How to Grow Your Business Through Social Media
Maintaining a strong social media presence takes a lot of work. The payoff can be incredible, though--growing your business through social media is very possible.
Just about every company has a social media presence in some way or another. Some are savvy, but others create a Facebook page and expect the work to be done for them. It's a dangerous mindset; just like everything, maintaining a strong social media presence takes a lot of work. The payoff can be incredible, though--growing your business through social media is very possible. Here's how.
Social media promotions draw in new users and returning customers alike, providing a new outlet for deals, sales, and the like. Making them exclusively available through social media drives traffic, which in turn generates buzz surrounding a brand. Just about everyone is on one platform or another--reach out to them and give them some value. The business it draws in generally results in return customers, too, so everyone benefits from a good social media promotion.
2. Customer service.
More companies have started using social media as a means of handling customer service, which is a win-win for customers and companies alike. Customers want easy access to companies, and companies want to solve problems as efficiently as possible. Twitter in particular has become a popular medium for managing comments and complaints, with countless companies embracing its simple and informal nature.
4. B2B is easier.
Beyond reaching customers, social media provides businesses the opportunity to engage with one another, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. Collaboration, sales, and relationships are easily fostered through proper use of social media, which has allowed numerous businesses to engage with one another. "Developing a social media strategy is the new way of selling by educating your leads, developing trust with prospects, and engaging your customers," says Fabrice Gould, founder and CEO of Diggen. "To execute on your strategy, it's imperative to understand who is your audience, what are their challenges, and what information is relevant to educate them by creating interactive conversations to ultimately expand your audience reach on social networks."
It's also highly conducive to networking, allowing professionals to build relationships and discover new avenues to explore. Craig Lewis, creator of Visage Payroll, a free payroll service, says, "We believe that social media is such an important part of our growth that we built 100 percent of our marketing automation strategy around it. The genesis of all of our growth originates from Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc. As a startup or small business, social media should be your sales and marketing weapon of choice. It provides a level playing field against the big players and incumbents."
5. Creates a unique voice.
A brand is a crucial part of a business; it creates a particular image that people bear in mind and associate certain values with. Having a strong social media presence naturally creates a unique voice through which a company can engage with their audience, who will appreciate the content more than ever. A bland presence does nothing whatsoever for a company, so have a bit of personality when managing social media. The effects on overall operations can be staggering. Timothy Olmstead, a Manassas divorce lawyer, says, "With so many law firms competing for clients, social media is the ideal platform to highlight the unique qualities of your firm. Legal professionals that want to develop a specific brand or reach a specific clientele now have more control than ever, through social media marketing."
