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A Social Media Strategy for Business Owners

Guest post by: Mike Saunders

Article Overview: The consumer holds the true power these days. It has always been taught in business school that you should listen to your customer so you can deliver the products and services they want and need. But now it’s even more critical because if we don’t listen to them, they will start a conversation - good or bad - about our product or service online. This may be on their Facebook page, blog or maybe even a YouTube video that could damage your reputation. This is just as important for a small business owner to focus on and create online paths for their targeted readers to find their service.

A Social Media Strategy for Business Owners

The P.R.I.S.M. Salvation-A Social Media Strategy for

Small Business Owners

• Powerful

• Relationships

• Integrating

• Social

• Media The consumer holds the true power these days. It has always been taught in business school that you should listen to your customer so you can deliver the products and services they want and need. But now it's even more critical because if we don't listen to them, they will start a conversation - good or bad - about our product or service online. This may be on their Facebook page, blog or maybe even a YouTube video that could damage your reputation. This is just as important for a small business owner to focus on and create online paths for their targeted readers to find their service.

What can be done? How can you connect with your audience to convey the core message of your business?

• Learn how to participate in social media networking that is already going on all around you.

• Find where your customers already gather.

• Listen to their conversations online.

• Understand their needs.

• Participate and contribute in a helpful way to their questions and comments. Be the solution-provider.

Social media is an effective tool to analyze, as well as reach out to, your customers and target audiences. The fast- changing customer behavior and market trends would take much longer through conventional methods, but with social media tools this process is expedited.

You must weave your marketing message into a "voice" that is conversational because Social media is playing a huge role in the lives of small business owners and you want your prospects to get a feel for you even before they buy from you.

While you cannot guarantee the level of social media success, it is a powerful force that cannot be ignored because it helps small business owners to get a better insight into the needs, requirements and mindsets of their customers and prospects, while deepening a more personal relationship with them.

After all, one of the biggest benefits of social media, is that it is already happening online. Being able to insert your message into what is already going on makes your message well-received because it is not selling. It is participating and educating your targeted prospects. You are positioned as the trusted advisor.

Let's think for a minute about "participating and educating" in the statement above. Does this mean you pop into a forum where your target audience gather and start typing "buy my product because it's the best!"? Although you may feel tempted to do this because you need sales, you must resist this urge because you immediately become a nuisance.

In conclusion, you must clearly define your unique message your business offers as well as well as exactly who your target audience is. This is critical because once you know this information, your job is to deliver your message to them using social media in ways that draws them into your content and eventually to buy your products and services.

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Article Tags: social media for small business, social media marketing consultant



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Re: Kevin needs "social glue" ideas - [quote="WebBizIdeas.com":gvtxsu7g]Hi, I like the idea of "10 items that could act as "social glue" because I am an internet marketer. But I agree with the rest that the 10 recent post is nice. Maybe we should open up a new section in the forums on Social Media...or Social Media Marketing. I will tell you that the world is about 1 1/2 behind when it comes to understanding social media. Building a section now will put EvanCarmichael.com is a great position a year down the road when people realize Social Media can produce more traffic than SEO. Jeff[/quote:gvtxsu7g] Hi Jeff, Thanks for the suggestion. Why don't you start a new post (with a poll) to see if there's enough interest in your idea for a social media section?
Re: UPDATES: New Campaign! New Layout! New Ideas! - GT - thanks for the FYI - I'm not sure if we'll put a link back. Something to consider though! Trent - the new category is "Social Network and Media" which was put in to compliment the Online Businesses category that currently exists. Overall the new categories are: - Looking For, Networking and Events - Review My... - Social Network and Media - Brags and Rants These came as a result of Ringo doing research on other forums and thinking about what could be improved on ours to give a better experience for everyone. I hope you enjoy them! David, I'm looking forward to reading your Brag / Rant!
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Re: Social Media Marketing Ignorance - [quote="vbn411":7qciluxl]Social Media is space that you have to be in to succeed in our current climate. People are going to be discussing your brand / product whether you like it or not, so you might as well join the conversation and add value. [/quote:7qciluxl] I think that's probably one of the most realistic way to think about it. There's no real textbook way of understanding Social Media, it's the networks of people and their interactions that will exist with or without your input. As for Jennifer, You can always have 2 Facebook pages. Many people do. There is also LinkedIn, which is like a professional networking version of Facebook. The only way to know is to try it.


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