If you’re an entrepreneur you know you need to make every dollar count, especially as it relates to your marketing budget. You need to decide where to put your marketing budget where it will make the most sense and draw in the largest potential client pool. One way for business owners in Phoenix and Idaho to amp up their marketing and reach new markets is through a targeted approach through low-cost/no-cost marketing techniques on social media platforms. Social media, done right, is a powerful marketing medium.
Entrepreneurs can communicate with customers and use social media to discuss products, new services, conduct surveys to find out what your clients are currently seeking. Social media is a great medium to gauge potential client needs and wants and perhaps tailor your services to meet those needs. While social media can be a low-cost marketing plan but it can be time-consuming and if not done right can alienate as well as intrigue. Using social media is also a perfect way to let customers get to know you and this heightens the customer relationship and helps build loyalty.
Here are 10 tips to build your social media marketing platform and how to interact with both current and potential clients and how to build it:
- Use social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) as a way to search out new clients. Join groups in your niche area and interact with members. As an example, if you clean carpets for apartment buildings, join groups for homeowner or apartment association members.
- Put your social media marketing strategy in place from the beginning. You need to create a plan, outline goals and understand what outcomes you are seeking
- Even though you are writing your social media status updates as your company, you want to sound authentic. Post interactive questions, make announcements, etc.
- Set aside time to undertake your social media tasks. To be effective you need to be consistent
- Show your expertise. If you’re a roofing contractor, look for discussion forums on which you can participate and show your experience
- Listen as well as talk. Those who subscribe to your social media feeds will unsubscribe if all they receive from you are “buy me” updates
- Because it’s social media, you need to be social. Respond to comments in a timely fashion
- Be responsive. There is nothing more frustrating for a customer or potential client that to have written you a message only to find that you’re not responding
- Offer value. Those who sign up for your feeds need a reason to not only stay signed up, but to participate in the conversations you’re offering.
- Be exclusive. Offer individuals who are on your newsfeeds perks that those who don’t follow you don’t have access to. Offer rewards or subscriber-only coupons. Make certain there is a call to action – “this deal ends at midnight” call.
Even if you feel you don’t have the time or perhaps can’t even see the value of social media marketing for your business, keep in mind that your competition probably is and you don’t want to be left behind. Remember that being a member of a trade organization is another great way to market your business by being able to utilize its social media platform to reach new clients.