As the statistics continue to show increases in usage of Social Media by consumers and businesses, the concern for most business owners lies in the time and cost involved with a Social Media Marketing (SMM) plan. The reality is that the costs are much more reasonable than with most other web marketing tools and the time can be more effectively spent within the social media realm.
The key factor to any successful Social Media Marketing plan is the conversation. Sharing relevant, timely and informative content with growing network of connections helps to cultivate and maintain the relationships that build brand awareness and trust.
Warm Contacts, not Cold Calls
Every business owners knows the low percentage of turnaround when making cold calls to potential clients. Research aside, the fact is that a cold call is to a company that is probably not familiar enough with your brand to buy whatever you’re selling.
A Social Media network allows for soft brand building, thru channels where such communications are not only expected but encouraged. SMM allows for both informative and promotional content related to your niche to be shared to a segmented group of followers. Links to your website or blog further enhance that brand awareness, and offers readers a view into your business processes before making a purchase.
Connections made within the social media-sphere are educated about your products, services and brand, giving you an advantage over the cold call process when making a potential sales call.
Key Benefits of Social Media Marketing
- More efficient use of time. – Effective use of time for your marketing plan means reduced overhead costs and better ROI. The most effort that has to go into your Social Media Marketing is in the quality of your conversation. From there, you just need to know how to reach your prospects.
- More effective use of time. – More than 50% of blog readers use the information they gain in their reading in their buying decisions. Knowing this, keeping your blog content not only relevant, but engaging and timely will build your brand and business effectively.
- Better Brand Awareness. – For those brands regularly engaged in digital dialogue, the client response is going to be higher than those not involved in the conversation. Just be sure that what you’re saying in all of your online content elicits a consistent and desirable product.
Making use of Social Media marketing for your business has very real, very measurable results in brand building and business development. Keep the content consistent in timing, message and goals and your connections, followers and friends will keep your company in front of your target market for their next purchase or project.