‘I don’t have time.’ ‘I don’t know how.’ ‘Why is it important for me?’ ‘What about negative comments?’ ‘That’s okay I have x relative to help me out.’ These are some of the comments and questions I get about Social Media for business.
With 65% of Kiwis researching a business online before making a purchase, and 92% of people trusting recommendations from their peers, can you afford not to have an online presence? Whilst your website is a very important tool for your business, you also need to get your brand in front of people, make sure they are thinking about you and are able to find you, and the best way to do this is through Social Media. In New Zealand 63% of us are active on some kind of social media, this covers all age groups (with over 58% of people over 70 using social media) and so your target audience will be there, and you need to be where your customers are.
Social Media is not just about socialising it is about people being social, for business this is about creating a community of followers, as Craig Davis, Chief Creative Officer of J. Walter Thompson puts it, “We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in.” This is particularly relevant with Social Media when people are bombarded with a lot of information, your brand needs to stand out. People are social beings, and companies are made up of people, so Social Media is definitely relevant for businesses, and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
If you are worried about opening up your business to the world of Social Media and comment, remember that people are already talking, and likely they are talking about you on Social Media – there may be mentions, comments, or reviews you don’t know about. You want to be the one to monitor your brand and be in control of it. Not only will you know what is being said, but you will have the opportunity to respond in an appropriate manner.
When it comes to posting on Social Media, you need to fully trust the person, it is the same as talking to the press or to potential customers. While your cousin’s son’s girlfriend’s brother might be great at technology, do you really want him being the voice of your business? Would you trust that person to work on your company car, just because they know something about cars? Keep this in mind when you are working on your Social Media presence.
Brian Solis, a digital marketing analyst, speaker, and author, said “Social Media is about sociology and psychology more than technology”. We need to remember that each post is talking to our customers. Having a degree in psychology, as well as being proficient with technology, I have a unique set of skills to assist your business in becoming the best it can be on social media.
The first step to success in Social Media is know where your customers are, which social media channels are going to work for you. Then you need to know how can you best use them, what do your customers want to see, and how do you find things to post. These can be confusing questions, especially if you don’t have the technical experience to help you make that decision, which is where Button Help can become your business’ Help Button. We offer Social Media introductory workshops, one platform focus workshops, advanced workshops, one-on-one consultations and individual training – chose what suits your business, then we’ll help you get to where your customers are.