Using Social Media for Business
Some of the most popular methods of internet advertising to develop in recent years are the many aspects of social media. Networking sites like MySpace and Facebook are more than just places for family and friends to connect, they've become places for businesses to hock their wares and for corporations to push their brands. Blogger, Wordpress, and Squidoo are just a few spots where you can create free web pages and blog about your life or what you're selling.
Yet, social media is not really free. This is where some businesses go wrong and think they no longer need to invest dollars in advertising. Social media is time invested by someone who knows what they are doing. And it doesn't mean giving up traditional forms of media advertising. A Facebook or MySpace page that is never updated or that doesn't interact with an audience will give your company absolutely no return. You get what you put into social media, just like anything else in life.
Some of the most successful Realtors I know are blogging and Twittering about their listings and what's going on the local market. A good example of a Facebook page that uses social media to benefit a business would be a restaurant that updates their daily specials and sends out notices, that they're offering discounts to customers who mention their postings and "friend" or "follow" them. When customers comment on an experience and no one from the restaurant responds, an opportunity to interact and exchange dialogue has been missed. But engage in an exchange and other customers will join in and discuss their experiences, the meal they had and which dish was their favorite. Sure some postings might be "bait" postings that are placed by a professional blogger or an employee but they'll get dialogue going. Especially since it will be something that others can relate to. "I'm craving the key lime pie with a Margarita," is all it might take for others to join in and mention their favorite dessert or beverage.
One very important aspect of this particular type of social media is how the public customer complaint is handled. If a customer openly posts something to the effect of, "my last Margarita was watery, I doubt I'll be back," a perfect opportunity has opened up for an apology and a plea to give your restaurant one more shot. Other customers will come to your defense, too. You'll be surprised how often clients will jump in to say they've never had a bad experience like one a negative reviewer might describe.
In last month's issue of Saathee, I went over corporate blogging and its benefits to revenue. Blogging is another aspect of social media that is free and available on the internet. However, it is NOT free when you consider the time and effort that must be consistently invested in order to see it pay off. Just like any other form of advertising, it is only through constant touches and reaching out that something becomes familiar enough for the public to remember and try.
Measuring the success of these tactics is hard to do, which is one of the few drawbacks of free, social media. Trying to gauge how much income is generated via these means is not as easy as it is through traditional advertising such as print, television and radio. Which is why the big three should never be completely discarded. Print advertising is still one of the most viable methods of getting word out about your business. Like the internet, it is easy to reference and not as fleeting as radio or TV.
Social media is new territory that encompasses a vast range of communication tools used to network people, products, companies, concepts, and overall branding. If your sales are down and you're wondering if you're going to survive this economy, you should be exploring social media as a means to brand, market and advertise yourself and your company. If you're not exploring social media and its benefits, perhaps it's time to consult with a professional branding expert or marketing firm that can teach you how to use these tools. These aren't the tools of the future, these are the tools of today, you need to use them in order to survive.
Wendy D. Wells is President of WD Wells Writing and Editing, LLC
She is a Charlotte, NC based, Telecommuting Copywriter, Professional Blogger and Editor.
Twitter handle: @WendyWells
In : Social Media
Tags: saathee facebook twitter myspace
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I am a professional wordsmith and a Marketing and Brand generations strategist with experience composing Public Relations and Marketing creative copy including: web sites, blogs, print, press releases, catalog copy, and email marketing campaigns.
Read my blogs regularly and you'll find I'm passionate about writing - always have been. Since I first heard the story of "Peter Pan and Wendy," I became a lover of stories. As soon as I could hold a book and understand the alphabet, I grew to be an avid reader. Once I was able to hold a pencil and put sentences together, I knew I was a writer.
