Social media networking sites are such Web portals that aim to connect people with one another into a large virtual community. Today almost everyone has a profile in some social media networking sites or the other. However, the platforms of these sites are increasingly been exploited with motives of growth and proliferation in businesses. Social media marketing for small business is beneficial as it provides a large exposure, which helps in the generation of customers. Through the implementation of these strategies, a small business can grow rapidly and generate clients double the amount as in the conventional marketing techniques.
Following are the guidelines that would help you to understand the basics of each of the renowned social media and the strategies to deal with it.
Facebook has millions of users that the small businesses must aim to turn into their customers (or at least a targeted group should be aimed). Facebook offers a very strong platform, so, if you still have not created your business profile in it, you must do it immediately. You can create fan pages containing various applications to attract and engage your customers. You can also earn from the ads on your profile pages.
Twitter is one of the best platforms for social media marketing for small businesses. You can tweet your messages and updates to your community members and fans. To be able to leverage Twitter, you must read books on this social networking site to learn to use its advanced tools. There are various application tools like TweetDeck, Seesmic, and Tweetie. Various applications enhance flexibility and control over your strategies on Twitter. To learn about the ways to promote your business on Twitter, you must read a good book on it. You can find a few good books on it across the Web.
With nearly 50 million users, LinkedIn is most probably the most popular business oriented social network for professionals. Thus having a profile in LinkedIn helps businesses to a large extent. You can ask for ‘recommendation’ on your profile from your customers, clients or vendors. Recommendations help you to get better search engine results for your business profile.
YouTube
It is a multimedia platform where you can post audios, videos, photos, and presentations. It makes an attractive platform for social media marketing for small businesses. You can upload various updates about your company on YouTube.
Just a few guidelines on dealing with social media websites are included here. You will be able to read elaborate descriptions on books like Sales 3dot0-the new cont@ct sport. You can purchase it from Newcontactsport.com.
Social Media Marketing For Small Business – Sales 3dot0 is an social marketing book offering tips and tools to create a successful sales strategy for small business.
Small business owners are smart, savvy and creative. This is, oftentimes, what causes more confusion with prospects. Let’s use an example to make it clearer.
Imagine you’re at a networking event and you’re talking to someone who could be an ideal client. You’re really focused in on them. You’re listening carefully to their every word. You begin to realize they’re not talking about their business, but about their life. You may think to yourself, “Yeah, yeah, we’re all really challenged economically right now in our personal lives, but how’s your business doing?”
And before you know it, you’ve let that slip out and their eyes kind of glaze over. You wonder, what just happened here? This, after all, is a business event, so why are you talking about your personal life.
Well in case you missed it, for a lot of small business owners, their business is their life. That’s how they support themselves financially and spiritually! And this points to the first reason you can confuse a prospect!
#1 You don’t understand their problem
If you’re not “hearing” the problem and the pain it’s causing them, you may address the symptoms and not the underlying cause. Here’s an example. Let’s say you are an expert in providing health and nutritional products. A prospect complains they’re not feeling well and is in need more energy because they’re balancing work, family, etc. You “hear” the possibility for “supplements” could be helpful to boost their energy. What you may miss is their lifestyle may require an “overhaul” meaning diet, exercise, valuing who they are, etc. So the “supplements” will only give them the energy to stay out of balance!
#2 You don’t understand your comprehensive solution
So you focus on the supplements, however your “comprehensive” solution might include an overall plan for this person. An approach that includes “wellness” of which supplementation is only a small part (even though it’s you’re core business). But you have to know your full repertoire, i.e. all of your available solutions in order to be effective in solving the prospect’s problem. And if you don’t offer it directly, who could you partner with to address the prospect’s problem?
#3 You can’t help the prospect bridge the gap
Continuing with this example. If you were focused on listening for the “business challenge” and not asking the questions that help you see the connection between their lack of business clients and the lack of life balance, you will overlook how the two are, in fact, affecting each other. Your role is to help the prospect clearly see the connection; you have to help them bridge the gap. Otherwise, your prospect will not see how your solution will help both in their personal and business life and the opportunity is lost! And they walk away confused as to what you do or offer.
The moral of the story is? Truly listen to all aspects of your prospects “being” because it will serve as a rich source of information. It will also help you determine if your solution will solve their problem. And after all, isn’t that the business we’re in?
And remember, a confused mind never buys.
Chris Makell helps coaches, consultants, and other solopreneurs create profitable businesses by showing them what to do and how to do it, using proven marketing strategies. To learn how to make more money doing what you love, visit www.RadianceMarketing.com to claim your free special report, “7 Surefire Ways to Get the Most out of Your Time and Marketing Dollar.”