Fabric Newsletter

How to Use Social Media to Build Your Business

 

Talking to your customers and prospects to establish good rapport is vital to the success of your business. And one of the easiest and least expensive ways to communicate with your clients is through social media. In fact, a University of Maryland study found that nearly one in five small business owners are using social media to help build their businesses. Plus, 45% believe their social media tactics will pay off financially in 12 months or less.

With social media having such business enhancing potential, we asked Amber Butler, SanMar's Public Relations Specialist, for her insights and tips on social media:

Q: I already have a company website. Am I missing out on something? Why should I consider social media for my business?
Whether you have a company website or not, social media can be a way to extend your online presence and establish an online conversation about your business. Before getting started though, it's good to do some research. Find out what social media platforms your customers are on, so you know where to reach them. Then begin to listen to what people are saying and how they say it. Each platform has a different language, and you want to speak that language.

Q: What are the benefits?
Every venture into social media isn't a guaranteed win. But there are definitely some benefits that make it worth considering. Probably most compelling is the low cost; depending on what platform you use, the cost is usually just the time it takes to maintain. Another strategic benefit is the opportunity to generate more traffic by complementing other marketing efforts. And as you build your network, it offers you the chance to get immediate input from customers and colleagues about what you're doing right and ways you can improve.

Q: Are some applications better suited for some needs than others?
Ultimately, it's about where your customers are talking. But as a general rule, LinkedIn might be a better option for corporate recruiting and B2B conversations; Twitter might not always work as well for industry-specific or niche dialogue. Facebook, however, is a wide-sweeping phenomenon, so it's a good bet that you'll find many of your customers there.

Q: How do I set up a Facebook business page for my business? Anything I should know?
In order to set up a Facebook business page, you'll need a personal Facebook profile. Then go to any Facebook business page and scroll to the bottom. There you'll find a link "Create a Page for My Business." A good thing to keep in mind is that whoever creates your business's Facebook page will be the permanent admin (meaning he or she has access to edit, change and delete the page). Also, once you start a page, be ready to maintain it. No one wants to "like" a page that looks unused.

Q: What are your recommendations for running my Facebook business page?
First things first—you want to make sure that your Facebook page looks and feels like your business. If you have a logo, make sure your logo is your Facebook profile pic. If you have playful marketing, make sure your tone on Facebook is playful. Be personal and genuine on Facebook, but above all, stay true to your brand.

Q: How do I manage my page? How do I get quality fans?
As a business, you'll have to log into your personal account and then navigate to the business page. As long as you're an admin, you can edit and post content. If you want more than one person to edit and post, you can also select other fans of the page to be admins as well. With a business page you can't "fan" or "friend" people, since Facebook doesn't want to encourage solicitation. So post interesting, relevant content and work hard to build a community that others want to join.

Q: How often should I post on my social networks?
Each network will be slightly different. Ultimately, though, you want to strike a balance between posting often enough for your page to be updated and fresh, but not so much that you overwhelm your followers or even drive them away from too much "chatter."

Q: What kinds of information should I post on my social networks? Should it be strictly sales and marketing?
Definitely not! Just like life, no one really talks about the same thing all the time. Neither should your page. You want it to be relevant to your industry, but make it feel human. Don't be afraid to share articles or news stories that you think would be of interest to your customer, even if they're not strictly business.

Q: Where can I get more information?
Start checking out the social networks you're interested in. Most will offer helpful info for newcomers. I also recommend checking out www.mashable.com; it's a good resource for all things social media.

If you ever want to talk social media with me, you can find me at www.facebook.com/sanmarcorp or on Twitter at @sanmar_corp.