Amazing as it might seem, we sometimes meet with business owners and marketing managers who tell us they don’t have the time or patience for social media marketing. They are either overwhelmed with other tasks, or don’t see a clear benefit to engaging customers and prospects through Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
We can understand this line of thinking. For one thing, most of the people we work with don’t have a lot of free time. And for another, it is harder to use social media to create instant leads than it is to generate business from search engine optimization or pay-per-click ads.
However, that doesn’t mean social media marketing has to be overwhelming, or that it won’t pay off. To help you understand why let’s look at four simple and effective ways you can use your business social media profiles every week…
1. To Listen for Company or Product Mentions
Did you know you can use simple apps to “listen” for mentions of your business or its products on social media sites? That way, you can always respond to requests for information and stay in tune with the things buyers are posting about your company.
For a few dollars a month you can stay on top of these details, along with local or industry trends. That’s a good way to keep your ear to the ground and ensure you aren’t missing out on important conversations.
2. To Promote Content and Events
Your social profiles are perfect for sharing announcements, reminders, and news items. If you have a fresh blog post, for example, or have scheduled a live event, you could set up automated reminders that tell your followers what’s new.
Assuming you don’t contact them too often, your customers might be pleased to get regular updates from your business, particularly if they can use them to save money or gain valuable advice.
3. For Customer Service Communications
Did you know that some customers would rather reach out to you through Facebook or Twitter than pick up the phone or type an email message? It’s true: social media is becoming one of the fastest-growing platforms for customer service.
By allowing them to contact you through their favorite social channel, you can make buying from you an easier experience for your customers. You also make it more likely that they’ll tell their friends and colleagues about positive interactions.
4. To Gather Reviews and Referrals
The great thing about social media is that it makes content easy to share. So, when your best customers give you compliments and referrals you can spread them around very quickly.
Nothing boosts your marketing like glowing public reviews from current and previous clients. By letting them share their thoughts on a favorite social media platform you increase the odds that you’ll get those testimonials and introductions while at the same time giving them more visibility.
Want Help Making Sense of Online Marketing?
Usually, when a company is struggling with social media marketing they are also having trouble with their website, Google rankings, email newsletters, and so on. In other words, it’s a sign they need help from the experts.
At The Marcom Group, we know what it takes to put together a cost-effective web and social media presence that attracts real sales and leads. Our team is big enough and experienced enough to get the job done but without unnecessary expenses or overhead.