Just as it is nearly impossible to build a business without a
website, many now believe that if you do not have a presence in social media,
you will be overlooked.
This statement is one of those hit you in the face kind of realizations.
If you are like many, you may feel this social media phenomenon amounts to just
“one more thing to do.” Or, you may be one who has embraced the opportunity and
now you just need to fine tune your objectives. No matter which of the two
describes you, the bottom line is that the way business is done in most sectors
is changing rapidly and business owners must adapt.
Low cost – high potential media.
Social marketing on platforms such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and
MySpace, is really relationship marketing. It differs from
traditional push oriented marketing in which the marketer pushes information
via emails, flyers, consumer showcases and various other forms of advertising
to the potential customer. Social
marketing allows a two-way conversation through which you develop relationships
with your “followers.” This push/pull format builds trust and credibility which
in turn builds your business. As a bonus,
you can get feedback and learn from your potential customers!
Here's how it works.
You build relationships as you
create content that is valuable to your target market. This content positions
you as an expert in your field. As an expert you earn trust. The relationship
you develop creates trust, which over time translates to sales. In essence,
we do business with people we like, respect and who respect us.
Valuable Content =
Expert Status
Expert = Trust
Trust = Sales
Today, the face of a company is its employees. Get to know your potential customers and let
them get to know you and your employees by implementing a social media
strategy. Understand what you expect to
gain from each piece you integrate into your plan. Remember, you can’t hit a target you haven’t
identified!
You can get started in two simple steps…
Step One: Start a Blog
Blogs give you an excellent opportunity to show who you are and what you
know. Be sure to use your own business
URL (www.mybusiness.com/blog) as this will contribute to your SEO (Search
Engine Optimization) - your ability to be found on the Internet. An online
presence means visibility, which means opportunity! Typically, the goal of a blog is to position yourself
as an expert in your field and generate traffic to your website. But remember
to use your website, not your blog, to sell your services.
Now, take that
knowledge and experience you have and develop content that will be considered
valuable and interesting to your potential clients. Perhaps ideas for creating
“green” weddings and events or hors d’oeuvre recipes for a cocktail party would
find an audience. How many visitors
might a post on the biggest wedding faux pas bring to your site?
It’s important to understand what interests your audience. This is where you can shine. Show them how professional, knowledgeable,
creative and special you are. Show them
why they should choose you to plan their event or refer you to a friend. As you start to develop content you may
actually surprise yourself by how much you know!
I caution you not
to give too much away, but give enough to create a loyal following of potential
clients. And, when you write…write to an
audience of one. Connect directly to
your reader. If you need to brush up your copywriting skills I recommend a
visit to http://www.copyblogger.com.
Step Two: Link to your Blog on Social
Media
Once you are creating excellent content you now have the ability to share it
via other social media platforms.
Research the social media options available to you. Then choose one or
two that will give you access to your target market. You can maximize your time
by utilizing programs like Hootsuite or ping.fm to promote your blog on
multiple social media sites at the same time.
As you develop and
execute your social media plans you will reap the untold benefits of getting to
know your clients and potential clients on a more personal level. Not only will this help you refine what your
customers want and let you keep a pulse on the market as a whole, but it will
give you the opportunity to connect on an entirely new level. While the success and viability of a business
is determined by the bottom line, the relationship we create with our sphere of
influence affects that inner part of us; the part that is in business for the
love of the industry, process, result, or just to create a better world.
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