Over a billion people on Facebook, over 400 million on Twitter, over 200 million users on LinkedIn. It would be a sin not to take advantage of it. However, a number of mainly smaller companies can still not use these new media to their benefit. The key is in the word "social" rather than "medium." All you need is human approach. Success on these networks works like success at a big social event: The winner is the one who listens actively, can tell engaging stories, seems hones and is genuinely interested in others. In short, such person is liked.
So how can small businesses succeed on social media?
- First listen and never listen stop listening. Probably you find that a discussion about what you want to talk about is alredy in progress somewhere. Simply join in.
- Do not ask customers to follow you or like you. Tell them WHY they should do it. Try to answer the question, "what's in it for me."
- Why would you ask? Do you think that no one responds to your posts on Facebook? Probably because you didn't ask any questions.
- Share photos and videos. People love them. A photo is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a thousand pictures.
- Spend at least 30 minutes a day on social media. The invested time brings returns. Real time spent online is part of an educational process where you learn to use all the opportunities that are offered.
And the most important thing in the end: Would you yourself tick the box "I like it" or "Follow me" if you saw your page or posts? Would you like to be friends with yourself if you met at a big social event? Would you like yourself?
-th-