Earlier, we started a discussion on the subject of social media marketing. In that first piece, I tried as much as possible to help you see what social media marketing is, and how it is the next best thing for your business.
The truth is, if you’re a business person and you are yet to get started with social media marketing, you are losing out a lot to the competition.
So that you will not make the big mistake of not starting out at all, I have decided to follow with tips on how to get started with social media marketing. Without beating about the bush, how exactly can you harness the power of social media for your business?
1. Write your Goals Down
Different businesses have different things they are looking for. Like them, your business is also unique in what it is looking for.
When you say ‘marketing,’ what product comes to your mind? What do you hope to gain from the process?
Some business hope to gain instant gratification (in this case, money), while others just want to build a customer base. Before launching out, determine what it is you want to get out of your social media marketing campaign.
2. Pick your Audience
You will remember that I likened the social media to an internet world. That means there are different classes of people there. If you have been marketing at all, you will know that you cannot appeal to everyone.
Thus, pick out the type of people that your business hopes to capture. Research them to know things about them. You will want to find out what their interests are, what kind of conversations they get into, what their online behaviour is and so much more.
3. Create Content
You are not just to go to the social media platforms and start publishing sales copies. If that was what I wanted for you, this would be a piece on email marketing or landing pages. Rather, you want to create content that resonates with the audience.
Now that your research has told you their interests, use that to bait them into your business model. Create amazing content that is not only engaging, but compelling in the end.
4. Less Control, More Disorder
Every other form of marketing has an order to it, but that won’t necessarily work with social media marketing. You want to let your audience take charge of the conversation so they can form that emotional bond with you.
Taking the lead every time would look like you are just trying to force something else down their throats, and frankly, no one appreciates that. Remember to give them just enough control to feel special, but not too much that the ball is totally out of your court.
5. Keep Going
You don’t expect to send out the first tweet and have people begging for your offering/ product. These things take time. Your ability to follow the course will separate you from those who stopped halfway, and those who didn’t have anything to show for it in the end.
While waiting for that big break, don’t forget to keep learning too. Your daily experiences on the social media platforms should start informing your decision about the dynamics of the market. Change your model and plans accordingly, but never fully deviate from the basic plan.
