All business owners know how important marketing their products and/or services is. But even today I meet many entrepreneurs who do not realize the influence or the potential of online marketing. It is crucial that entrepreneurs not only understand, but leverage the power of the internet and social media. Knowing how to utilize this power can mean the success or failure of a business.
First of all, there are a few statistics that companies of all sizes need to take into consideration. Estimates from studies revealed that there are over two-billion internet users today. Five-hundred-million users have at least one Facebook page and more than 70% of local businesses use social networks to promote their companies. Twitter now has more than two-hundred million followers, while one-hundred-million individuals are on LinkedIn.
You can be sure that whether individuals have great things to say or want to trash your business’s reputation, they will tell anyone and everyone that will listen. They will either tweet about it to the world or post their opinion on a social network, blog, or message board, or perhaps all of the above. Positive feedback from satisfied customers will help your business grow and thrive, while negative feedback can destroy all of your investments and hard work.
There are countless websites that offer numerous tips on the best ways to use the internet and social media to promote products and /or services. Much of this is incomprehensible or complete gibberish. Many times owners decide that this type of marketing is either too confusing, too complicated, or both. This is a fatal business mistake and you do not want your company to be left behind the emerging social media trends.
Here are some of my tips for small business online success. Hope they will help you build a winning online presence for your business:
1. Start with your website
If you don’t have a website, as a business owner, you are wasting your time on social media. I could flood you with many reasons why, but let me say it very simply… you have nowhere to take them to. You website should be an extension of your business attracting your prospects and clients towards you.
2. Stay in line with your business strategy
If social media is not in line with your business strategy, forget about it. Social media should be an implementation tool helping you reach your goals, not a stand alone project taking your time and energy. Why do you want to use specific platform? What’s i it for your business and how fast can you see the results?
3. Create a smart social media strategy
What social media platforms are you planning to use? What is your goal? What action is necessary in order to achieve it? Who is going to implement it – is it you or do you need to delegate it to someone else? How and how often are you going to measure the results?
Many out there spent years trying to figure out social media without being able to see any results at all. By designing your strategy or game plan, you will be able to not only see the results much faster, but to also stop wasting time and resources you have.
If you are ready to stop being reactive in your social media marketing and start using resources available out there the smart way so that they actually support your efforts and help you achieve your goals, it’s about time you got your own Social Media Simplified Program, which will take you from overwhelm to clarity, from reactive to smart, from bland to brand. This info-packed telecourse takes the hassle out of online advertising and teaches you how to use social networks, connect them to your website and increase your online presence.