Social Media offers instant and low-cost opportunities to gain customers, increase insight into what your customers are looking for, and get them engaged in your business. Social media includes many different communication channels, including Facebook, Twitter, blogs, forums and podcasts, just to name a few. So how can you take advantage of the latest social media feeds to improve your bottom line?
- Customers. Using social media will allow you to increase your customer base. By creating an online presence, your marketing campaigns can include a population of people that you could never reach through local advertising. You now have the opportunity to grow your customer base by simply creating and maintaining an online presence.
- Visibility. You can use your social media presence to let your customers and followers know what your business is doing. And when you are doing great things, your followers are more likely to share your business with their friends and family who may also be interested in what you have to offer. The more followers you have through your social media outlets, the more followers and exposure you can gain as people share your business with others.
- Content. By using social media, you can advertise specials that you are offering to your customers, increasing the reach of your special promotions. You can also use online content to let the public know more about the personal side of your business, like how you handle your customers. For example, a dressmaker might write a blog post about how she helped a customer and her daughter find that perfect prom dress at the last moment. Creating a connection with your potential customers can increase your customer base and brand loyalty. By using social media on a consistent basis, you are always adding fresh content, which will attract more visitors to your website.
- Involvement. Perhaps you own a shoe store and think you have the best selection available in your city. However, if you allow for customer comments via social media, you may discover there's a popular brand or size of show that you do not carry. By hearing what your customers want, you are able to meet their needs. When you find out what your customers truly desire and by fulfilling those needs, you will be increasing their trust in your company and creating repeat customers at the same time. Additionally, when you please even one client, they will in turn recommend you to their friends, increasing your customer base.
- Target. With social media, you can target specific demographics to get your name in front of the exact group people that you want to see your products. For example, if you place an ad on Facebook, you can select very specific criteria (say, men who like skydiving and who live in Ohio), and Facebook will show your ad to just the group you're targeting. By targeting narrow groups of potential customers, you get the most bang for your marketing buck.
Facebook and Twitter certainly have their place in our personal lives; however, with some thought and ingenuity, they also have the ability to be a great resource for your business. In addition to these social media outlets, you may choose to create online forums or blogs where customers can learn more about what is happening in your business. Take some time to think about how your company may benefit from using social media and an online presence to increase your customer base and add to your bottom line.
