Fishing for customers in the digital age
- Business Rescue Business Growth
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When it comes to finding and keeping customers, small businesses can no longer rely on traditional marketing methods alone. A strong online presence is essential in the digital age and that includes having a website as well as being on social media platforms. Small business owners can’t see platforms such as Facebook and Twitter as optional or a ‘nice to have’ – they are essential if you want to engage with potential and existing customers.
Think of finding customers in the digital age as being a bit like fishing. You need to consider your customers and really get to know them, casting a wide net isn’t an option. You need to know what fish to catch, where and how it lives and how to engage with it. Today’s customers are savvy, they research and even drive trends, so it is essential that you get to know what makes them tick. By taking the time to understand your customers you can develop a digital strategy to help ensure your business attracts and retains them.
So, for this blog we are focusing on the importance of social media for small businesses and how using it as part of an overall marketing strategy can help you gain customers, drive engagement and even boost business growth.
Finding the right platform for your small business
By taking the time to get to know your customers you can select the right social media platforms for your business. Find out whether your customers are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. There is no point being somewhere your customers aren’t, your messages won’t get to the right people.
Some industries suit particular social media platforms. For example, businesses with a strong visual aspect do well on Instagram e.g. restaurants, hairdressers, artists, travel companies, landscape gardeners and more. Whereas businesses with a B2B target audience might be better suited to Twitter and LinkedIn. Facebook is ideal for most consumer businesses and is a great platform when it comes to getting customer feedback.
When it comes to social media it is best to do a few platforms well rather than trying to overstretch yourself. Each channel has a different style and tailoring your content accordingly will result in greater success. You can find Be Rescued on LinkedIn and soon we will be joining Twitter so we can engage more.
Increase brand awareness
By spending only a few hours each week on social media you can increase brand awareness. You can use social media to tell the story of your small business; explain how your products are made and show the people who work behind the scenes. You can use it to introduce new products and highlight campaigns. You can also use social media to showcase your expertise.
Lots of people discover a company first via social media which in turn drives traffic to the company’s website. By not being on social media or posting content regularly, your business will miss out on potential new customers, which can impact business growth. At Be Rescued, we specialise in helping small businesses grow.
It’s a two-way thing!
With the advent of social media, we are seeing an increase in two-way conversation between customers and businesses. More traditional marketing is less interactive and involves the company putting something out such as a press release or print advert with little customer dialogue. With social media, businesses get content generated by customers and valuable feedback. For example, a clothing business gets customers posting pictures of themselves in their clothes and feedback on their purchases. Positive user generated content is gold dust for small businesses as it acts as a very powerful form of recommendation.
With social media, businesses know instantly what customers think about their products or services. For example, a footwear business could post images of a new line of shoes and get immediate feedback on what customers like and don’t like. This is valuable information for companies as it can help them tweak or adapt future ranges. It is also great for small businesses as this form of feedback is free and doesn’t involve spend on market research.
However, as a small business owner, you need to have procedures in place to handle any social media enquires promptly including complaints. Customer care isn’t optional with platform users saying that instant responses increase their loyalty to a brand.
By encouraging conversations with customers, you will boost engagement with your business and drive customer loyalty which in turn affects business growth. You will also have a greater understanding of what customers are looking for in the marketplace.
Social media is great for small businesses
Social media can be harnessed by large and small businesses alike. Social media platforms are free and advertising costs relatively low compared to other channels such as print media, which is great news for small businesses.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich on a budget of £550 used Facebook live to reach hundreds of thousands of people. See https://www.marketingweek.com/royal-museums-greenwich-campaign/ to find out more. Small business owners have the opportunity to reach thousands of people and target at local level.
Social media is very small business friendly. Smartphones mean that a wealth of content can be created on a budget e.g. film clips for YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. Companies can curate their own content, give customers sneak peaks behind the scenes of their business, promote events, new product/service launches etc.
Some small businesses have been built on social media alone. For example, if you are a hairdresser, traditionally you would need to have a shop. Now you can be mobile by just simply having an Instagram account, sharing pictures of your work and getting friends and customers to comment on you, so the word is spread, building awareness, engagement and capturing new customers who eventually will spread the word for you and repeat the process.
That said, most small businesses will also have a website even if it is a one pager, but social media is a great way to drive customers to the site. Social media is a very cost-effective way for small businesses to market their products and services.
As a small business owner, it is important that you are budget aware. If you need any help with financial planning for your small business, contact the Be Rescued team. We’re here to help.
Incorporate social media as part of your marketing strategy
Social media will help you find and understand customers’ needs and develop relationships with them, it is therefore a crucial part of your small business marketing strategy. However, this doesn’t mean you should ignore more traditional marketing channels such as advertising and PR which still have their place.
A travel company might do well on social media, posting images of gorgeous beaches and fabulous places to visit that will be shared by customers who will also generate their own content. However, the company might also advertise a holiday in a magazine and send a press release about winning an award to the local newspaper.
A website blog on a new destination can be shared by the company on social media to drive potential customers to their website increasing traffic. By sharing a well-written blog, you can give customers information that is helpful to them. At Be Rescued, we regularly share our blogs on LinkedIn and hope that small business owners find them an interesting read!
Social media reaps rewards for small businesses
For small businesses owners social media should be a central part of any marketing strategy. Social media helps businesses increase brand awareness, gain new customers and engage with existing customers.
By not being on the right platforms you will miss out on potential customers. Whether you are a start-up or an established business you need to post regularly and start a conversation. Done the right way, social media reaps long term rewards.
Let’s connect!
You can find Be Rescued on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-rescued-business-consulting-limited or https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-pombo-81bb86149/ . We’d love to connect!
Give us a ring or send us a message via social media if you have any questions about how we can help your business. Be Rescued specialise in planning for growth and we also provided turnaround services for small business. We’re here to help when you need us.