SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT A ONE-WAY STREET
In case you don’t already know, social media is exactly that – social!
As a small business owner or self-employed professional, you know the power of connecting with people. If you were not a “people person,” you likely would never have endeavoured to start your own business in the first place.
Social media is a unique opportunity for you to market to and interact with potential and existing clients every day!
That’s a powerful opportunity.
And that’s the beauty of social media. Clients can get to know you and your business, while you in turn get to know your clients. The key, of course, is to make sure that you ARE interacting. And remember, it’s not all about you.
Here’s a great example: Let’s say you come to hear me speak at a workshop. I make my presentation, but don’t really provide any useful information that you can take back to your business. Instead, all I do is talk about myself and my company, and what I can do for you. I don’t interact with my audience. I don’t take any questions at the end of my presentation, and I don’t exchange business cards with anyone in attendance. And when I’m done speaking, I just walk out.
I may have made a really great sales pitch, but I didn’t engage with my listeners, so very shortly after leaving the building, you’ve already forgotten about me. (For the record, this is decidedly not how I conduct myself during a workshop presentation!)
Think of social media in the same way. Do you want to promote your business or service? Of course you do! And some posts can indeed be 100 percent promotional. That said, if you never seize the opportunity to truly interact with and get to know your followers, you are doing yourself and your business a huge disservice.
In a report entitled, Creating Connection: What consumers want from brands in a divided society, “78 percent of consumers want brands to help people connect through social, and 76 percent of respondents were more likely to buy from a brand they felt connected to on social media than a competitor.”
No other marketing medium out there allows you the opportunity to interact with your customers and potential customers on a daily basis and in real-time.
I will say it again: that is a powerful opportunity!
At The Social Gourmet, we believe focusing on the “social” side of social marketing is what will set your business apart from the rest.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can put the power of social media to work for your small business, please feel free to reach out. And, of course, we’d love for you to connect with us online.
~ The Social Gourmet
Source: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/build-customer-relationships/
