Social networks like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc. have quickly changed the way most of us communicate with family and friends, and has rapidly shifted to become the way we get our news and promote companies. There are plenty of "social marketing experts" out there, and while some are legitimate marketing talents, many are just people who have learned how to use Twitter and Facebook effectively, and this is something that any home based business can learn as well.
To get started, it's important to look at who uses social media well, then try to emulate their techniques and apply it to your own business. Comcast, believe it or not, is a great example of a company that uses social media with great success, through their comcastcares twitter account. What makes comcastcares so effective is active engagement, transparency and results. Comcastcares started out with one employee who would scan twitter for hashtags (idioms that flag a particular post with a particular topic) that referenced comcast like #comcastfail or #comcastsucks. Normally, most companies would ignore random criticism like this, but comcastcares would reach out to these unsatisfied customers and try to help solve the problem. Additionally, rather than communicate in PR speak, comcastcares would speak frankly and honestly, instead of regurgitating a press release. This is a crucial part of social marketing, because if people want polished press speak, they'll go to your website, the point social media is to be able to connect with real people. Finally, comcastcares gets results; they've greatly improved their reputation with the tech-savvy community through their problem resolution on twitter, and now most twitterers know that if they're frustrated with their comcast service, they can quickly reach out and get results through twitter, rather than sitting on hold for an hour on the phone with a low-level CSR.
It's also important to look at who does it wrong. Rather than point the finger and name specific businesses that just don't get it, lets look at some basic principals that many businesses due to little success, and that should definitely be avoided.
- Quality Trumps Quantity
A common misconception is that you should post as often as possible to generate more followers. This is a bad idea because what will ultimately happen is that people will get bogged down with all of your messages and ultimately start ignoring them or un-following you. The best plan is to post a few times a day, but if there's nothing worth posting on a given day, don't post something just to have a post.
- Engagement Trumps a Controlled Message
The main reason most people join a social network is to connect with other people. Many people will be resistant to follow a company at all, but what will make you more approachable is to engage your followers, rather than just using your feed as another avenue for your press releases. Take advantage of the @reply features built into many social networks; when a customer asks you a question, try your best to respond in a timely manner and be informative and personal. If all you ever do is repost your press releases and try to control the message, you will be ignored and un-followed.
- Don't Mix Business With Pleasure.
This last one may seem to contradict the last, but here's the important distinction; not mixing business with pleasure is not to say that you can't engage people and enjoy interacting, but rather that if you post informative links or information day in day out, but then mix in pictures of your kids, or descriptions of your breakfast, this can confuse the message. People want honesty, but they also want to have control over what appears in their feeds. The best option here is to have one account for personal and another for your business, that way people can follow both if they choose to, but they have the option of following one or the other.
Hopefully you now have a good idea of how to get started, but if you're still completely lost, just head over to twitter or Facebook, sign up for an account and follow a few people, take note of what engages you and what you ignore and go from there.
Mon, 04/2/2012 - 01:56 AM | viewed 422 times
In February, 2012, Facebook held its 'fMC Conference' which introduced upcoming features and changes to the site, including Timeline for Pages. All of these changes impact the way an entrepreneur or smb can best utilize their Facebook presence to increase traffic, interact with fans, and ultimately, convert these fans into customers. Here we'll take a closer look at the changes to Facebook, how you can use the new features to your advantage as part of your business plan, and some helpful tips on creating a successful Facebook promotion.
Sat, 03/10/2012 - 05:35 PM | viewed 492 times
In the initial stages of a business startup, most entrepreneurs recognize that they'll need the expertise of an accountant at various times, but few realize that they'll no doubt need the help of another professional, an attorney. Their logic would be that they don't plan on breaking the law or getting sued, so legal services aren't necessary. The truth is quite the contrary, however.
Sun, 03/4/2012 - 01:54 PM | viewed 531 times
Now that you've developed a great startup concept, and you're in the business plan development stage, the time has arrived to come up with the right name for your new endeavor. There are a number of differing theories on what makes a great business name, but one thing is certain, choosing the right name can play a big part in how your business is perceived by your customers, and it can make or break your image.
Sat, 03/3/2012 - 12:55 PM | viewed 411 times
On average, roughly 600,000 Americans start new businesses each year. If you're one of the millions more contemplating taking that giant step into business ownership, don't let fear of the unknown stop you. Some of the stumbling blocks for would-be entrepreneurs include indecision about the right kind of business, a fear of putting their money and time into a business that fails, or they may simply have no idea where to start. Generating an idea for a small business isn't always easy, but with some good advice and common sense, you can learn how to choose a viable concept.
Thu, 03/1/2012 - 12:16 PM | viewed 617 times
If you're a small business owner or an entrepreneur involved in your first startup, you're well aware of the impact that successful Facebook marketing can have on your bottom line. Finding your way through the maze of available apps and tools is time-consuming, tedious work. If you're on the hunt for the latest and greatest ways to reach a larger audience and build your business, check out our recommended Facebook tools and apps that are specifically geared toward taking full advantage of your fan page.
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