Each week, we ask our panel of leading social small biz thinkers for their thoughts on one of the key social media questions of the day. This week, we ask: What is the best way to use social media to attract new business?
Giles Edwards, Creative Director, Gasp
Take for example a baker who uses social media to promote offers available in his store and online but also leverages national news stories such as energy waste and recycling or even new health properties found in wheat to explain changes he is making in his business to respond to these issues. With this he demonstrates a deeper appreciation of his customers, a high degree of expertise and an agile and adaptable business model. He also provides credible and relevant information that other people will want to share, growing the network and increasing his opportunities.
David Hensley, Jr., Cars Etc…Inc
In our personal experience we have found the best way to attract new business via social media has been just simply being authentic. We strive not to solicit our inventory to our community unless someone within the community request info.
We are prompt with any inquiries and are always looking to provide advice to individuals even if they are not looking to do a business transaction with us directly. We understand that to attract new business via social media/social communities is not something that is going to happen immediate but more of a long term investment.
We also use social media to exemplify a high quality of customer service, we feel that this is the cornerstone of attracting new business and retaining current customers. With word of mouth now on steroids, thanks to social networks, customer service is more important to the growth of a social community than ever before in the history of business.
Chris Young, C7 Design
Social Media, like most other forms of marketing, is about relationship building. So the best way to use it to attract new business is as a relationship building tool. For example: use Twitter to engage with other businesses and people outside of your industry, build trust and friendship through conversation, interspersed with information about your business and its activities. Once that trust and relationship has been built, your followers will be more inclined to recommend you or involve you in their businesses. Social Media tools should also direct people to your website, which should ideally have some form of call-to-action inviting new business prospects.
Catherine Sheldon, the Digital PR specialist of Sage (UK)
The Sage UK Omnibus surveyed 2,000 small and medium sized enterprises from Sage’s 790,000 strong UK customer base and found that 8 out of 10 (82%) firms are missing sales and customer engagement opportunities by not using Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or LinkedIn for any aspect of their operations.
Social media offers a new way for small businesses to ‘listen in’ to online conversations and gauge people’s perceptions of their brand or product. But it also provides a way to engage and educate existing or prospective customers and offers a cost effective way to further your official online brand presence and make your company more accessible.
Increasing consumer numbers on these platforms has led to an exponential growth in the number of conversations. Small businesses often get more than half of their customers through word of mouth and by encouraging users to spread across their network.
Social media not only helps to build a more detailed profile of individual customers, it can also be used to create dedicated communities where businesses can host discussions about the products and services they offer and use the followers as a sounding board to explore potential new products and services.
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