If you are running a business and want to market it online, your first thought would be to tap the potential of social media. It is an intelligent selection to make! But as and when you move on to the process you might feel that something is wrong, you are not getting any results. You might get frustrated and then give up. This is something that has happened to so many people who are in the boat as you are. Do not panic you are not alone and this is a completely avoidable situation. This happens because people tend to harness social media for its benefits in all the wrong manner! Just creating a page on Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn does not serve the purpose at all. Social Media can definitely be used to achieve targeted results, all that is needed is that you use it smartly and focus on some points that I list below. It does not have to be difficult at all. Just sit back and read, then follow the same and see the power of social media do wonders for your business!
You literally need to be SMART with social media, as explained below:
S (Social)
Always remember that social media is a social thing. Their creator had the basic underlying thought that human beings are social, they need to communicate with each other, they thrive in a community. So just don't throw your business and its products on peoples' faces and expect them to start liking it and buying it. Do not throw blind darts. Communicate with people first. Identify a community or build a community that has people who would convert into potential customers for you. Let them know, who you are first. Get them interested and show them that you are not only there to “sell” but also to give in some valuable inputs to the group. If you succeed in doing so, you will win loyalty and will have people converting into customers for your business. They know you, they trust you and so they will buy from you, and it does not work the other way round!
M ( Marketing Strategy)
If you have a proper roadmap, the journey will be good and you will surely reach a destination on time. That is a rule that applies in this case too. When you decide to use social media as a marketing tool you need a strategy for it. So first sit down and devise a plan, a roadmap. You should know what your goal is ultimate. Who are the people you are looking for, this must be clear in your mind? Jot down your keywords. Find everything thing that you can about your possible clientele like what are they likely to ask and also about who your competition is. Having the homework done, you can start your journey and you will enjoy it!
A (Audience)
You have to properly understand that what you have to offer is not required by everyone. There is only a particular percentage that will need and appreciate what you have to offer. You have to be very focused and you need to target them only. Do not try to make the whole world happy, no one has ever succeeded in doing that.
R (Realistic)
Do not log on to a social media website presuming that thousands of people are waiting eagerly for you and will clinch you at the first sight. That will not happen. Br realistic. Pick up any success story and you will find persistence and patience as the core factors that led from the front. You need to give time to your facebook page or your twitter account to get likes or to be followed. You will have to earn that by building up respect for your brand and loyalty for your product. And that my dear takes time. Have realistic time goals and stick to them.
T (Time management)
Once you have done everything said above, your plan clearly sketched out, your goals determined and you finally begin posting; you will see that there is no need for you to constantly online. You can spend quality time online, posting what people are looking for and giving them what they need to build trust and loyalty towards you. Your purpose will be solved soon and you will start reaping the benefits of all the hard work you have put in.
I hope all this clearly shows the path to online success and you do believe now that social media does not need to be difficult at all!