sources so I don’t look too biased.

I do think that one of the reasons it works for me is because what I do is visual (graphic and brand design) and my clients tend to be very visual as well. You can find my boards at http://pinterest.com/erinferree/ and follow me @erinferree on Twitter.

Thanks to Erin Ferree of BrandStyle Design

8. Build Your Vision Board On Pinterest

I love the idea of a vision board and I started creating several on Pinterest. I use the site for fun. I do get referrals from the site, but it’s way down on the list and doesn’t compare to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. I recommend that you spend a week playing around on Pinterest. Set aside 20 minutes a day and don’t be surprised if that stretches to an hour. It’s fun. What does your dream office look like? What are your favorite shoes and handbags? What outfits will you where to networking events? For me, Pinterest is another way for me to promote my business, promote dog rescue, and promote my brand.

You can find my boards on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/TheFurMom/ and me on Twitter @TheFurMom

Thanks to Kimberly Gauthier of Keep the Tail Wagging

9. Potent Connector

People respond to different stimuli. For potential clients that are visually oriented, Pinterest can attract them in a unique way. Images become more powerful than words. They entice you with quick glances and if interesting and appropriate, invite you in for further examination.

Businesses are using Pinterest in many ways. I have themed boards that relate to organizing, life and other interests. I only pin beautiful images. Clever or interesting isn’t enough, it also has to be well composed and eye-catching to be board-worthy.

Since using Pinterest, I’ve generated more leads for business, sold more books, increased followers for all social media venues, increased blog interaction, & increased newsletter sign-ups. Activity all around has increased. It’s well worth the experimentation.

Find my boards on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/ohsoorganized/ and me on Twitter @LindaSamuels

Thanks to Linda Samuels of Oh, So Organized!