Social media marketing is bringing back the Mom and Pop feel of the small store. No matter the size of your
business, you can use social media marketing to create that personalized relationship so crucial to attracting and retaining customers.
According to Mashable, social media changes business in 4 ways:
- From selling to connecting and building relationships.
- From large campaigns to smaller, more targeted marketing.
- From trying to be in control of every aspect of the relationship to becoming a personality.
- From unconnected and "unconnectable" to always available in multiple channels.
From Selling to Connecting
People want to interact with people, not a theoretical entity. Businesses want to differentiate themselves and attract and retain customers. Instead of putting out impersonal messages or brochures of features and selling points, use social media marketing to show who you are, what your passions are, what you stand for. Give people those relationship hooks that make them want to interact with you and come back.
They want to engage with the like-minded, the expert, and the friend. Give them that feeling by offering what experts and friends would: interesting information about the industry, some of your outside activities, and a way for them to think about you in a different context than just the place they buy their products.
From Large Campaigns to Small
Just as in clothing, one size does not fit all, or even most in social media marketing. It may sort of fit but it won’t be as comfortable as a customized suit. Customize your messages by targeting the message to the individual buyer persona. Marketing works best when it feels like someone is speaking directly to you. Your customers have different needs and desires that you should already know about. Use this information to more closely align your message to the way your targets want to hear it.
From Control to Sharing
Information has never been more fluid and available or so democratic. Anybody can say anything and have multiple other people pick up the message. Learn to accept that you can no longer control every aspect of your company’s image. Instead, use social media to manage your reputation by interacting and responding appropriately to the things said about you on the internet.
Also, give up the idea that you need to control the conversation. Go more with the flow. Not only will you learn more valuable information about your customers, you create an environment where people want to talk to you and listen to what you have to say in return. Remember that conversation goes both ways.
This goes for allowing employees to be themselves on social media as well. Yes, policy must be set but allow the employee to show an individual personality when interacting with your customers.
From Unconnected (or Disconnected) to Available
You’ve probably had the experience of trying to get hold of a company only to find that the company only
responds to email and only from Monday to Friday 9-5 local time. Frustrating is too mild a word for it. When people want or need to talk to you, you have to make it easy for them. And, with the multiple channels for communication available, you need to find ways to cover the channels your customers like to use as part of your social media marketing strategy.
Create accounts and a presence at those social media outlets favored by your customers and prospects. Link those to your website so people can either follow you on the social outlet of their choice or get from the social outlet directly to you. Make sure your phone number, website, email, and physical address are easily found. Let everyone know where else they can find you and how to best interact with the right person.
Social media and social media marketing are here to stay and will evolve over time just as all other aspects of business and life evolves to embrace new avenues and adapt to new practices. The successful business flexes to not just accommodate but to advance new ways of communicating with the world.
More resources:
Let’s Talk:Social Media for Business (pdf) from the people who brought you Duct Tape Marketing
Social Media: 5 Facts to Bank on in 2012
Social Media for Business: The Do’s and Don’ts of Sharing also from the fine folks at Mashable