Social media is all the rage right now. Not only for individuals, but also for business. There are many businesses that drive a lot of traffic and interest through their social media. But not all businesses are ready for social media.
Knowing how to use social media marketing is one thing. The other is knowing that while it can generate some business, the best use of social media is for community engagement, customer contact, and getting to know who your customers are and what they need. Plus it is a great way for your followers to learn about you and gain insight to your business. Sales come after the "getting to know you" phase and it can happen through social media efforts too.
So, how do you know if your business is ready to become a social entity? There are some systems that need to be in place before you begin your social media marketing.
Do you have a website? You need to have your business site up and running for the support of your social media strategy. You will be sharing blog posts and information, ebooks, papers, and getting to know your business. A website is the perfect landing spot for your social media contacts.
Are your marketing and branding needs in place? Make sure you've created your logos and your brand identity and they cross all avenues of your marketing efforts. Newsletters should be set up for your captive audience and future marketing methods.
Are you found easily online? Get your business on Google Plus, Bing, Yahoo, white and yellow pages, Yelp, and similar online listing sites. These are valuable resources for local small business and will help bring links and traffic.
Do you have the resources to keep your information fresh? Plan who will be handling your social media and marketing efforts through blogging, engaging the customer, being the public face for your business. They need to be able to answer and direct customer questions.
Do you have systems in place to know what is working and what is not? Tracking your efforts is critical to know if what you are doing is working. Be ready to have a plan of action in place to tweak and perfect your marketing.
Social media is the wave of the future. Make sure that your business is ready to experience the full effect of your efforts.