Social marketing is the buzz word of the year, and rightly so. Social networks are now more popular than e-mail, according to a March 2009 Neilson report, and at the Social Media Success Summit 2009, 88 percent of marketers that were surveyed said they are currently using social media to market their business.
The social networking sites have reached a bursting level of popularity, and the statistics are staggering. Facebook has more than 200 million active users, with more than 100 million users logging in at least once a day. YouTube has more than 1 billion videos viewed per day, with the average viewer watching 5–10 clips each day. LinkedIn has more than 36 million members and is adding about one member per second. And Twitter, the most killer of the killer apps, has shown between 800–1,000 percent growth rate in the last year!
Now you may be saying “sure, but it’s all teenagers and kids using these sites.” Not true. More than two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college with the fastest-growing demographic being the 35+ age. At Twitter, 11 percent of online adults use the site with the largest age group being the 35–49 range. Obviously more people are using these sites than ever before, and Web 2.0, this second generation of web development and usage, is just going to grow even more.
As the public has embraced social networking, so too, have businesses. Afterall, it is a relatively simple and inexpensive way to connect with customers, grow relationships, build brands and increase exposure. And success in business is just that: connecting with customers, building brands and increasing exposure.
Social networking consultant Rich Lyons of Lyons Consulting Group hit it right on the head when he stated, “The more we engage the customer, the more value we create, and the more they can buy from us.”
In essence, these social networking sites are just an advanced way of building word-of-mouth marketing, and as many retailers attest, word-of-mouth marketing is one of their best means of advertising. So why not spend a bit of time promoting your store through these means?
Although promoting yourself through social networking sites is fairly easy, there are some good tips to keep in mind to really get the most out of this new venture. For one, use the sites to truly interact with your customers: Thank them for their business, ask what you can do better, offer tips and advice on how they can use your products better, introduce your staff, recognize special customers, promote causes, etc. The more your customers feel an affinity with your company, the less likely they are to take their business elsewhere. Intermixed with "friendly" posts should be your "selling" posts. Throw in information about upcoming sales, highlight new merchandise coming in store, hold a contest or offer a special discount only to your fans or followers. Also encourage interaction between your customers; start conversations on how people are using your product, or have them post their pictures of their favorite item.
Two, stay consistent. Post something new on a regular basis. The web is a fast-moving dynamic environment, and people expect to see something new fairly often. If customers come back to your Facebook page a couple times a month and nothing new has been posted, they'll quickly get bored with your page, and your business. Set a schedule for yourself; check your Twitter account every morning or post something to your Facebook page every Friday.
Three, be honest and upfront with your fans and followers. Be prepared to respond to upset people. Admit your mistakes, and show to everyone on the page how you are working to resolve the problem. This will demonstrate to your customers that you are a caring company.
Four, use the various forms of social media that make sense for your business, but don't feel like you have to use them all (with the incredible amount of these sites out there, there is no way you can use them all). Learn which sites will allow you to showcase your product and interact with customers in the most beneficial way for your business. Have all the sites funnel customers back to your website, and in turn, promote your Facebook or Twitter page on your website.
So now that you know some of the tips and benefits of social marketing, you're probably ready to jump in and get started.
Click here to read how to get started on Facebook
Click here to read how to get started on Twitter
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