Many small business owners live with fear. It’s true. They’re afraid of change, the new and the unknown. It’s hard to blame them. For entrepreneurs who have been in business for decades, it’s difficult to adapt to new innovations and advances in technology. All of these new gadgets and websites can be scary. They’re overwhelmingly popular, but still…do we need them to run our businesses?
We sure do! Yes, you may have been running your business successfully for a long time, but things do change. Obviously, time passes on and with the passing of time comes new ways to market your business. Social media websites have become top choice advertising tools for new entrepreneurs, so there’s no reason they shouldn’t be for experienced ones as well.
For the most part, social networking is easy. Setting up Facebook and Twitter profiles is also free! So wait, we’re talking about new advertising tools that are easy and free to use? What is there to lose? Most business owners who have been around for a while have attempted the so-called tried-and-true advertising methods. But printing flyers and buying TV time is expensive – and not always effective.
At MeloTel, we pride ourselves on being excellent riders on the wave of the future. Honestly, we kind of see ourselves as the conductors of the train. And no, we didn’t invent social media (although we’d like to take credit), but we definitely know how to use them to our advantage. We also provide services that will help you take advantage of social media as well. The following are some tips on how to join the new world!
Ask questions. We’re going to assume that we don’t have to start this list of tips with “set up your profiles”. Now that you’re already on Facebook and Twitter, it’s time to communicate with your audience. Asking questions naturally encourages responses. Remember that social media marketing is less about overt commercials and more about generating interesting conversations to bring attention to your brand.
Post pictures. Don’t ask us why, but people simply love looking at pictures online. Gone are the days of the traditional photo album. Today, photo albums exist on people’s Facebook profiles. So go ahead and create one for your company’s page. Post pictures of yourself hamming it up with your staff. Include shots of your products and even the interior of your place of business. Be interesting to be inviting.
Make comments. Remember that communication is a two-way street. As much as you’d like people to come to your page and comment upon your posts and pictures, it’s important to do the same on other pages. Keep in mind that all “likes” and comments that you make create links to your Facebook page. This will only help to provide more opportunities for people to discover your brand.
Get active often. It’s one thing to have social media profiles. It’s another thing to actually use them. Tweeting on a regular basis may start off as feeling like a nuisance, but you’ll get the hang of it. Chances are, you’ll begin to think of it as fun – especially when you see how much of a buzz you’re creating for yourself. It just takes a bit of time and effort. Remember, it’s free advertising in a world that loves social media. Take advantage!