Granted, a large piece. But it is not, alone, the solution to the marketing challenges of any business.
At Star Power Connections, we offer a wide array of services to meet online business needs including strategizing, web design and development, social media training and support, email marketing and analytics. During our training sessions and webinars we frequently hear stories of folks being contacted by an 'online marketing' company that 'guarantees' front page Google ads with nothing more than monthly social media support. Of course, it sounds like a great deal; pay $500 and receive $5000 in business. The problem is that they NEVER deliver page one on Google and often actually harm search engine rank by the careless techniques that are used.
To get the results that you need, you must coordinate the direction of all of your marketing channels - networking, email campaigns, social media, traditional advertising, etc... - so that every aspect of your business is sending the same, consistent message in a timely, well-organized way. Rather than think in a campaign-oriented manner, focus your attention on how you can best serve a community of people who need your products or services. There is no benefit, for example, in building up a huge online community through Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn and rolling out a massive online marketing campaign for your upcoming product line if you are directing them to a site that does not offer fresh, relevant content, is not user-friendly and does not provide a place for them to immediately acquire your services and/or products. You are not serving your online community, just corraling them through a series of pointless maneuvers with no useful destination. You may have a great number of 'followers' or 'friends', but if there is no benefit to being in your community, they will not be loyal and will neither become your clients nor refer others to you.
The next time that you have an event or promotion, sit down and think it through to coordinate all avenues of marketing for the benefit of your community. What do THEY need to see/hear/learn? How can you reach them? Where are they getting - and sharing - information? After they see your ad/postcard/Facebook/email will they be able, within 2 clicks of the mouse, to see and purchase the products or services being offered?
Use your social media channels to announce in advance, create an interest and provide post-event details. Create how-to or informative videos and post online. Send out a great email to your contact database with your social media 'badges' at the bottom. Hand out flyers and cards that include the social media URLs. Provide samples, when appropriate, and network IN PERSON prior to the event, exchanging business cards and information. Advertise in local online and print media - there are still many free and affordable places to do this. Face to face communication is still the most powerful method of communication. Step away from the computer and go talk with your community members.
Sound like a lot of work? It can be at first. But, once you start listening to your community and learn where they 'hang out', you will quickly define a few relevant places to distribute and post your information for the best results. You will establish yourself as THE resource for your industry and folks will seek you out and send others to you. For a great example of how to coordinate the marketing channels to serve your community online, I love this link:
http://www.simplyzesty.com/social-media/butcher-increase-sales-social-media/
You can strategically and affordably utilize the tools that are available to you for the promotion of your business with a little research, planning and strategy. Contact us if you have questions, need help getting started or would like to know more about our services.
Stacey Rayos
Star Power Connections
Twitter: @GetStarPower
http://www.starpowerconnections.com/
