Tuesday 12 January 2016

Secrets for Building a Social Business From the Inside Out

When talking about the explosive growth of social media, there may be nothing I hear more from small- and medium-business owners than this.We know we need to get involved in social, we’ve tried! Our team just doesn’t buy into it. social media marketing plans They have a way of doing things, and it’s really hard to change.Like a perfectly thrown dart, this nails the bull's-eye and simultaneously it depicts why many entrepreneurs are struggling to make social work for them.But before I make what would seem to be the easy application of blame on the employees, I’m going to throw a quick curveball: The employees aren’t at fault whatsoever. If your organization is failing to embrace social media then it starts at the top.The good news is, even if the resistance has won so far, there are ways to build a more social business that are palatable, and it starts by turning the idea of the social enterprise on its head and building your social prowess from the inside out.So how do we make social businesses out of companies that just don’t have the culture? With buyers becoming more linked to content and social in their purchase journey, doing nothing just isn’t an option. Instead, we turn to what is possible.For instance, for a B2B, LinkedIn may be the best approach for driving new interest in a product so the ask may be fore sales to each share a new piece of company content with five of their current clients that may be interested in what the content is about. Then, the request is for them to follow up on the share by requesting a meeting in the coming month. If a few of them are able to turn the content into a meeting or a new sales opportunity that will help build confidence to expand the effort. social media marketing podcast When was the last time you analyzed your advertising, marketing pieces, and social media posts? Pull together your team and make a catalog of the promises you make about your company such as providing fast service or offering less expensive or high quality products. You make promises about your company every day. Evaluate each promise and be honest about whether you follow through or whether you are catfishing customers.
using social media for marketing

Target small wins in our Business

This affects top-down strategy and the employees responsible for marketing. In many small businesses the patience for success with social media is short. And when I say short I mean they want ROI in 30, 60 or 90 days. real estate social media marketing While this is possible, it is also somewhat unlikely. I always remind business owners to think about their sales cycle from new prospect acquisition to close. With social media it will be at the very least that long. This is why small wins are key. Small wins can be simple growth of audience by adding followers or likes. It can also be the application of tools to automate certain social activities like finding and sharing content. In the early part of a social business roll out, small wins must be the focus or you will likely be sorely disappointed by the lack of immediate success.Nothing overwhelms people from doing something new more than when it feels foreign or difficult. For those that aren’t comfortable in social asking them to just jump in and start tweeting, Facebooking and Pinning seems like a lot maybe even too much to handle. The companies that I have seen succeed in getting started in social get their employees to focus on just a few channels and outcomes.There’s a lot to be said for under promising your value proposition. By under promising, you have the potential to create massive social media buzz when your customers are delighted by the unexpected value proposition received once they choose you. When your customers rave about their experience with your company and consequently when they market for you, catfishing is impossible because your marketing is no longer in your hands, as you have confidently placed it into those of your raving fans. social media marketing blogs The most effective way to ensure that you are not catfishing is to poll your customers. Inquire about their experience with your business. One simple question can assist you in evaluating whether you’re the real deal when it comes to your promises. Ask every customer, “Was your experience what you expected based on our promises?If the answer is no, it’s time to evaluate the promises you make as compared to the value you offer.

Create connected silos

There are few people in the world who recommend silos for anything anymore. Somewhere in business school the idea of cross-function overtook the ability to see value in separation. social media marketing chicago For building a social business, creating silos of success around a department or functional area is a great way to start. Imagine how the customer-service department can start with social as a channel to communicate with customers. They can improve response time and increase touch points almost immediately. This has nothing to do with whether or not marketing is using social for bringing on new customers, but what it does do is build a success point in the organization that can be used to spread the gospel of social. Success builds success, right?Sometimes business owners don’t even realize they are catfishing. They believe that what they are marketing online is the true. That’s why taking a look at the world through the customers' eyes can be a game changer. They have the unique ability to interact with your business in a way in which you can’t as a customer.Here’s the bottom line; evaluate promises, overdeliver and listen to feedback and you won’t find yourself in a predicament where your business is responsible for catfishing customers. Empires are built on honesty and authenticity. Your business doesn’t have to be perfect just real.Social media platforms pop up almost daily. Not all of them take off but each one represents an opportunity to target a new audience. Check into up-and-comers to find out if the users are a good fit for your brand. Before you invest too much time in a new platform, test out postings to see if they generate traffic.Review what you are saying before you hit “post” on any online content. social media brand marketing Does it fit with your brand? Does it speak to the audience you are sharing with? Does it link back to your website? Additionally, pay attention to current online trends to see which ones might make sense to integrate into your online postings.Lastly, look for opportunities to learn more about social media content, such as online webinars and forums.

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