MerchantCircle conducted a recent survey, which included 8,500 small businesses in the U.S and found that over two-thirds of them were using social media to market their company. The other third said that insufficient resources and a lack of time were their primary online marketing struggles. As social media continues to gain popularity, Social Media Marketing is becoming a more prominent need in order for small businesses to grow.
The problem is many small businesses are unsure on the value or immediate impact of social media compared to other marketing efforts. Many also don’t realize that this type of marketing is an a continuous monthly expense. Some businesses are doing social media themselves and are unable to determine whether they should higher a social media consultant.
Below are a few tips for determining what Social Media efforts are best for you:
1. Will an effective social media campaign be your companies driving force?
Never invest into a marketing effort until you have determined its potential impact. For example, it may be difficult for a local plumber or small tax company to justify the time and cost of social media, though it’s not to say it can’t be done.
Some small businesses are completely dependent on social media because it is their life support. Randa Yezak (Pictured Above), founder of Southern Jewlz, spends over three hours on social media marketing daily. Through having a small young team designated to continuously updating the company’s Facebook, Twitter, and Blog, Yezak has grown the companies Facebook fan base to 11,000+.
2. How is your social media marketing currently working?
If social media has been deemed important for your business, you’ve probably already began and are seeing results. Through updates, fan engagement, and good promotions, you’ve probably got a decent start. But are you creating a personal connection to develop your brand?
Yezak explains that a major part of her company’s social media success is because of the personal connection she develops with users and customers. “The majority of my customers are just like me. I’m a 23-year-old business owner with a funky boutique, so I always make everything sound really fun and sassy,” says Yezak. Through knowing her user base, she has engaged her customers in fun interactive way, but most importantly, she has done this consistently.
If you can’t run your social media on your own, consider hiring a social media expert who has experience and the time.
3. Will outsourcing give you more time for your business?
Many business owners want an effective social media campaign, but the fact is a successful social media marketing campaign takes time and effort. You have to have quick and consistent response times that thank people for comments, retweets, and posts, and answer questions. If you can’t cover these basics then you won’t be able to go even further through engaging, and growing your fan base which takes even more time and energy. Being consistent and up to date is what builds reliability for your business and develops loyal customers.
Trisha Layton, marketing coordinator at PROBAR says, “We believe we get much more leverage on our time by focusing on the things that we can’t outsource and working with trusted partners in areas where a consultant can be just as effective, such as social media.”
What are your recommendations for effectively using social media for your small business?
