Using Social Media to Promote Your Business

Using Social Media To Promote Your Small Business:

Today, there are many small business who've yet to adopt social media as a marketing strategy. In fact, less than 25% of small business owners say they use social media to attract customers or advertise their services. With the bulk of social media being free, why aren't they?

Chances are probably two reasons: inexperience and time. 

Inexperience can be fixed, and with the right knowledge, you can make the investment of time pay off as well. First and foremost, here some reasons why social media can be a great marketing strategy for small businesses:

Top 5 Reasons to Use Social Media:

1. Finding the exact "right" or "target" customers on social media is easier, cheaper, and more effective than advertising.
2. Your business is more publicly visible to a far greater audience.
3. Your small business can communicate with your market in many new ways, and on a personal level.
4. You'll spend less time looking for customers because they are searching for (and finding) you.
5. You maintain a constant presence and associations with other key businesses or individuals in your industry.

Practical Applications of Popular Social Media:

1. Facebook

   Hosting events, networking with customers, creating a community feeling, sending updates, partnering with other businesses, advertising (pay-per-click or pay-per-view).

2.  LinkedIn

Increasing visibility, improving connectability, performing blind (or "reverse") and company reference checks, networking with others, scoping out competition.

3.  Twitter

Updating clients, being pressworthy, improving SEO, appearing current and relevant, instant feedback and response.

4.  YouTube

Commercials, advertising, infomercials, viral content, become pressworthy, establish a brand.

5.  Flickr

Visual appeal, product promotion.

6.  Blogger or Wordpress

Article marketing, comments and feedback, improving SEO.

Rules of Facebook for Small Businesses:

Facebook in particular stands to be one of the best marketing ventures for small businesses. That being said, it's important to keep the following rules in mind:

1.  Don't overdo it:

   Although the prospect of free advertising and millions of customers at your fingertips is exciting, remember that people don't respond well to spam or media overload. Keep your facebook posts, updates, and invites to a weekly or monthly schedule that fits your target market.

2.  Interact personally with fans:

   Especially for small businesses and startups, contacting each fan personally and thanking them for being a part of your business community will go a long way in establishing a relationship with your potential customers.

3.  Limit your advertising budget:

   Facebook has a wonderful demographic-based pay-per-click and pay-per-view ad campaign. That being said, the millions of users on Facebook can mean that clicks and views will pile up quickly, costing you a lot of money. Target your campaign very acutely and set a very low daily advertising budget. Think of Facebook as a "test" for other types of advertising.

4.  Remember that Facebook is not a direct sales channel:

   Although Facebook is a great place to build your brand, get your message across, and publish coupons and promotions, it isn't the best tool for making sales directly with your customer. Don't get frustrated if you can't measure your success in dollars; the success is there.

What's Next

Next In This Guide
Part 11:
Taking Care of Your Customers - Your business is your customers—don't ever forget it. When you take care of your customers you are taking care of your business.

Previous In This guide
Part 9:
Build a Website for Your Small Business - Don't let your small business miss out on the growing number of customers using the Internet. Here are the reasons you should build a website for your small business.

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Street Smart Guide to Small Business Marketing

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