For the next in our series of case studies looking at how small businesses are using social media, we caught up with Alison Brown from AB Counselling
Social Small Biz: In no more than 50 words explain what your business is?
AB: A B Counselling provides counselling for couples, individuals, and workplaces. Clients come with a wide range of issues including: abuse, addiction, anxiety, bereavement, depression, family and parenting matters, loss of direction, low self esteem, panic attacks, relationship problems, stress, work-related problems and more. I also offer reiki and relaxation sessions.
SSB: How do you use social media as a business?
AB: A B Counselling mainly interacts online through a fan page on facebook, a twitter page and also a blog.
SSB: What are your business/marketing objectives for social media?
AB: The overall objective is to create an online presence in order to raise awareness of A B Counselling and the services offered.
SSB: Do you measure the success of your social media marketing? If so, how?
AB: I check the number of fans and followers daily and I have just created an excel spreadsheet so that I can keep a weekly record.
SSB: How does social media fit in with the other marketing your company does?
AB: The vast majority of my clients discover A B Counselling through searching on the Internet – usually via Google, so having an online presence via social media fits in very well with other marketing, such as various online directories I’m listed in. Also, being listed on sites such as Twitter means that my Twitter identity can appear via a Google search.
SSB: Do you have plans to increase your use of social media in 2010?
AB: I will probably stay at the same level of usage that I had in 2009 – I’m active on a daily basis already.
SSB: What would be your top 3 tips for businesses looking to get involved in social media?
- Be careful to get the right balance – for example if you tweet too much, people might unfollow you – but if you don’t tweet regularly enough the same thing might happen!
- Interact – don’t just use social media to promote your business – make sure you engage with your fans and followers too – reply to them, retweet interesting tweets, ask questions, etc …
- Allow your personality to shine through – there might be many other businesses similar to yours, but there is only one you – you are unique, and people like to feel that they are getting to know you as well as your business.
SSB: Thanks Alison! Don’t forget you can keep up with future case studies by following us or by subscribing to receive our updates via email. If you want to be featured yourself, then get in touch.
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