Social Media for Business – Potential for all businesses.
The use of social media for business shows no signs of slowing down and according to a recent report carried out by the UK Oxford Internet Surveys Group out of the 73% of the population of the UK that use the World Wide Web, 87% of these people use at least one social networking site. This is an increase across all demographics. For this reason when it comes to social media for business, it is one of the key ways to reach out to potential clients or customers.
It can often be difficult for businesses that aren’t per se…’sexy’ to engage with potential clients especially on platforms such as Facebook, where many people use social media networks for keeping in touch with friends, popular music culture and which celebrity is doing what to whom. However engage with them they must. So if you are in the unglamorous business of say insurance, or accounting for example, how do you make it appealing to social media users?
Social Media for Business presents opportunities for everyone. I have experience of clients who have had significant success in areas as diverse as Accounting, Holidays, Electronics Export and Retail.
Here are some top tips for engaging with clients…
Make it interesting to potential customers
Businesses are having to look at how they engage with social media and even if you don’t have a particularly glamorous business you have to be able to find an angle that will make it sound exiting. Remember people do business with people – you are trying to build a connection with your target audience, so ‘out of the box’ thinking may go down well.
Consider the main purpose of social media
Many businesses talk about social media marketing, but somewhere along the line one can’t help thinking that the concept behind social media networking has been lost. It is after all primarily a platform on which people can interact and engage and not for the purpose of advertising. People don’t like to be sold to, so it’s important to use discretion when you are trying to reach out to potential customers.
Be real
Social media networking is all about people interacting with people. Many corporations simply aren’t people. For this reason make sure that there is a real human behind the logo that the potential customer can interact with. Become personable and not stuffy. Keep it business like but keep it casual and chatty.
Develop a social media strategy
Building up a connection and trust through social networking takes time, so it’s really important not to just dive in with both feet. Instead develop a social media strategy that can be measured for success over a certain period. Social Media for Business is exactly that – it is a business tool and has to be treated that way.
When it comes to social media for business, many under estimate the amount of time, effort and constant interaction needed. This can be greatly helped by have a clear plan and process for Social Media within the organisation. Many company owners simply don’t have the time, expertise or the resources to do this and will outsource this process to an experienced marketing company. WSI are one such company.
If you are looking to develop social media for business, then we can help. Contact ePresentce Internet Marketing to discuss all your social media needs.
