Social media is a tool that nursing business owners or any small business owner can use to successfully market their products and services but if you don’t have a solid foundation to start with, you won’t be successful.
What do I mean by this?
Here’s 3 social media marketing tips to start you off on the right foot, especially for those new to social media marketing.
1. What is your Brand?
Can you sum up your brand in one word or one sentence? How would your customers or clients describe your brand?
Become crystal clear about what you can do for the consumer you are targeting, using benefits to sum up in one or two short sentences what your promise is to those you serve. Example, Wal-Mart promises “low prices every day,” Apple promise is to “enrich people’s lives” Do you think these two companies live up to their promises?
2. Start with one social media site.
I see lots of people starting with the top 5 social media sites at once. I’m guilty of this but what happens is you become overwhelmed very quickly and you don’t stay. You’re ready to give up when things aren’t working out.
My suggestion is to start with one social media site.
And the one to start with is the one where your target market is hanging out.
Are they on Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn? Pick one and start there. Learn all you can about using the site, fill out your profile completely, start joining groups and talk to people, make connections.
Stay with that site for a few months, you can’t expect things to happen overnight, it takes time and effort on your part.
Once you know your first social media site well, move on to the next one. I started with Twitter than moved on to Facebook and now to LinkedIn.
Yes, this will take time but it works and it’s a great way to meet new people and make those connections that will help your business grow.
3. Set a goal for each site.
Focus on accomplishing goals that make sense and support your business.
Is it to attract new customers/clients or to get them to sign up for your email list or do you want them to pick up the phone and call you?
With goals clearly written out for each site you will be in a better position to develop strategies that work for your online business.
Participate fully, make friends, build relationships and offer value. This will create the loyal following you are seeking.
It will also boost your traffic, increase awareness and exposure for your business, ultimately increasing your profits.
Make time to network with clear goals in mind. Answer this question – “What do you want each social media site to do for your business?”
Be authentic and transparent. Connect, inform, motivate, entertain, and inspire. Show your audience who you are and the value you and your business have to offer.
it’s O.K. to be selling your products or services on social media sites but if that’s all your doing without providing value or letting your customer know what’s in it for them, I can pretty much guarantee social media won’t work for you.
The main thing to remember about social media marketing is – it’s about the consumer, it’s their platform. Keep this in mind when marketing on any of the social media sites, what value do you bring to the customer?
And use social media to network with like minded people in and out of your industry, to learn and keep updated with the latest trends and have fun, it doesn’t have to always be about business.
Tina