In the last blog entry, we discussed how simple and effective it is to tap social media for your business’ benefit. However simple it may be, there are some things you should take note of (and avoid like the plague) so that you can maximize the power of social media.
It’s social media… so, be sociable
People follow you because they want to be kept in the loop with whatever is new with your product or service. Frequently post updates, related stories and relevant information with your followers and friends on different social media platforms.
Be consistent
Whatever you post on Twitter, you should also post on Facebook. Remember that you may have a customer who follows you on Twitter but is not your friend on Facebook. Cover all social platforms by regularly updating all your accounts with relevant and interesting information. Just don’t do verbatim posts. People following you on multiple platforms don’t want to get bombarded with the same exact messaging from 5 different angles.
Good and bad feedback – answer both!
Whether it’s a good suggestion, praise or a violent reaction, you should always answer a customer’s tweet, post, etc. Acknowledge why they are happy or angry about your product or service. Either way, you WILL benefit from it – you’ll quickly learn what to maintain and what to change in order to uphold quality control and customer satisfaction.
Don’t let your accounts go inactive
Social media users are always looking for something new, something attention-grabbing. If your last tweet or Facebook status is “Merry Christmas, everyone!” and it’s already spring, people will quickly lose interest in you. No one likes an orphaned social media account.
Don’t just let anyone speak for you
Make sure that whoever is maintaining your social media accounts is knowledgeable about your business, knows how to keep his/her cool and is tactful when interacting with customers. You have an image to maintain so choose carefully. Go with the guy or gal who can keep it in tact.
Don’t sign up on every social media platform that pops up
I repeat, DO NOT sign up on every social media platform. Just because it’s the newest kid on the social media block doesn’t mean you should immediately jump on the bandwagon. In situations like this, the wait-and-see method is OK (I promise!) Wait a little bit and see if the platform is suitable for your business. Having 20 accounts on different social media platforms won’t just be a nightmare for you to maintain, but it will also be a waste of time and effort. Choose carefully – be visible where your market is.
These are just a handful of things you should take note of when utilizing social media in your business’ marketing efforts. Of course, the actual art of execution is something to be discussed in much greater detail at a later date. So stay tuned…
The bottom line is this: keep social media marketing simple and use common sense. And if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, let an expert help you. The support and guidance you need is closer than you think.
