Business Should Use Social Media Marketing

Social media is a powerful marketing tool, over the past two years I have been convinced every business should use social media.

Social Media is a brilliant shopfront for your business, it will drive customers to your website allowing them to find out more about you and what you do. Social media is fast, noisy, and getting notice is challenging. When you do it is amazing.

Social Media Business Engagement

For social media marketing to work in business, you must put in time and effort. Take some ideas from the below list, track these changes for a month and let me know if you have seen an improvement when you check your analytics.

• Interact with your followers
• Visit their pages and comment on their posts,
• Add value when you create a post
• Solve a problem or business pain
• Show how you serve, without the hard sell
• Post consistently, this does not mean every day

Today I created a post for LinkedIn, two minutes later I was tagged to take part in something and 30 minutes later another tag came in the inbox. I do not like creating two posts on the same day.

I replied to both Hayley and Emma saying I would join in the campaign to raise awareness of women in the security industry tomorrow.

The pandemic accelerated the move for me to purchase online, I ended up buying much more from the milkman because I could open an app. I ordered birthday presents from online retailers. Sent brownies and candles from Instagram and purchased the back-to-school name tags via Meta.

Social media made it easy for me to purchase, I could easily decide to scroll or buy all in a few clicks and swipes.

That is scary for someone who used to work in retail. At the same time, it is the retail sales principle we must adopt when interacting on social media.

Retail taught me to actively listen to the customer, look for a solution to solve the problem, and ensure I served the customer. We did not hard sell; in fact, we actively encouraged customers who needed help to walk away to think about the decision—allowing the customer room to breathe.

The retailer made it easy for the customer to purchase from us; pricing was clearly on show, and signposts were throughout the shop to show where to go and how to pay. This is what we now must adopt online.

I am not saying you should set up Shopify if you’re a service. You must make it easy for a customer to see if they can afford your business services and, like the gift with purchase you should give something away for free. This all helps to build knowledge, likes, and trust.

In the days when I worked on the shop floor, I sold well because I was always trained to put the product in the hands of my customers; this could be by spraying the latest perfume on the back of a hand or asking the customer to touch, feel and interact with a laptop or gaming device.

When customers smelled perfume or interacted with the laptop, they took ownership of the product. The ownership would create a dynamic response, which would help them decide to buy or walk away.

Social Media Business Marketing

Social media marketing places your business, product, key messages, promotions, freebies, and call to action in the hands of your customers.

Social media offers free organic growth unless you decide to invest in paid marketing. Social media is your shop window, helping customers choose your business over competitors, click through to your website, and ultimately interact with you.

You must take a strategic approach to social media marketing; it is unlikely to happen if you’re looking for an instant impact on social media without paying a fortune for followers.

There will always be anomalies, but at the same time, in business, you are looking for evergreen content rather than content that will eventually date and damage your brand.

The Downside to Social Media is The Noise

I liken it to walking down Shepherds Bush Market in the 80’s when everyone was shouting and calling, enticing people walking past to visit their stall and buy.

Social media marketing for business takes time, it takes effort and just because it is free it does not mean you should not care.

Social Media Format

The format for success on social media is familiar; it is the same format a famous band or artist uses to create a loyal following of fans who will buy tickets to see them perform.

Like a successful band, you can change your name, evolve and be someone different if you keep your audience engaged and informed.

I know putting yourself out there on a social platform is scary. For sure, it will be a mix of excitement and frustration and may even make you feel vulnerable and exposed, especially if you decide to be brave and embrace talking on camera.

I will help you find your brand voice. Get in touch to learn more.