Many entrepreneurs are uncomfortable seeking the spotlight, yet a larger brand presence is important for driving growth. Social media marketing is an important aspect of promoting your small business. Of course, social media is only one aspect of building a successful brand. There are many more opportunities for driving traffic and garnering customers through content-driven sites. If you focus on delivering exceptional service to your clients, they’ll tell your story for you. It’s all about follow-through and follow-up.
Best Practices From a Small Business Owner
A recent New York University study found that although more than half of consumers communicate with businesses via social media, only 8% are satisfied with those interactions, reports Monster.com.
Kristina Hathaway, a travel agent with Dream Vacations–Hathaway Vacations, shared some of her best practices with BlackEnterprise.com that can help you build a strong social media marketing presence for your small business. Hathaway co-owns the franchise along with her father and as the millennial in the family–at age 27–she oversees their franchise’s social media content. In fact she recently won the “Best Social Media Strategy Award†at the 2016 CruiseOne Dream Vacations Cruise One, Inc. national conference.
8 Social Media Tips
1. Short and Sweet
When putting out promotional posts, make them short and sweet. Too many words and people aren’t going to read it. Also, add an image that is relevant to the promotion and that is interesting.
2. Videos
People love videos. The videos don’t have to be long. In fact, they should be no longer than three minutes. Make them fun and interesting. Providing tips are always a good idea.
3. Interactive Posts
Create posts that encourage interaction. Ask questions and share interesting facts. Just remember to make it short.
4. Webinars
Host webinars about a product or anything that has to do with what you want to talk about. Suppliers are usually very happy to provide assistance, because webinars help get their product out there even more. Webinarjam is a great online program that helps you create webinars.
5. Calls to Action
Always attach your web page and phone number to every post, video, and webinar. It’s all about getting in contact with the costumer, and getting their information.
6. Forms
This helps with grabbing people’s information and they can be attached to surveys, questions or promotions. Keep it simple–just ask for name, phone number, and email.
7. Facebook Ads
Use them to expand your reach beyond your local area–perhaps, to other regions of the country. This gets your brand in front of people who you would not be able to reach without a referral.
8. Trial and Error
If something doesn’t get a good response, try a different picture or different wording. It is important to test what works, and what doesn’t work.