A local businesswoman started a conversation with me yesterday that she leaves social media to her kids. That it was of no interest to her particularly because of time constraints but also as I gathered later because she did not understand the value to her business.
I am loathed to refer to social media networks as ‘social media’. In so many ways their real value is to business as a means to create empathy and trust with prospects and customers.
Here is a quote I have used elsewhere on the site which illustrates how a simple, free, Facebook site has driven revenue to a local pub;
I don’t go out much because I have two young kids. But I have followed the pub I like on Facebook for the last 18 months. I get updated on their events and pictures of the parties etc. I feel a bit like a local even though I don’t get the chance to go there much. When it came to finding a place for my 40th birthday there was only one choice and that’s where my friends and I will be on the 12th December. We’ll be spending hundreds there that night. Quote from Dominique B.
Most pubs still rely on posters in the pub and the odd advert to promote upcoming events. Some will also update their website. But all these approaches require an effort on the client to be in the right place (to see a poster) or make some effort (go to a website) to know that an event is happening. Furthermore, these approaches don’t easily lend themselves to further promotion.
The majority of businesses would benefit from at least evaluating the use of one or more of these networks. For example, how much more effective would a shop’s January sales be if it was able to use a few of the social media networks to communicate the top 5 offers to its existing clientele.
Unbeknown until yesterday to my friend running her shop, the social media environment has not been left completely to the kids ! Businesses big and small are rushing to develop communication approaches on networks such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. They are doing this not least because they understand that user demographics on certain networks are constantly evolving to include larger percentages of more mature user.
In response to requests for a structured approach to trialling this technology High Five Business Limited have developed three packages all of which provide a managed, step by step approach to using the key social networks. Further details can be found here.
