Getting Started on Social Media For Business (pt2)

Congratulations!  You have completed your first assignment of lurking in some of the Social Media outlets and you’re ready for the next step!

This is Part 2 in the Getting Started on Social Media series.  If you just got here, see Part One here. 

Here is what we know:

We know Social Media can be a wonderful tool on your marketing strategy toolbox.  With millions of active consumers waiting to hear from you, it’s a no-brainer that small businesses are using it to connect.  However, if your intention is to sell directly to users of these sites, STOP right there!  Spend your efforts on a Google ad or post on Craigslist instead, they are more effective from that standpoint.

Let’s be very clear: Social Media outlets are for connecting.  They’re for sharing information which means GIVING and RECEIVING.  If you have nothing to offer, you won’t be successful.  If you don’t interact with people, they have no reason to create a bond with you.

No matter your business, you have something to share.  If you’re in the knitting business, you talk about what the prices of yarn are expected to reach.  If you have a dog-walking business, you talk about the great doggie parks in your area.  Someone wants to know about what you have to share.  Likewise, someone has to share what you want to know.  See how that works? 

There’s our recap.

With that out of the way, now it’s time to ask yourself one question, a very important one:  What do you hope to gain from Social Media Networking?  Of course you want to boost your brand, but in what way?  For many small business owners it’s to bring traffic to their website or blog, for others it’s to develop themselves or their business as an authoritative source.  For some, they show up because they know competitors are chatting to their customers on these platforms.  All of these are great reasons to get started and using these platforms you can accomplish those tasks.  Whatever your reason(s) for showing up, make sure they’re clear so you can develop a successful strategy.

Assignment

Your next assignment is to continue lurking on Social Media Networks, but this time try to determine what you think each one of your favorite people are doing there.  What are their goals within these networks?  Some are obvious, some maybe not so obvious.  Keep in mind, the folks trying to connect or give value to their customers may be harder to figure out. 

Once you’ve done that, what are your goals?  Do you want more traffic to your website, better qualified traffic to your website, do you want to establish credibility – like we said, there are many reasons, what are yours?

Keep me updated on your progress and feel free to ask questions along the way.  I know you want to get down to business, but this is a very important step.  Next time, we create an account and get talking!

So don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to see Getting Started on Social Media (pt3)!

 

 

 

Related Posts:

• Don’t Take My Word For It: An Informal Social Media for Your Business Investigation
• Getting Started on Social Media For Business (pt3)
• Getting Started on Social Media for Business: Beginners
• Testing a New Mashup

Tags: business tools, marketing strategy, small business, social media, Social Networking   Posted in Social Networking, marketing strategy