How to Incorporate Social Media Marketing Into Your Business
How to Incorporate Social Media Marketing Into Your Business
If you are a small business owner (and want to get rid of the word ‘small’), you have to get out your “office” and interact with people around you. It is not just about keeping in touch with your providers or the people that step in your store. You have to learn how to tap into the vast network aboard. One of the most efficient ways to reach this audience is by incorporating social media into your business advertising strategy. Let’s talk about what is involved with creating a social media marketing strategy.
The Essence of Presence!
Let’s face it; one of the best ways to improve your products and services is to be aware of what your customers think of YOUR business. To discover their thoughts, have you to be present.
The question is, Where DO you have to be present? The answer is where your customers are! You’ll discover that it is very easy to find your clients online. They are tweeting, they are posting on their Facebook walls (and commenting on others), they are uploading videos, they are expanding their network of friends, etc. If you want your business to grow, you have to be with them.
Using social media in your business will not only allow you to interact with other people (colleagues, providers, customers, et al); it will also increase your dividends in the short and long term.
Depending on your business size and structure, your social media marketing strategy may be something that you yourself will perform or a task that is assigned to another employee. The key to success in social media marketing is to be considerate and consistent.
Set goals for implementing social media. For instance, you may decide that you want to upload a product video, create a fan page for your business and you want to create a twitter account. While you could set all of these up at once, you may find that it benefits your business to do the following:
1. Week 1 - Setup a Facebook Fan Page, Customize the page to mirror your business image; Add customers, vendors, and staff; Start posting new product specials, press releases, special announcements
2. Week 2 – Setup a Twitter Account, Customize it for your business image; Post Pictures, Press Releases, Specials; Add customers and find followers in your product niche
3. Week 3 – 4 Upload Product Video to Youtube and release this video over Twitter and Your Facebook Fan Page; Add links on your Youtube video for people to visit your Facebook Fan Page
4. Daily – Retweet Interesting Customer Comments (not necessarily about your business), Comment on other peoples’ Facebook posts
5. Build authentic relationships and understand your clients.
As discussed above, using social media in your business is all about interaction. If you follow the tips provided, you are on the right track for building long-lasting business relationships with your tweeps, your fans, your followers, your friends and ultimately your customers.
Related Articles: Social Media to Boost Business Growth – Fast Track to Success
About the Author
Author, Designer and Copywriter, Shannon Walker, offers her insight into building online marketing strategies for small businesses—including social media marketing. Visit www.BrainworkCreative.com for more free information and ideas to grow your business.
©2012 Original Work by Shannon Walker. All Rights Reserved.
