You've probably come across Social Media - you may use it yourself, maybe your colleagues use it when they should be working, or perhaps your kids spend all their time on it!
What you may not realise is that social media is not just for time wasting. Social media is the modern "word of mouth" and it's the most powerful, free marketing tool currently available. In fact, if used properly, your colleagues could be using Twitter and Facebook, and bringing in business at the same time!
Building an online "profile" for your business is a great place to start. From there, you can use Social Media to advertise, conduct market research, and monitor others in the industry. Let's take a closer look at how you can use Social Media for your business.
Social Media such as Twitter and Facebook can be used to reach millions of potential customers. Just set up accounts and post regular, interesting information, and you can easily gain a following of interested customers who will in turn, recommend you to their friends. Twitter has special tools such as hash tags and promoted tweets that can be used to your advantage. Check out their Twitter for Business help page to get started.
Other Social Media sites such as blogs, YouTube, Flickr and LinkedIn can also be used to market your business online. The great thing is that they're all free to use, and each have a large audience of people from all over the world. Many businesses are thinking outside the square by using blogs and YouTube to market their businesses. Why not join in?
Social Media is also a great way to keep an eye on the competition, industry news, and your target audience or customers. You can check in with what your customers like and don't like, who they're following, and even what they're saying about your company or business. It's the best and fastest way to keep your "finger on the pulse".
You can also use Social Media like Twitter and Facebook to keep in touch with your audience or customers. Many people now own hand-held devices such as the iPhone, iPad or Android, and those who don't usually log on to the Internet a few times a day. You can use this to your advantage by posting regular updates, sharing exclusive offers or exciting news. You're effectively reminding them of your presence every time you do - just like free advertising!
So now that you know Social Media isn't such a time waster after all, why don't you give it a go? It's easy, fun, and most of all - effective!