As a local business person, you have a lot of demands on your time and resources. You’ve heard about using social media to help market your products and services, but you’re skeptical about the need to use it. It’s just all about selfies, food pics and political rants after all…uses that are far from the needs of a local business.
Social Media Strategy
Consider however that a 2013 Gallup survey showed 35% of consumers’ purchasing decisions were influenced somewhat or greatly by social media. A similar study from 2013 showed that just over 40% of social media users claimed they purchased a product after sharing it or liking it on a social media outlet. And given that it’s 2015, those numbers are likely higher today.
So social media can influence consumer behavior and ultimately help drive sales. As you evaluate it for your own business, keep the following 3 things in mind:
1. It’s About Quality
You don’t have to post every 30 minutes on every social media outlet. It’s not only unnecessary, it’s annoying. Yes, you need to post frequently, but as with most things, quality always beats quantity. Make sure what you share is relevant to your audience, relates to your business, is professional and, most importantly has some personality to it to get people coming back.
2. It’s About Building Relationships
Social media is not like old-school advertising and mass mailings where you craft a message, throw it out there and hope it sticks. Instead, it’s a medium in which you share messages and content relevant to your current and potential customers. It’s more conversational and relational, so you have to be listening and encouraging interaction and conversations and make sure the things you post aren’t all “business,” meaning you need to post photos, interactive quizzes, etc. and not lengthy product descriptions.
3. It’s About Consistency
Social media by its very nature is not a one-and-done event. You have to post consistently, or you’ll lose your audience. If you can’t make the commitment to sharing consistently, you’re probably better off working with someone who can help you keep the sharing up-to-par. Also, beyond posting your own content, it’s important to be generous and share others’ content on a regular basis as well.
As a local business, developing a social media presence can influence consumer behavior and ultimately help drive sales — especially when it’s done well. If you’re curious about how to begin, contact us via the link below.
