Social Media Marketing and Promoting Your Business
If you're one of the millions who have set up a Facebook or Twitter account, congratulations and welcome to our modern-day mixer.
Even though you have established these accounts, you will have to maintain them and provide relevant information in order to use these tools effectively.
Here are some tips from Inbound Promotions that may help your small business.
1.
Get a Social Media Marketing Budget Established - This is a broad statement and could mean a number of things depending on the size of your company.
If you're an established company you may have the ability to outsource (Inbound Promotions) or you nominate someone on your workforce to handle this aspect.
If you are a one man or woman show you will certainly need some time set aside each day to maintain these accounts.
2.
Developing a Strategic Marketing Plan - Among the many factors that come into play, who is your target market? What will you say to them? What interests them? What is your company's goal? The more you learn social media the more you'll understand that you just can't "sell" in fact social media is more about listening to your customers than selling to your customers.
3.
Location - Depending on your companies reach and if you're nationwide or local, you'll always want to engage your local customers.
Even better, if you are able to meet you local customers face to face, this will play a big role in establishing your "brand".
4.
Customer Support - If you are able to integrate customer support through social media you are a step ahead.
Having someone on your team to do daily searches regarding your company to see what people are saying is half the battle.
If you are able to reach out to these people and solve any issues or problems they may have with your product or company it will go a long way.
Isn't that what being professional is all about? 5.
Finding a Balance - We touched on this in #2 and you must be able to find the balance between work/friendship/message/brand.
If you are "tooting your own horn" too much to take notice of your customer's needs or wants, you will be cast off.
People don't want the hard sell every day with no customer interaction.
Make your customers realize that you are human and you do have a life outside of your "work".
Don't use social media as an exclusive selling tool! Very important, yet very overlooked.
Even though you have established these accounts, you will have to maintain them and provide relevant information in order to use these tools effectively.
Here are some tips from Inbound Promotions that may help your small business.
1.
Get a Social Media Marketing Budget Established - This is a broad statement and could mean a number of things depending on the size of your company.
If you're an established company you may have the ability to outsource (Inbound Promotions) or you nominate someone on your workforce to handle this aspect.
If you are a one man or woman show you will certainly need some time set aside each day to maintain these accounts.
2.
Developing a Strategic Marketing Plan - Among the many factors that come into play, who is your target market? What will you say to them? What interests them? What is your company's goal? The more you learn social media the more you'll understand that you just can't "sell" in fact social media is more about listening to your customers than selling to your customers.
3.
Location - Depending on your companies reach and if you're nationwide or local, you'll always want to engage your local customers.
Even better, if you are able to meet you local customers face to face, this will play a big role in establishing your "brand".
4.
Customer Support - If you are able to integrate customer support through social media you are a step ahead.
Having someone on your team to do daily searches regarding your company to see what people are saying is half the battle.
If you are able to reach out to these people and solve any issues or problems they may have with your product or company it will go a long way.
Isn't that what being professional is all about? 5.
Finding a Balance - We touched on this in #2 and you must be able to find the balance between work/friendship/message/brand.
If you are "tooting your own horn" too much to take notice of your customer's needs or wants, you will be cast off.
People don't want the hard sell every day with no customer interaction.
Make your customers realize that you are human and you do have a life outside of your "work".
Don't use social media as an exclusive selling tool! Very important, yet very overlooked.
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