Using Social Media To Promote A Small Business

Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012476” Introduction PAGEREF _Toc379012476 h 1

HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012477” Asses your assets PAGEREF _Toc379012477 h 1

HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012478” Have a social media marketing strategy PAGEREF _Toc379012478 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012479” Have a social media presence PAGEREF _Toc379012479 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012480” Find a social media manager PAGEREF _Toc379012480 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012481” Keep your clients updated PAGEREF _Toc379012481 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc379012482” Interact with your clients PAGEREF _Toc379012482 h 3

Introduction

Social media can be defined as the use of web based and mobile technologies to communicate into an interactive dialogue. Social media is the biggest evolution in the media this decade and arguably this century.

With the significant developments of the internet towards the end of the last century the evolution of social media was bound to happen. The rapid development of search engines like Google, yahoo or social networking sites like face book and micro blogs like twitter, the transmission and distribution of business related information across the globe has become a matter of real time communication.

The communication of information has become more personal, interactive and less expensive, hence it is an appropriate or a cost effective way for small business owners to market their businesses using social media.

Some key steps a small business owner can take to create and attract clients their businesses by using social media are as follows:

Asses your assets

Be sure of what you are trying to promote, for instance what are your assets and what kind of clients are your targeting with your marketing. In this regard there is a bigger target audience you can reach through social media marketing.

Have a social media marketing strategy Social media like any other marketing tool needs a marketing strategy. This will guide you on how to undertake important strategies and the most effective ways to implement each step of your marketing strategy.

Have a social media presenceIn today’s extremely competitive business world, entrepreneurs are required to be aggressive, innovative and on the cutting edge of any development that will help them accrue greater profits so it doesn’t pay for small business owners to remain silent while their big business counterparts like conglomerates and monopolies take advantage of social media to market their products almost for free.

Don’t be shy to make your business present in the social media because it’s more likely that a potential client is reading about your business and what it has to offer. With your businesses available on social media outlets like face book or twitter you are guaranteed free or cheap marketing. Ultimately if you don’t adapt to current marketing trends you run the risk of being edged out by the more organized big business monopolies.

Find a social media managerSocial media management is a challenging task so sign up with a social media manager before you start posting any information about your businesses on social media outlets.

These management experts have the skills and abilities to manage your accounts on one site and schedule when to issue any information. This will free you from spending most of your time trying to manage your accounts by your self.

Keep your clients updated

This can be done by first opening a web site and then provide testimonials or videos of your business and people enjoying your business on social media outlets like you tube.

Post interesting or attractive videos on your website and Let your clients know about the latest improvements in your products like value added to your commodities or the favorable pricing such as discounts.

Interact with your clients Social media marketing has become more interactive because when a business owner signs up for an account with google, twitter or face book, the information provided about their businesses becomes public information accessible to every one who cares to browse the internet and follow products or commodities on sale.

Some of the items regularly followed are to do with business transactions for instance marketing sites like EBay specializes in providing advertisement services for numerous business clients and face book has applications that allow its users to sell and purchase items i.e. the commodities are available at a touch of a button.

The use of micro blogs like twitter or social networking sites like face book is advisable because it allows small business owner to get instant feedback from customers or potential clients on the success of your product brands. This enables you to improve on your service provision based on client needs. Also Twitter and face book provide their registered users with the ability to “follow” or indicate if they ” like or unlike” a companies’ products.

Short surveys can be carried out to find out why clients are interested in your products hence providing small business owners with the ability to interact regularly and instantly with clients or potential customers leading to improved product quality, customer service delivery and marketing skills.

References

Top of Form

Halligan, B., & Shah, D. (2010). Inbound marketing: Get found using Google, social media, and blogs. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Bottom of Form

Kym McNicholas (2011) How to use social media to media to promote your small business. Forbes Internet Article.

Keillor, B. D., & Wilkinson, T. J. (2011). International business in the 21st century. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger