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ocial media. It’s the place where the world goes to talk over the latest movie, last night’s game, the latest cultural trend, the hot new restaurant (complete with a photo
of last night’s dinner). And increasingly, it’s where businesses are going to talk to their customers in new ways—more as trusted advisers than as someone who’s just trying to sell them something. “Social media is a little tricky,” said Mitchell Schaf-
fer, founder and owner of Mobile Edge of Lehighton, Pa. Schaffer has been using his website, search engine optimization and pay-per-click Web advertising to drive traffic and sales to his store for nearly a decade. He turned to it as a lower-cost alternative to traditional media advertising when his cell phone business cratered in 2005. He added marketing on Facebook in 2010. “I don’t look at social media as a primary adver- tising method,” he said. “That’s my website’s job, to push traffic, to bring phone calls and people to the store. Social media is more how we humanize our- selves. Nobody wants to buy from a salesman, but
Similarly, she said, when it comes to current cus- tomers, many business owners she works with are using social media to build expert status and show “social proof” for their products and services. “For example, by writing a consistent blog, business owners can address frequently asked questions, show differentiation, share their passion for their business and discuss industry trends,” she added. “These blogs can then be shared across social sites. Blogs based on a single category can eventually be combined into an e-book, and those same blogs can be turned into short video tips. The possibilities are endless.” Online reviews are also a crucial part of social
media strategy. A new survey released in April by Dimensional Research shows that an overwhelm- ing 90 percent of respondents who recalled reading online reviews said positive online reviews influ- enced buying decisions. And 86 percent also said they had been influenced by negative online reviews. Facebook was listed as the top spot for positive reviews, followed by online review sites and then
“Most of the clients I work with, 90 percent of their business is via referral. Word of mouth is very powerful and only grows with social sites and how connected our world has become.” – Beverly Cornell-McGlynn, retail consultant
they do want to buy from cool people who live down the street, who work down the street.”
Extending the Online Storefront Social media experts agree that Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube, Google Plus and Pinterest are all important places to be and that businesses should be posting regularly about the latest and greatest news from their stores.
“Social media is an extension of your online
storefront,” said Beverly Cornell-McGlynn, an inde- pendent retailing consultant in North Carolina with digital marketing experience at huge companies like Chrysler. “Today, people are using social media to learn about products and services more than ever. Having a solid social media presence on a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and YouTube are must-haves for a well-rounded and integrated mar- keting plan.” But it’s more than just being there. “Businesses
must have active sites that post often with relevant and helpful information,” said Cornell-McGlynn. “That shows potential customers that you know your stuff and that they should come to your store and not your competitors.”
the company’s website. For negative reviews, online review sites were the top resource.
Educating Followers Kevin Krason, founder of Southfield, Mich.-based
BizNet, a mobile app and Web marketing company, said he believes independent shops should be “edu- cating my followers on what’s coming out from a technology perspective, what’s the next best thing that’s coming, and what’s available for them.” Krason, whose resume includes digital marketing promotions for retailers F.Y.E. and Belle Tire, said most mobile electronics customers are by defini- tion “really interested in emerging technology. So if I were a retailer in that space, I would be letting my followers know about the latest, greatest advance- ments that I’m investing in from an inventory perspective and an installation perspective—and the things that are compatible and incompatible so they stay on the right path. To me, you get the most bang from a social media investment if you’re really help- ing your customer by educating them and showing them what’s possible.”
Businesses are also using social media to offer cus- tomer feedback and testimonials. Ø
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