Many small businesses want to use social media, but they may be unsure of how to best use it. Most examples of businesses successfully using social media tend to be large companies with entire departments dedicated to campaigns. Seeing some examples of small businesses using social media may be helpful:
The most obvious benefits are increased customer loyalty and engagement. Less obvious but just as important: Your business will gain exposure not through your own advertisements, but through folks who’ve already been patrons. We’re more likely to trust a Facebook update or Yelp review from a friend than from the business itself. – How Small Businesses Are Using Social Media for Real Results (Mashable)
Small businesses, especially those who rely on loyal local customers, understand the value of conversations and knowing what their customers want. But when faced with a new technology it can be hard to understand how to use it. Just because other small businesses have had success with social media doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good fit for your business.
Social media is no different than any other technology – you need to understand what it can do for you and what benefit it brings to your customers. If your customers aren’t online, you’re never going to reach them (since they’re not there to hear you). But if your customers and potential customers are online, you’re missing out on a valuable touchpoint.
The first step to any successful social media plan is to listen. Listen to find out where your customers are online. Listen to what they are saying. Listen to what they want. Find out the best places to reach your customers and make these places you hang out online. Like sitting at the local coffee shop or bar, you’ll learn a lot more about people if you listen to their conversations.
Once you have a better feeling for what’s going on online, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what social media can do for your business and how you can use it to have conversations with your customers.
Are you a small business who has used social media successfully? Please share with us!
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