The most important thing small businesses need to remember as they start adopting social media marketing is the very same thing that might make them reluctant to engage in this strategy in the first place.
This is the fact that this type of business marketing is much more a two-way street than anything that’s come before.
, as well as individuals, But now that has to change. Social media has begun to turn the company-customer relationship into a real conversation.
This thought terrifies some companies, while it makes others angry. Why resort to social media guidelines, they reason, when they’ve got tried and true advertising methods that have worked for decades?
They are used to putting ads and specs out there to tell the customer what they think he or she should know, and this customer has previously been a relatively passive recipient of the word from on high. Now the customer expects to talk back and even make judgements on the company’s products and way of doing business. Rather than embracing this social media strategy, some companies view this new way of doing business as suicidal.
The reason, of course, is the fear of losing control of their brand. But social media marketing can ultimately be beneficial to the companies that integrate it with all their other marketing strategies. For one thing, customers will feel listened to, especially if they see their genuinely valuable suggestions being taken up by the company.
The Mistakes Small Business Make
As a marketing consultant here in Australia, this is one strategy that has been very slow to take off by many small businesses. Yes some have gone down the road of using social media, but have left disgusted and frustrated at the negative impact it had on their small business. So why did this happen? Simply put, they never used the social media platform to engage their readers – only to sell any and every product they could.
As an example of this, I have taken over a campaign from a DIY webmaster that had set up Facebook and Twitter accounts to promote his rainwater tanks. That was his first mistake. From his lack of understanding about his audience and day after day tweeting and posting about his products, he was not adding value or even engaging his readers. In fact, he was alienating them more and more each day.
What he needed to do was offer value in the way of notifying his followers about any changes in Australia about the water tank rebates. Or share how to care for and maintain any existing water storage tanks his followers may already own. Or even let them know what the most innovation rainwater tanks to install are – and why.
It’s all about customer engagement and holding the interest of the reader!
Shoving promotion after promotion down someone’s
throat is the wrong way to go.
It’s All About Growing A Business
After all, businesses as well as individuals have room to grow and improve. If customers are part of the process, they’ll feel greater brand loyalty. And if the company uses a social media campaign to create buzz around new products, then the customers themselves will become part of spreading the word.
The one thing that always comes through, though, is whether or not a company’s social media marketing is merely a cynical ploy to use customers’ networks to their advantage. If people are not genuinely respected and taken seriously by the business, then social media principles work the opposite way, too.
Disillusionment or disgust over a company’s products or practices can spread through this media platform even more quickly than approval. The best way for businesses to adapt to the social media world is to become full-fledged members, engaging in genuine conversations.
The most important thing small businesses need to remember as they start adopting social media marketing is the very same thing that might make them reluctant to engage in this strategy in the first place.
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Thanks for sharing such a wonderfull article, people who has small business this blog will really help them,
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I think Customer Service is the Best way to develop business and Social Media is the best way to referral your business what it does It just does Viral and Viral makes so many advantages when you start business and then you can start right track of the business.
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I’ve noticed that businesses in our city are jumping all over social media. Most of the people I know go to Facebook or Twitter to get special coupons or even menus and even order on social media sites. This post should be seen by all businesses. Good job.
Totally agree, social media is a great way of online marketing. I like reading and blogging about various business and marketing strategies
Great post!
Online Marketing can be a very powerful for any business but it has to be done right!
Many people are trying to implement odl marketing ideas in order to save some money but unfortunately for them it can harm them more than help…
The best way to learn about online marketing is listen to the experts!
Good luck 🙂
Art
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I think after recent penguin update old style SEO by link building is coming to an end soon. social media don’t only boost site rank it brings direct traffic. It is vital for today;s business promotion.
Hey Ron,
Fully agree with your writing :-), Customer relationship is always very important in growth of any business, and the social media is a very good platform for this purpose, it is the healthier way to introduce your product with a huge no of people which may convert in your customers. And it helps to improve your services on the bases of their feedbacks. So according to me social media is a smart way to boost your business
I use social media constantly. However I abuse the system by trading likes and shares across all social media mediums.
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I just recently read a report on Mashable or some other main stream site saying social is not working for retailers. They had some pretty big brand listed and the one I looked up on FB — surprise, surprise, they were talking about themselves the whole time. It’s not a surprise it wasn’t working for them.
I know lot of people live by the 80/20 rule, but I am more of a 90/10 guy myself.
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Customers are always on top of every business chain. The more you try to make them comfortable, the better off will your business be. I agree clients see your work, if they see your considering their feedback, the trust grows, which is very important. Thanks for the post, Ron.
Social media has great potential to increase the number of visitors, PR and of course sales. I believe that it takes a long time, hard work and perseverance.
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Most definitely. It’s not an instant solution!
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Social media can be confusing to some small business owners….That why it pays to do the research before launching a social media campaign. Better to do it right the first time instead of having to clean up the mess.
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Hey Ron! I totally agree that social media marketing is a great technique to growing our business because by using social media your business message go viral.
New plans and strategies offered to make our business best of best. At this point small business may create mistakes but the finest things is that when you have plan some different and unique things for the business then a good decision will boost up your company.
Thanks..
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The continual engagement is where so many SMB’s fall down with social media. Moreover, as you point out, most want to cram stuff down their potential client’s throat, that they tune them out. Great content marketing and engagement is the key.
Very impressive post. Social media always connotes to use its strategies in proper manner to grow your business. Very nice post. Keep sharing like this. 🙂
Thanks for sharing these information.
It’s no doubt that time social media is the most effective ways for business promote their product. I mean that if they don’t use social media in the right way it will damage their business instead of sporting. I can’t agree more with your points in this article. Keep sharing!
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I hate social media as it takes up so much time to keep on top of it so I have started to prioritise other areas and put it further down the to do list. Hopefully other people will follow suit as I think to much is relied upon it now. Lee
you are sure if customers are part of the process, they’ll feel greater brand loyalty?
Ron, I agree with you. Social Network is playing the biggest role in the customer relations and if you do not use that properly, you are going to damage your business image. But using such platforms with little care and understanding can definitely help you a lot.
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Ron,
Certainly, social media marketing is a great way of promoting business and sale stuff. This is a good checklist of what small business owner should know about Social media. Great stuff Buddy.
Thanks for sharing these information.
It’s no doubt that time social media is the most effective methods for business promote their product. I mean that if they don’t use social media in the right way it will damage their business instead of sporting. I can’t agree more with your points in this article. Keep sharing!
Advertising on social sites like Facebook makes it a great way to promote your business. It does cost you, but then should always invest in something if you are demanding a return.
Hello Vikram,
I advise people to be VERY cautious advertising on Facebook. See the case studies in http://socialimplications.com/facebook-extortion/ for why.
We tell our clients that social media is all about their audience and building a relationship with them. They’ll be time for selling later. The relationship comes first.
What businesses have to remember is that unlike in the past, the interaction with their customers is now out in the open for all to see. How they handle the situation can make the difference between life and death. In the past a single call to their complaint department was unlikely to sink the ship, but bad response on social media channels just may.
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The more you are engaged with your customers the more trust will be build and there will be a better dependency and awesome relationship for longer time.
Really, Social Media has so important these days. Thanks for this informatics post.
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excellent data social networking discussing is critical for virtually any sites. I seriously identified these people valuable in addition to very helpful appreciate it regarding discussing.
Hi Ron, I just read out another post on this website which tells the bad affects of Social Media Marketing on Business. But after reading your post i came to the point that if there are bad ones than there are good ones as well. You just need to have the correct strategy. I also own a small business and to grow it, I am looking forward to get information on Social Media Marketing. Very informative post Ron…
It’s no doubt that nowadays social media is the most effective tool for business promote their product. Actually, everything have 2 sides of problem. I mean that if they don’t use social media in the right way it will damage their business instead of sporting. I can’t agree more with your points in this article. Keep sharing!
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For success of a business, a company should engage its customers by keeping in view their interests. A company must introduce polices that must be in favor of customers. Engagement of customers is might and main of a business.
The continual engagement is where so many SMB’s fall down with social media. Moreover, as you point out, most want to cram stuff down their potential client’s throat, that they tune them out. Great content marketing and engagement is the key.
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I love reading informative articles like this one. This is really useful. Thank you for sharing this one.
As we know that Social media is necessary in all kinds of business not even in small business anyhow Thanks for reminding us to stay on track, and I’ll definitely keep this post in mind for the future!
🙂
Social Media has now significant importance in small business growth and the way you elaborate its importance and usage I’m impressed and enjoyed reading this material. Thanks!
I agree with this phrase – ” The best way for businesses to adapt to the social media world is to become full-fledged members, engaging in genuine conversations.”
It is really important to communicate to your followers about your business to build a long lasting relationship that will help you in the future!
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Social Media is very important in online business promotion. Now social signs are noticed by search engines in increasing ranking of website. I have started doing social media marketing on FB and noticed an increase in website ranking in just few days.
in today’s competitive marketplace you simply cannot afford not to exploit the full online exposure to the fullest, social media on its own without your personal website and search engine exposure won’t work.you have to be engaged in both.Social media marketing and search engine marketing go hand in hand, Because your social media efforts help strengthen your SEO efforts.
They need to keep someone/an entire department doing Social Media as a full time job. Its the only way.
I use social media constantly. However I abuse the system by trading likes and shares across all social media mediums. Google seems to take notice much quicker that way.
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They need to keep someone/an entire department doing Social Media as a full time job. Its the only way.
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