Importance of social networks in business

If you haven’t started using social media as a marketing strategy in your business, then you are wasting a valuable resource that could easily bring you new customers and customers. Not only will you get new leads, but these leads are better than others you might find or buy. The leads you get from social media are good because they already trust you and are ready to do business with you. As a marketing strategy, social media draws your potential customers to you, instead of you trying to find them. The ultimate in low-cost marketing, social media has a better ROI than other forms of promotion. It is one of the most effective advertising methods you can use.

Most businesses have found that word of mouth and networking are two of the most successful ways to find new business or customers. Social media is simply a way to network and use word of mouth, online. Marketing with sites like Facebook, Twitter and Linked-in helps others get to know you personally. You may not feel comfortable letting your private life online, but by being transparent, you can easily establish a relationship and build trust. People do business with people they know, like, and trust, and social media helps make this process happen quickly, in a way that’s far less time-consuming and costly than going to countless meetings. networking.

For example, after strenuous work in the garden your back is killing you. You’ve heard that chiropractic can help, but you have no idea how to find one. You mention this on your Facebook page and someone you know responds with a recommendation for someone who has used it. Visit her business fan page and start reading her tips and information about chiropractic and her business. You see their photo and send them a note to connect. You start to learn a lot more about this doctor than just an ad in the yellow pages. You subscribe to his personal page and find out about his family, hobbies and belief system. Even before you have decided to make an appointment, you trust this person, not just because of a friend’s recommendation, which interested you in the first place, but because of the information he has left on the Internet about himself and his practice. This is advertising done right. Not just because you initiated the sale, because of your interest, but also because it’s available whenever someone decides to connect.

Social media is promotion at its best. The best time for the recipient, both physically and emotionally because the customer is ready to buy. Not a distracting interruption in the middle of an important game on TV, and not when they’re engrossed in an interesting magazine or newspaper ad. You have their full attention and they want to hear what you have to say. This is a message that is not a nuisance but useful information that you have requested.

Another plus is the testimonials you read. This is usually not from a famous person who is offline, but information from the person providing the service, or from a known friend or family member who has experienced the product and knows exactly what you are looking for specifically, because they know you. you and your situation.

If you have a really small marketing budget, with more time than money, then social media marketing is a very low cost strategy. None of these social networking sites, and there are hundreds more, charge any fee for participation. You can have hundreds of sites, though it’s a good idea to start with just the top sites listed above. Promote your business for an hour or so a day and monitor the performance you get. This is not instantaneous and can take a few months, but there are many ways to participate well, using software that is again free. As your business takes off, because you are using these effective methods, you can hire others to help you with many of the details of a successful social media implementation.

If you’re not using social media strategies in your marketing plan, now is the time to start. This method is in its relative infancy and, like any other technology, it is changing rapidly. Participation using these methods is essential for your business to be successful. If you don’t have a website, using these strategies can even make having one unnecessary. Social media marketing will help you find new leads, quickly establish trust with customers, and give you a good return on your investment of time.