Social media has been hyped, it has been exaggerated, there have been questionable claims about it’s value, and there are people and companies out there looking to exploit the fact that most small business owners are too busy running their business to be experts at Twitter, FaceBook and LinkedIn.
No doubt – this is becoming an industry of predators. Be careful.
Having said that – we believe that in most situations a good, sound social media strategy can be very valuable to you and your business. Social Media isn’t free – but it’s cheap. Social media is a tool that fits neatly into your toolbox – it is not a magic potion.
Here are five ways we believe social media can potentially help you – as a small business owner:
- Engagement. Social media allows you to engage with customers, vendors, employees, and prospects. It opens up communication to a new level. You get feedback. They get feedback. Well managed communication is never bad.
- Relationships. Social media allows you – via engagement – to begin to build relationships with people and organizations you may have never even heard of – let alone done business with. People like to do business with people they like and trust. You can begin to build credibility.
- Target. Social media gives you the tools and opportunity to engage a targeted audience. Try selling a golf club to someone who doesn’t play golf.
- Reputation Management. Social media allows you to respond quickly to criticism and turn a negative situation into a positive. An unsatisfied customer can potentially become your best salesman.
- Educate yourself. Interacting and engaging people will give you an education about yourself, your industry, and your business that nothing else can do. You may open up an entire world of possibilities – maybe even to the point of expanding your business into another area.
Every business is different. Every industry is different. The list above is a very general list of possibilities that you should consider when developing a strategic plan for your social media presence. Ask yourself some serious questions about the above list:
- Which networks will best help me ENGAGE?
- How much time can I devote to building relationships? Do I know how?
- Who is my customer? What does my targeted audience look like anyway?
- What is my reputation? How do I protect it? How do I fix it?
- What do I want to learn from this engagement?
Don’t be afraid to start the process. If you need help there are companies out there similar to ours that can help you get started – or even help you to manage and maintain an effective campaign.
Dennis Lynn
Social Media Dudes
678.642.8281 – Call for an appointment
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Relationship building – very key point. People will more likely do business with someone they know – or will put you in touch with someone that needs your service or product.