Social media is all the rage...
Not only for individuals but for businesses. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and adding social media to their marketing mix. Fan Pages are popping up all over... But how can a business make social media work for them? Part of the appeal of social media is that it is social. It is organic. It is a discussion forum. Social media really should be used as a public relations tool for a business. Articles in magazines and newspapers or reports on the news seem more credible to the public. They are written and reported by journalists who are viewed as objective reporters of the facts. The advantage of public relations is credibility. The disadvantage is that the business loses control of the content and the placement of the story. Advertisements give a business ultimate control. Content is king and you can put exactly what you want in the ad. You can also repeat the message as often as budget will allow. The disadvantage of an ad is that it is obviously a sales tool. In order for businesses to be successful with social media, it must be viewed as a public relations tool and not an advertising forum. It needs to be based on information exchange with the business, consumers and prospects.
Three Things You Can Do Today:
1. LISTEN. Engage people in conversation. Spend less time trying to promote your company or trying to make a sale. Listen and respond to your customers in a way they can relate to.
2. KNOW Your Audience. Understand how and why your target audience uses social media. Create tailored content based on knowledge of your customer and prospect demographics, geography and habits.
3. EVALUATE Your Results. Take note of what you are doing and the results. Depending on your business, there will be trial and error involved in finding the hot buttons or posts that make your audience react. Once you discover what works, repeat.
