How do you create a buzz about your company in the business community and among potential consumers? What communication avenues are you currently using to grow your business? Are you using or considered adding social media marketing to your advertising portfolio? Albeit a new marketing medium for many companies, social media has been around for a while and is more of a necessity than an option for numerous businesses.
Some small business owners allow the social marketing circuit to intimidate them.
Many business owners think social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, blogs or article marketing are a complete waste of time.
However, these sectors are not a waste of time, but a timely investment.
The likelihood of overnight success is not realistic, as with any other advertising medium.
Social media, like any type of marketing segment requires building a relationship with your customers.
Relationship building will often provide more residual returns on investment than investing in a disposable promotional ad.
Depending on how you maneuver your social marketing sites will either add or subtract value to or from your business.
So, why are so many companies jumping on the social bandwagon and not getting off any time soon? • It is a cost-effective approach when you incorporate it into your marketing mix.
• It opens new windows of opportunity to introduce your products or services to a broader audience who probably never heard of you before.
• The likelihood of servicing more customers beyond the realm of your current demographics is created with unlimited possibilities for revenue building.
• Social media marketing is the promotional magnate of our time.
If social media is not a good fit for your business, then that is ok.
Of course, do not knock it before you give it an earnest try.
Although many people simply use Facebook and Twitter to socialize and reconnect with family and friends, more business owners are learning how to strategically embrace the unlimited growth potential they have with social media management.
If you are a business owner and do not know how or where to begin, there is a wealth of information and resources online, through your SBA, in the library, through your Chamber of Commerce or with local business seminars that you can obtain to assist you in your industry.
You will need to do some homework to find legitimate specialists in the field of social media in your vicinity.
The one area that many small business owners are impatient with is the amount of time you have to devote to developing this marketing venue.
Once you get started and understand what to do and how to capitalize in these social outlets, you will add value to your marketing repertoire and take your business to a whole new level.