Getting Started on Social Media @lesleywhiteman
As I spend time on Twitter and Facebook, I’ve found so many business profiles with a flurry of activity for about a week or two (if that) and then nothing…Over and over again I hear the same story from businesses. We tried Social Media (SM), but it didn’t work for us. What they mean is, they decided they needed to be on Facebook and Twitter, so they got the youngest member of staff to set up their profile and they duly tweeted and updated for a couple of weeks. The boss noticed that only 3 or 4 people were following them (and 2 of those worked for the company!), so what’s the point in continuing? Their foray into SM then abruptly ended.
So where did they go wrong? Social Media Marketing is different from traditional marketing – you need to interact with people – hence the word Social. You need to actively find people or businesses that may be interested in what you have to offer. Talk to them about the things they’re talking about. It isn’t just about advertising your business; you need to be much more subtle than that. Show people that you care about them and they’ll care about you too, but the trick here is that you need to genuinely care. If you’re false, people will realise and it won’t work.
So, if you’ve dabbled with SM for your business, or you’ve realised you need to, then maybe some tips on how to build your following would help?
- Put your SM buttons and links on your website.
- Add your SM links to your email signature and all other electronic media
such as newsletters – invite people to follow you or become a fan.
- Add your SM links to all printed media – headed paper, compliment slips, business cards etc.
- Invite your Facebook followers to follow you on Twitter and vice versa. If you’re on LinkedIn, make sure all of your SM links are on your profile page, and make sure your profile is complete.
- Add a blog page to your website, or set up a separate blog and link them. Update it regularly with interesting and engaging content. Search engines love fresh content!
- Search out people who may be interested in your product and follow them.
- Communicate with your followers – retweet often as this validates them and warms them to you.
The main problem is that it takes time. I’ve heard it said that Social Media is like the grout between tiles, where the tiles represent all your other business activities. Throughout your day you need to be checking in to see what’s going on and finding opportunities to engage with your customers and potentials. This doesn’t need to take long, but a consistent and persistent approach is key.
If you’re not sure where to start, why not take a look at my on-line Social Media training programme http://www.lesleywhitemansocialmedia.co.uk/social-media-training/ Learn from the comfort of your own home, at times that suit you – it couldn’t be more family friendly!
