In short, yes. Social media is a powerful tool for marketing your products or services. It has single-handedly upended the traditional marketing truths we’ve always been privy to. But where to start? Let’s figure that out first.
Before we decide what avenue is best for your business, let’s ask a few questions:
- What are you hoping to achieve with social media marketing?
- Who are you after?
- Are you ready to commit?
Social media marketing is complex. It requires a plan of its own — a different plan from the typical marketing plans we’re used to carrying out. Why? Because it’s instant. It’s visual. It’s engaging. Before this gets overwhelming, let’s take a look at a brand we (mostly) all know — Dollar Shave Club. The first and only thing the founders did when they were ready to market their product was launch a YouTube video. Within 48 hours, they’d received 12,000 new orders. (In case you’re wondering, that’s what we call a “viral video”). The response was far better than they’d imagined, and today, they hover somewhere around 3.2 million subscribers. They’ve since added to their marketing arsenal, but talk about a marketing disruption!
What are you hoping to achieve with social media marketing?
Most of you will answer “more sales,” right? Of course. It’s marketing, and marketing exists to generate sales. But it’s not as easy as that, sadly. Social media is about having a voice. It’s about connections and experiences. It’s about building brand awareness and connecting with your current customers — who in turn help your potential customers grow. And despite what we’re used to, we can’t achieve this goal simply by advertising our products on social media as we would in print or online. It’s more about engaging with a product or service and the lifestyle benefits it provides. It’s not about a new razor on the market — it’s about a quality razor for less investment, delivered to your door each month. There are so many ways marketers can highlight the lifestyle benefits — and that’s why it works.
Who are you after?
This second question is equally as important as the first. It will determine what medium is best for your product or service. The first two sectors we divide are B2B and B2C. These two divides will determine the time you post, the medium used, and the tone of your posts — and they are VERY different. Second, let’s think about your audience demographic. It’s no secret that age will quickly determine certain environments. Then, we look at your specific product or service. If you’re a business providing professional services, say accounting or IT solutions, we’re going to point you first and foremost at LinkedIn. If you’re selling apparel or accessories, Instagram and Facebook are perfect for you. If you’re a food truck owner, Twitter and Snapchat will likely be your best options. Of course, there will be overlap, and it’s not really that cut and dry, but it’s important to select the right channels for your business.
Are you ready to commit?
This is the BIG question. In the beginning, every business says YES! We’re ready! We can do this! Which is great. However, social media marketing is constant. You must be accessible. When people contact you on social media, they expect an immediate answer. If they wanted to wait, they’d email you. This is the hardest part to keep up with. It’s easy to tweet for two hours, but if you’re a real estate agent, you’ve got real estate to sell! That’s where we come in. We have the resources to help market your products and services properly. Whether you need a guide showing you where and when; or if you need help making your posts “pretty;” or if you just don’t want to fuss with it, we’ve got social media plans and options for everyone. We’ll get into the nitty-gritty of your business and figure out how we can give your business the best social face, and in turn, garner sales. And that makes everyone happy, right?