A few years ago, a journalist (in Europe) told me that Twitter and Facebook is a fad and that it would not have any place in business. Fast forward to today – he’s eaten his words and got on the bandwagon himself.
There are still a few businesses, especially in this neck of the woods, that still have the same attitude and are ‘terrified’ of becoming social. Whether they like it or not, there is probably someone out there that is discussing them or referencing them without them knowing. And, like “no comment” to a journalist means they can draw their own conclusions, a “no response” on social media is likely to be construed by these as indifference on the part of the business. I know I do when I want to draw a business’ attention. Quite often I’ll use a hashtag if I can’t find them in the obvious places (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN).
It’s time for ALL businesses to take stock and get social. Safely.
Here are a few dos and don’ts of tipping your business toes in the water.
- In order to effectively use social networks, let it reflect the identity and the reputation your offline business enjoys.
- Take the time to know your audience and understand their specific online habits and interests as well as things like lifestyle, age, geography and profession. If you are a really small startup or business, observe your own personal business network before you begin posting as a business.
- Learn how (and when) your (target) audience communicates best; and start a conversation. Be aware that people are more likely to respond to you personally rather than your business – so make your posts (both business and personal) worthy of interaction; not just about the business. Remember people do business with people not necessarily the business.
- Learn who the more “influential” people are, interact with them knowledgeably i.e. contribute to discussions rather than a hard sell.
- Share resources related to your line of business (even when they are not your own). Becoming an influential member within your network can be time-consuming and difficult, but it will make it much easier to gain attention for important items once this is established.
- Try not to spread yourself too thin by attempting to be all things to everyone on all social networks. Develop a network of individuals that share a common theme or interest and pick the right network for yourself and your business i.e. where your target audience is.
- Add at least two contacts per week on networks that are relevant to your business. It’s a great way to connect with people and get opportunities flowing. Spend time contacting one of the persons you follow from these key social networks via instant message and forging a bond. You can usually locate this information on their profile page.
- Stay away from the over-hyped, all-purpose social networks that don’t drive traffic or influence people. Sometimes finding one active online forum in your niche sector might be the way to go: like a LinkedIn Group or a Google+ page or the expat forum. Introduce yourself and get involved – use the private messaging features (most online platforms have them) to introduce yourself to other members. Remember – when introducing yourself, DON’T sell.
- When posting new items (like status updates or LinkedIn posts), pay particular attention to the Title of the post/message. Just like a headline, and it should “grab” attention without misleading anyone or being too vague.
- Creating video is a great way to reach a wider audience and get people talking about your product or business but make it relevant. Create one video for your business and put it on YouTube. Build links to it.
- RSS feeds are an important way to keep people informed and updated automatically with the latest products or services offered by you. Build social media links to get posts on your website shared automatically on your key social media platforms. Some people may not subscribe to your posts on your website but if they have a feed, they’re probably getting updates anyway.
As you can see, there are many ways to make your social media presence gain momentum and build on relationships with your target audience. Some of these elements are obvious and simple to include while others take more creative thought and energy.
So what’s stopping you now?
