The value of Social media for small business is priceless.
The year 2020 has made social media for small business absolutely essential. Due to the COVID 19 crisis almost seventy percent of small business owners are going through financial difficulties and constraints. Since the financial situation is tight social media can be a boon and lifeline to many.
Some of the enormous benefits of social media in 2021 for small business are:
a. Options of Customer service that brings you closer to your customers.
b. Free social media accounts allow you to have your brand being recognized at low cost.
c. Features like Facebook Groups or Facebook Events give you scope to have event promotions.
Some social media tips for small business.
1. Small businesses do have a tendency to discard social media at the drop of a hat as the executives fail to explain its value and are unable to assure results out of it. So quantifying the right parameters is a very important function in any organization. A company will always be interested in sales brought about by a post but not much in how many likes it secures.
However apart from sales there are other quantifiable parameters too. Engagement rates of other posts, how much traffic tour website garners through social media, certain typical engagements, say likes versus tweets for instance, can also be monitored. Each of these indicators gives information which is only valuable when it helps your business.
2. Your social media is a reflection of your personality. It’s also an extension of the tone and voice of your brand. It’s your style which attracts your followers and that’s why they prefer your commodities, wares and services and stay there too. Keeps this unique character shining through your posts and this typical image should be part of the guidelines of your branding.
3. Most people consider social media as the right platform for customer service and in brand loyalty. Customer service holds a very important place. The fact is that they look forward to your support through social media and are bound to either approve of or criticize your action. So go ahead and make this a noteworthy interaction.
Here, if you are interested we can help you to leverage your social platforms properly and effectively for your business in Melbourne.
4. There is no room for being casual regarding your presence in social media concerning small business. It doesn’t speak well of a brand which has inconsistent activity and presence there. However that does not imply that you have to be present in social media for 24 hours a day. Posts can be scheduled in advance, weeks ahead of time to be precise, so that your presence and activity appear consistent in these platforms.
Although we wish to assist you with your social media solutions concerning small businesses with respect to Melbourne market scenario, and that too anytime you need us, it’s important that we mention some steps that you should consider looking into.
What do you need to do?
A. There should be a plan.
Without any plan you cannot focus on what you are intending to achieve. Which means that you will have no idea about the returns on the investment you have made. So, any business strategy must have a good plan to start with. It’s true that social media tools can be used for free, however your effort and time are investments too.
You should also have goals which are achievable, precise, calculable and appropriate. They should be well-timed too.
Try to find out that how your competitors are using social media. Although you are not a copycat, learning from the activity of others is not a bad idea and helps in the long run.
Look at other businesses after you have found out about what your competitors are up to. You should be inspired from successful businesses across various industries. Now, where will you look for them? The business sections of most of the social network sites have them in adequate numbers.
B. Identify your audience.
It’s mandatory for you to have an idea about your audience, because only then you can target it and that’s one of the ways social media for small business is very effectively used.
Compile data on your present customers for a start. Then get more details with the help of social media analytics. Very soon you will have ideas about who all are buying from you and communicating online with you.
Once they are identified it will be easier for you successfully speak to them according to their buying characteristics and nature.
C. Have great relationships.
It’s improper to directly ask for a sale. Instead, relationships should be built up over a certain period of time. The greatest advantage of using social media for small business is that you can communicate with your customers straightaway.
Simply reciprocate when your customers engage with you or your contents, advertisements etc. This will help you to win their trust and loyalty. These followers while sharing and liking your contents will also help you spread across social networks and unveil your brand freely and automatically as well.
Although trying to get new customers is absolutely fine but never underestimate the power of a loyal customer base. The more you nurture these relationships the more it will help you to increase these faithful followers who will continuously buy from you.
D. You should be aware about the latest trends.
To create the right kind of content that your customers would be endeared to you need to be aware about the latest trends in social media. Only then you will have ideas about what your customers want when they check into their social sites.
You have to be apt at social listening, which is a very important tool to gather information. This helps in knowing what people want to see or expect to see from the brand. So always keep their present needs at the back of your mind because brand contents have a tendency to become outdated easily.
E. Quality wins over quantity.
It is enough to have quality content for a couple of key social media sites. There is absolutely no need to be present in each and every network. The number of options in social media marketing for small business is astoundingly high. It is not necessary to do it all.
Your social media posts should offer value. People will not be very motivated to follow you if your posts are focused on sales only. These platforms for social media marketing are also about building relationships. So stay human, stay honest and post good content so that nothing will be fake around it.
At the end we humbly remind you to give us a chance and watch your social media marketing in Melbourne soar to new heights with our tactics and strategies.