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34 The Maturation of Social Media as a Marketing Tool COVER STORY
and know the target audi- ence, it can be a huge boon to sales. In addition, while social media requires less of an upfront commitment, the page needs to be regu- larly monitored to respond to requests and questions to fully reach the customer base. Simply set aside a lit- tle time each day for social media interaction. This evens out the playing fi eld a bit; smaller companies can compete with larger opera- tions in the social media realm a lot easier than they can in other mediums. Aſt er all, an online wholesaler may not have the budget to run a Super Bowl ad, but they can off er coupons, deals and give personal interaction on Facebook just as easily as a far larger company.
3.Maintain a personal touch.
Customers want to know that they are dealing with real people, and not a faceless corporation.
2. Give the people a reason to come back.
Customers will like your Facebook page because they like your products. T at does not mean that they will continuously visit the page, unless there is a reason to. Coupons and other exclusive deals will convince fans to stick around a lit le while. T ere are a million diff erent things to do on Facebook, and people have short at en- tion spans when using social media. Creating engage- ment starts by giving a reason to stick around. Also, give them something to talk about. Ask questions and start conversations, get ing real and unfi ltered feedback about both your products and questions of the day. Make the page a destination, not just a place to fi nd coupons.
It can be diffi cult to stay on message using social media, when there are so many individual conversa- tions. As Katy Finneran writes on the Fox Business website, “Finding the right tone for your small business can be a task in and of itself. Some rules of social media delivery seem like com- mon sense: keep it appro- priate, professional, polite, factual, and yes, even spell and grammar check posts. But when businesses delve deeper, picking a tone raises a number of complex ques- tions: Should businesses use corporate jargon to stay true to their serious core mission, or should they inject playful questions to invite conver-
sation among customers?” T is is a diffi cult balance to maintain—how do you be personable and professional, without sounding like a robot? Customers want to know that they are dealing with real people, and not a faceless corporation. Social media strategist Amy Porterfi eld notes, “Of course you should talk about your indus- try and your business, but it’s also important to throw some fun in there too. Most people on Facebook are not necessarily there to talk business, so make sure to not only focus on the business. Also, you can increase your engagement if you use fi rst names. Using your fans’ names can go a long way in growing real relation- ships. T is small gesture makes people feel heard, and adds a personal touch. I know it seems so simple, but it’s oſt en overlooked. If you mix things up and make it a point to entertain as well as off er value on your Page, and make it a habit to use fi rst names, your engagement levels can skyrocket.”
Continued On 38 36 February 2012
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