Should Businesses Use Social Media?

The planet has gone fully tech mad in the last few decades. We've shifted from rotary dial phones that tipped the scales at a handful of pounds to smartphones that fit in the palm of your hand. It used to take the post office 7 days to get snail mail from Boston to San Francisco. These days, emails and texts can send several/many files in a split second. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn- these are the ways we connect today in the extraordinary experience of social media marketing. The good news is our way of life is easier and faster. The bad news is we've departed from the most valuable piece of communication- people. To become proficient at the lifeblood of online marketing and really take over your MLM lead generation, The Tao of Social Media marketing strategies needs to be appreciated at it's core.

If comments are left on social media sites, reply to them. This should be true even for negative comments. When people see that they're thoughts are being heard, they tend to have greater trust in your business. Make sure to respond in a timely manner to avoid making customers feel ignored.

A great example of this concept is a new Phone based application designed to connect people with products and services available in their area called Shoppler. Based on your area code, this application allows users to select from product categories such as restaurants or car dealers and find out who has specials or discounts running at the moment in time. This is a great alternative to the traditional newspaper social media agency or your standard Google search. With hit and miss on who may be having a blow out sale for the weekend. Based on your zip code, this application allows users to quickly narrow their search and find out what sales maybe going on in their area. With an application, a dealer can create new ads instantly and push up without the need for expensive programming or software skills.

On the social sites, in some areas of it, there are many looking for answers to their problems. People are looking for solutions and one of the places they are looking is in social media where they might be following one of their teachers such as a blogger or mentor.

Bring your personal life into the mix. This is something I discovered online back in 1998 when our kitchenware business grew rapidly. People want to connect with real people. Don't position yourself as someone who has ALL the answers and lives a PERFECT life and has everything color coordinated and organized and perfectly clean in your closets but be someone people can relate to. Share your life, share how you live and inspire others. I learn just as much from those who have a relationship with me through Social Media as they do from me.  social media marketing It's a beautifully beneficial relationship. Ironically it's one of my biggest USP's that can't be copied but it can be caught. Be yourself, be real and you'll have clients who make your life such a joy!

With a basic understanding of social media marketing networks and the change marketing communication, it's time to setup a profile. Pick three main social media networks, for example, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Select a name that is available across all three platforms. During the setup process, fill out the profiles in complete and add the same picture to each.

Anyone can do it. It sure sounds that way, doesn't it? There are a lot of people, from whiz kids to more experienced marketers, who claim to be social media experts. Some even portray themselves as gurus. But how many of them have created successful social media initiatives for clients? To be effective, a campaign must integrate social elements into all aspects of marketing, including advertising, digital, and PR. Theory is no match for experience, and the best social media marketers now have years of experience incorporating interactivity, forums, viral video, apps, social networks, blogs, user-generated content, and contests into the marketing mix.

Some people may like to believe that social media does not have a place in the professional business world. Sorry, but that is old-school thinking (or maybe I should say, "That is so 2009 thinking!") Today, search engines capture everything, and people expect to find out everything. When someone can't find something on the web, they become that much more suspicious.

The moment you have determined what you really want from social media, the next thing you'll consider is to learn how to get it done. Action plan is a prerequisite for all businesses. Your business' future depends on how well you manage your business presently. In any case, the best way for you to start is setting short-term goals perhaps having 3,000 Facebook friends in 3 months' time or closing at least 5 deals with your Twitter followers next month.

To master the art of pie making it takes time, effort and the best ingredients. The same holds true with social media marketing. Once you master and perfect your own social media marketing recipe you are guaranteed to have a blue ribbon winning program!