Lauren Chadwick

No More Excuses – You Need A Social Strategy! by Lauren Hobson

If youâre like most small businesses, you already know you should have a presence on social sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. You probably have lots of excuses, too, for why you just havenât gotten around to setting up a social strategy; maybe you think itâs too much work, or maybe you think itâs just a fad, or maybe you think that social networking doesnât really make a difference to your bottom line.

Well, if youâve been waiting to see some evidence that social networking can work for your business, Iâve got good news for you (and bad news for your excuses). According to recent research reports (from Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research), social marketing is not only good for promoting and marketing your business, but it can also directly impact sales, attract new customers, and strengthen customer loyalty.

What the Research Says

In the study, 67% of consumers who follow businesses on Twitter said they are more likely to purchase from those businesses after becoming a âfollowerâ. Similarly, 51% of people who âLikeâ a business on Facebook said they would become customers of the businesses they âLikeâ. Considering the hundreds of millions of users that these social platforms have, thatâs a lot of potential customers and new sales!

Since social networking is all about sharing information, itâs no surprise that the research also found 79% of Twitter followers and 60% of Facebook fans are more likely to recommend the businesses they follow to their own networks of friends and associates. That can result in significant referrals being spread through the social networks, with the potential for further sharing and referrals as information is then shared among additional personal networks.

The Message You’re Sending to Customers

So how important is it for a small business to invest in a social networking strategy? Josh Mendelsohn, a vice president at Chadwick Martin Bailey, says âcompanies not actively engaging [in social networking] are missing a huge opportunity and are saying something to consumers, intentionally or unintentionally,â which further underscores the importance of creating an effective social marketing strategy for your business.

If your small business isnât already using social networking to connect with customers, the sooner you get a strategy in place, the better. Your customers want you to be there, and frankly, they expect it. The reasons customers follow or âlikeâ your business are varied; for instance, the study revealed that for women, receiving discounts and promotions was a top motivator (60% for Twitter users and 43% for Facebook). Men, on the other hand became followers on Twitter to be part of a like-minded community (32%), but âlikedâ businesses on Facebook to show others that they liked and/or supported the business (52%).

Additional reasons cited in the study included gaining access to exclusive content, being the first to know new information about a business, or resolving customer service issues. Whatever the reasons, itâs clear that having a presence on the social networks is becoming an expectation of your customers.

Whatâs Holding You Back?

Social networking provides your business with a huge opportunity to reach new customers and promote your business, and the data now shows that companies with a social marketing strategy are seeing increases is actual sales and new customers as a result of their social activity. So if your business still does not have a solid social marketing strategy in place, whatâs holding you back?

Lauren Hobson, President of Five Sparrows, LLC, has more than 16 years of experience in small business technology writing, marketing, and web site design and development. Five Sparrows provides professional website, marketing, and social networking services to small businesses and non-profits at affordable prices, giving clients access to customized services that meet both their needs and their budgets. More at www.fivesparrows.com. Copyright 2010, Five Sparrows. All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: http://www.earticlesonline.com/Article/No-More-Excuses—You-Need-A-Social-Strategy-/789609