Not Defining Your Social Strategy Is A Mistake

Samantha Collier

The term digital marketing can make even the most experienced entrepreneur own roll their eyes in shame. They know they need to connect with their clients and leads but aren’t sure how to get started. Did you know that advertising on Facebook increases the number of qualified leads walking in the door? Did you know people are searching – and buying – your products online?

Common social media questions and concerns include:

• Which social networks do I need?
  
• What will I post about? Who cares about where I went to dinner or what I ate for breakfast?
  
• Do my customers really use social media for buying decisions?

The concerns vary but the concern remain the same. How will social media help my business?

The answer is simple: social media will increase client engagement. Social media marketing, done correctly, will increase brand awareness, keep you connected to your customers and community and will bring you more leads. That’s what’s really important right? According to Forbes, 80% of executives believe social media engagement leads to increased sales.

Some marketers will tell you a bunch of fluff as to why you need social media, but I’m here to tell you the cold, hard facts.

• You need social media because your competition is using it.
  
• You need social media because your customers are looking for you online.
  
• You need social media to monitor what people are saying about you. People are talking about you and your business online. It’s your choice if you decide to listen. Wouldn’t you want to respond if someone posts a negative review of your products or services? I would.

Let’s say you decide to make the jump and start a social media strategy. The most important step is defining what social media success looks like to you.

Picture yourself a year from now, what has to happen to make you believe social media marketing was a great choice for you? Maybe it’s 30% more customers in the door, or perhaps you sell 50% more goods and services. Define your goals first and create your accounts second. And don’t forget to track your results. If you aren’t meeting your quarterly social media goals, re-evaluate your strategy. Do your research. Get some professional help. Social media is a cost effective way to reach your business objectives and increase your bottom line.

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