Why Your Business Needs to be Social
The dawn of the internet set new standards and opened a plethora of doorways for consumers and brands. It is true that you can learn just about anything courtesy of the World Wide Web, but social media goes far beyond research. At its core, this revolutionary service is all about connections. When it comes to reaching out and staying in touch with one another, there is simply no easier way. Facebook is the premiere social media engine and now commands nearly half of the global population, and we suspect it will not be long before the numbers reach all-time highs once more.
Many business owners have a flawed misconception about social media sites, mistakenly assuming they are meant purely for personal pleasure or that there is no room for social media in business. If you are one of them, just know that a majority of your competitors are probably using these sites right now and would be more than happy if you continued to stay off the grid! Here is some foolproof advice for making the most of your company’s social media endeavors. In just a few short hours, you can have multiple accounts up and running. Leveraging social media sites for business is one of the most inexpensive and effective forms of marketing, so there is no question as to why it dominates the digital landscape.
Leverage Social Media for Website Traffic
It’s important to set up social media profiles for your store, but it’s not enough just to have them. It’s crucial to use them wisely to engage with potential customers. Announce special “social media only” promotions on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+. The benefits are twofold: customers will follow you on social media to gain access to the promotions, and then they’ll visit your store to take advantage of them.
Use social media to promote new product launches and sales, but don’t just speak at your customers—speak with them. If you engage with your audience, you’ll learn more about them and will be able to serve them better.
Social media can help drive traffic to a physical location as well. You can use it to promote in-store events or to show photos of new and exciting merchandise. Take advantage of location-based social media tools like Foursquare to offer specials or contests to local customers, or host a photo contest on Instagram where customers enter to win their favorite item in your shop by posting and tagging a photo of it. Social media is an affordable and versatile way to promote a shop, so be creative!
Go From Zero to Hero: Social Media Tips for Business
- Be versatile. As you have probably learned many times over in your years as a business owner or entrepreneur, diversity is the key to success. Social media is no exception. Everyone knows about Facebook, for instance, but it is far from the only site or audience to garner attention. Create a stream of accounts, redesign your website’s home page to be more social media friendly, and merge both accounts for easy access. This will make your brand appear more reputable and trustworthy.
- Talk to your customers daily. The worst thing a business can do is set up an account and leave it alone. In order for social media to work in your favor, you have to be well…social! There are still many people who are wary about buying products and services online, so let them know you are a real person and available to talk. Promptly respond to questions and comments to maintain legitimacy.
- Offer rewards for loyalty. You know just as well as anyone that your business would not be anywhere if it were not for its customer base. People like to feel valued, even if that means hosting a special promo on a regular basis. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
While certainly not exhaustive, these social media tips will be instrumental in helping you confidently approach social media use for your business and actually generate results.
Krista Wolfe
Quill.com Contributing Writer
Krista Wolfe is a SEO program manager for Quill.com where she writes to help small businesses, teachers and healthcare professionals make more informed decisions on office essentials. She also writes on our new community blog, Café Quill, about a wide range of business matters such as leadership, productivity and work-life balancing. Krista lives in Chicago and you can find her on LinkedIN.