Social media. It's the name of the game currently and everyone is trying to figure out the angles. In truth it's a tool. When you market your small business you use a variety of tools. The excitement over the latest tool, social media, is that it allows you to have immediate and direct contact to your customers. It has the advantage of allowing two way communication between you and your customers. That's the angle.
If you are using social media to broadcast your marketing message you're missing the point. Stop telling your customers what you offer, why you're the best and why they need to shop with you. Instead start conversations, listen to responses and then respond. You'll learn more about your customer base, what interests them, why they do business with you, who matters in their world and how they interact with others. All of this information allows you to create a closer connection with your customers. If you're sincere, honest and if you listen and respond you'll become part of your customers' group, their community.
But you must be willing to take the time to engage. If you don't respond to posts, questions or complaints and don't post questions or conversation engaging posts then you are wasting your time on social media. If you use it like a broadcast email you're missing the angle. You may even be alienating your customer base who understand that social media is meant to be...well social.
Here's a profile www.facebook.com/#!/SecretsStJames I've been following for awhile on Facebook. I hope to take an island vacation some day and thought I'd follow this resort to see what I could expect. They aren't perfect, but they do try to respond to posts. They post pictures, ask questions and post about events at the resort. They've encouraged open communication from visitors and potential visitors. They are working the social media angle.
There is still discussion on how effective social media is at driving sales, but if you want to be part of your customers' community social media is an excellent start. Just work the angle.
