AS A BUSINESS OWNER OR ENTREPRENEUR, YOU MOST LIKELY KNOW WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE. BUT DO YOU KNOW WHERE THEY ARE?
Half of the world’s population is online. An average of 80 percent of people follow at least one business on Instagram and 60 percent discover new products while scrolling through the platform. On Facebook, one-third of the users engage with brands on a regular basis. Because of this, at least 80 percent of business owners just like you are using platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for marketing.
IT’S SAFE TO SAY WE ARE LIVING IN A SOCIAL MEDIA-CENTRIC ERA.
We wake up to our phones buzzing with notifications and go to bed thinking about what we might post tomorrow. Social media is a game, and everyone is playing. But the real question is: are you?
If you’re looking to grow your business or even survive in the marketplace, your marketing assets should extend across multiple social media platforms. It all goes back to connecting with your target audience where they are—and these days, that’s online.
REGARDLESS OF YOUR BUSINESS STRATEGY, YOU CAN IMPLEMENT SOCIAL MEDIA INTO YOUR BUSINESS WITH LITTLE TO NO COSTS AND STILL EXPERIENCE HIGH RETURNS.
Business-to-business marketing requires a lengthy, complex process to convert prospects into customers, and many with this business model tend to avoid social media altogether. Yet, social networking is a great tool to build relationships and generate new leads, find influencers, measure competition, and help analyze ROI. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are the main platforms for B2B social networking, where URLs can be embedded and formal content is common. Social media not only helps to boost your marketing strategy, but it can also give you an edge against competitors who steer clear of it.
If you have a business-to-consumer model, social media marketing can increase your reach in just a day if you’re lucky enough to have a post go viral. But even without viral posts, having an established brand across social platforms is crucial for exposure. By investing in Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, you can reach new audiences and potential customers. These platforms revolve around visually appealing content with informal, fun, trendy messages—which is great news for marketers who push material out every day. Using this repetition to build brand recognition is cost-effective, as well. In contrast to running a traditional marketing campaign, social media is free to use, always available, and has inexpensive advertising costs. Another important benefit is the ease of engagement with audiences. By creating content they actually want to see and receiving emotionally-charged responses, you can form a relationship. After all, consumers are more receptive to businesses who engage with them, and that show authenticity. If they see real people behind the scenes, then you can be trusted, and furthermore, your product can be trusted too.
As you begin to incorporate this online medium into your marketing plan, you can make the process smoother by leveraging the power of employee engagement. Your sales may not take off at first and quality content does take time to develop. Rome wasn’t built in a day and your enormous social media following can’t be either. Give your team of employees a toolkit or general directions to follow your business page, share posts, and always “like” posted content. If you have any partner companies, it doesn’t hurt to ask them to share content as well. This requires very little time or sacrifice from anyone involved and brand advocates will help lessen the heavy lifting as you begin your social media marketing quest.
SO, HOW IS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY PROGRESSING?
If you’re struggling to adapt to the online market, can’t seem to gain traction or get the results you want, or if you simply don’t know how to incorporate social media into your business plan, check out our strategic marketing services. We’re here to help drive your marketing, business development, and strategic initiatives while supporting you every step of the way.
