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Social Media: Create a Strategy for Your Online Store

practicalecommerceOnce again I’ve written a story over on Practical eCommerce.  The article is about how to create a social media strategy for online stores (but the principles apply to all businesses).  Enjoy!

Most of us are familiar with Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and other social networking sites. There has been quite a bit of coverage on how to use them, but how should an online merchant create an overall social media strategy? – Social Media: Create a Strategy for Your Online Store – Practical eCommerce

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Social Networking for Referrals

referralsathenaspixMany companies get the highest conversion rates (and best customers) from referrals.  People tend to trust their friends, family and colleagues over companies – that’s a given.  So, it may be in your company’s interest to use social networking to gain referrals.  Like networking in person, social networking for referals involves quite a bit of relationship development and communication.  People need to get to know you before they’ll be willing to recommend you to anyone else.

Social networking for referrals also means being on the networks where your potential referrals will be.  And if you provide products and services to other businesses – this probably means other businesses.  So, for this social networking purpose, it’s not about where your customers are on the social networks – it’s about where the referrals or other businesses are.  This means it may make sense to dedicate some resources (time & effort) to networking and building relationships on business networks.

So if your business relies heavily on referrals for new sales, you may want to look where your potential referrals are, instead or in addition to where your potential customers are.

(photo by Athena’s pix @ Flickr CC)

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Social Media Use Case – Insights Group – Business CoWorking & Organic Marketing

insightslogoInsights Group in Brighton, MI provides businesses with co-working space (office space you can use whenever) and organic marketing services (helping your business get more business).  Co-founders Sandra Maki and Allan Curtis are inherently social people – Sandra is always ready with a hug.  They’ve taken that knack of being social online to use social media to connect people and get the word out.

We are helping to teach small business owners how to use social media as one of the marketing strategies for their business. Social Media is the #1 choice to get started marketing a business, and to add to an already established plan. Best of all, it doesn’t cost you a thing. Just a bit of time invested. So many things are changing daily, and by having a presence on the web, and utilizing social media, incredible opportunities present themselves. So many of the people who have attended our classes are amazed by what doing a few simple things online start to do for their business. We have a member who has been in business for 16 years. She says that since coming to InSights classes and putting into place some of the things we teach, her business has more than doubled. Social media helps us connect to each other, fellow entrepreneurs and business people, and to our consumers. – Sandra Maki, Insights Group, Co-Founder

Insights is connecting people and to people by using a variety of social media, including Facebook, MeetUp, CollectiveX (for community) and regular blogging.  Similar to directing an orchestra, various social media are used in concert to promote events, information and connect people.  Using RSS feeds, Facebook and the Insights Community (CollectiveX) can be updated with posts from the blog.  When events are scheduled, they are promoted on Facebook, Meetup and the Insights Community, with coverage on the blog.  A synergy of socia media, using the strengths of each to reach the right audience, has helped Insights help businesses, and in the process, help themselves.

Being social is all about giving.  Sandra and Allan help other businesses learn to use social media effectively, by teaching classes, providing insight and connecting people. They are helping local businesses reach beyond their traditional marketing efforts to increase their networking effectiveness. When you give and help people, they are more likely to recommend you.  And, as most people who have met Sandra or Allan will attest, they are well worth the recommendation.

Is your Michigan business using social media effectively?  Send us an email and tell us about it.

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