If you own a small business, you’ve probably already realized just how important social media marketing truly is. Your customers want to know that they can “check in” on Facebook when they’re at your store or restaurant. They want to be able to easily find your hours and your location. They might even want a quick and simple way to contact you without having to call.
Social media marketing is a highly effective channel through which business can demonstrate that they understand their customer needs. If you’re a small business owner and you’re looking for ways to enhance your social marketing, there are a few things you need to know.
1. Tell your customers where to find you
Being online isn’t enough. You still have to tell your customers where to find you. For example, do you have a Twitter page? A Facebook fan page? Are you on Pinterest? No matter which social media platforms you choose to utilize for your small business, make sure you let your customers know where they can find you. You can accomplish this in one of several ways:
- When someone makes a purchase, you can say, “Check out our Facebook page.”
- You can include a small sign at the check-out counter with the name of your Twitter handle.
- You can have a picture in your shop that asks customers to tag you in check-ins or tweets about your shop.
The options are endless, but make sure you’re taking the time to tell people where they can find you on the Internet.
2. Respond to messages promptly
If your customers send you a message online, make sure you reply in a timely fashion. It’s very important that you treat each customer in a respectful way and show them that they are valued. If you take days or weeks to respond, or you don’t reply at all, customers will not feel important. Ideally, you should respond to all messages you receive during normal business hours. If you receive a message overnight, make sure you respond promptly the next morning.
Alternatively, utilize chatbots to interact with customers online at all hours of the day and night. According to a recent article on AdAge titled, “The 3 keys to really knowing your customers,” most consumers would prefer to fill out a form than engage with a chatbot.
3. Offer giveaways or coupons
It’s not just enough to tell people where to find you online. You also need to help them engage with you. An easy way to do this is by offering a giveaway with a prize. Have customers share, comment, or like your post in order to enter. You can also ask them to tag a friend. Another option is to give customers who visit your Facebook or Twitter pages a coupon to use the next time they’re in your store.
4. Stay current
Don’t let your social media pages die off. It’s important that you update your social media pages regularly. Ideally, you should update several times each week with notes about specials you’re offering or new products you have. You can also share interesting pictures you take of your products or services. Another option is simply to share pictures and articles from other websites.
Just make sure you’re posting regularly to encourage your clients to engage with you. Additionally, ensure that information is accurate and follow up with customer interactions quickly and respectfully.
5. Share pictures
Personalized pictures are one of the most important parts of digital advertising. Take pictures with your customers. Share their pictures on your page. Take pictures of your shop. Take pictures of your products. You can easily personalize each picture with a note and a nice comment about it. Clients who visit your page want to know that you’re active, but that you care about your customers. Sharing pictures of your goods, services, and patrons can help with this.
In today’s modern age, digital marketing is an essential part of helping your business grow. With these five tips, you’ll be well on your way to helping your small business succeed.
Leave a Reply