Many businesses have an on-line following.  Consumers are frequently looking for what’s happening, coupon’s and discounts for the brands and businesses they follow.  Overall, businesses have not done a good job of staying in communication with the on-line community and have stayed focused on traditional methods of advertising.  This is beginning to change.  With a large portion of the on-line community beginning to flock towards social applications and networks, many owners and CXO’s are beginning to ask how they can leverage social media to grow their businesses.

Social media brings the concept of “word of mouth” to the web, it’s about expanding the number of followers your business has through relationships already established by your existing consumers.  Social media provides a means to to communicate with your consumers in a brief and more forward manner unlike traditional methods such as press releases and white papers.  In the end, the goal is to create better communication with your consumers and referrals.

So what is social media?  The most basic definition is: content (news, coupon’s, reviews, comments, etc.) that is published and distributed through a social network (Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, etc.).  Essentially, this means publishing content to your consumers that they find meaningful; so they will pass it along to their social friends.  It could be something as simple as: “Receive 10% off your next visit, when referring a friend”.  In some cases a piece of content becomes popular and creates what is known as “Social Buzz”.  What’s nice about social buzz, is in many social networks it keeps your content at the top, which means more potential viewers.

How do I get into Social Media:  There are a few steps to get going:

• Identify what you want to communicate and how often – Products and Services, News, Coupon’s, Limited Time Offers, Referral Incentives.  Also, define you short and long-term goals, this is a process like other advertising models where you can either do a short blitz or longer-term campaign.
• Invest in putting the services and tools in place to make your campaign successful – Web Design, Web Site, Blog, Social Presence and Advertising.

In summary, social media is an investment that will take time to develop and mature, but when done right it will create better customer satisfaction and in turn referrals for your business.

If you are interested in learning more about social media or would like help with developing the to steps above, feel free two e-mail us or give us a call.

henry.tafolla@newbasellc.com

316-841-4238