Social media marketing is a great way to create a relationship with your customers. I have worked as a social media manager for the last 3 years. In those 3 years I have seen a lot of things. I have seen business who believe that social media marketing is just about tweeting out their specials and coupons. Businesses who market like that do not do well in social media. When people use social media they are looking entertainment and information. Coupons and special alerts are not entertaining or informational. Businesses who do well in this arena build relationships and rapport with their customers.
The Iron Wall Must Come Down!
The divider that neatly places customers and businesses into separate sides must be destroyed. We live in a world where the Internet has turned the average consumer into an enthusiast and there are more prosumers than ever. A prosumer is a consumer who becomes and expert on whatever he or she wants to buy. The Internet has made so that anyone can research a product and learn everything about. So today’s consumer doesn’t need you to give them a feature and benefits sales pitch on social media.
What do consumers need from businesses on social media? They need you to give your business a personality. Look at how Apple had Steve Jobs as the face and living ethos of the company, look at how GEICO has that charming lizard. Social media marketing gives your business another way to brand itself. It’s a way to breathe life into a new narrative that can endear the public to your company.
Take a look at reality shows that are about businesses. It is the people who work their and the culture of their business that takes up the bulk of the story line. You don’t need a reality show to do this, you have social media.
Share some of the interesting things that go on at your business. Tell you social media friends about new ideas that you have. Joke with them, share videos and silly pictures. Turn your company into something who’s personification is not because of their incorporation status but because of how you connect with people.
The same lesson that I am teaching you here, is what I had to learn in business. As a newbie Internet marketer, I believed that all I needed to do was present the facts and my use of logic would draw people in. WRONG! People make choices based both on emotion and logic. The more rapport you have the more money you make.
As you can see, social media marketing requires an adjustment in how businesses relate to customers. Social media marketing is about sharing, relating and humanizing your company. Businesses who know this freely share with their customers and social media friends and followers. This rapport building leads to trust and a deeper relationship. If used right, it is the ultimate branding device. Use the information shared here to create a better social media strategy.
