The Benefits of Social Media For Your Business
Social media has changed how individuals connect with one another. Incorporating a strong social media presence for your brand can actually have a shit ton of benefits.
BUILD A STRONG BRAND
It is essential for your brand to stand out in order for your business to be successful. Social media essentially allows your followers to get to know your brand on as personal of a level as you deem appropriate to reveal. However, it is imperative that your brand is consistent and that your customers know what you stand for.
In your brand’s own way, you need to create that special spot in someone’s mind and subconscious so that when they need your product, you come to mind. To do this, we recommend that you take an online course to educate yourself about how to properly utilize each social media platform such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, LinkedIn… just to name a few.
Educating yourself will help you post more effectively and so that you can help your customers gain instantaneous insight, knowledge, benefits, and as personalized attention as possible. Your followers need to feel like they are going to benefit from following you.
FIND NEW PROSPECTS & ALLOW NEW PROSPECTS TO FIND YOU
Pretty much the most obvious benefit that most people think of when looking for new prospective clients is to turn to social media and in a way, they're absolutely right!
Social Media Marketing, or for short, SSM is one of the easiest and difficult ways to promote your business. SSM also allows you to connect with potential fans and followers and these peeps are the ones you can turn into prospective buyers.
BEFRIEND YOUR FOLLOWERS
People are much more likely to buy from someone that they already have an established relationship with. If you are anything like me, when you are thinking about buying a product, you check out reviews and the product's social media page or website. What the customers say in these places can offer the buyer priceless advice that can save you countless dollars, just by doing a little homework. So, pay it forward and do they same for other prospective buyers when you have a positive or negative buying experience.
Just like you wouldn’t want done to you, answer all comments and messages that are left on your social media pages but get ready, this can become a full-time customer service job.
SHARE YOUR INTERESTS
As your network continues to grow, you will find that some of these connections may become friends whose values and opinions you can rely on. People who share similar values with you can be inspiring and motivate you to continue to make your brand even more unstoppable.
However, sometimes the connections you create can be direct competitors for your brand. When this is the case, it is wise to always be friendly and keep the competition on your good side rather than create enemies because at the end of the day, they both take the same amount of energy to maintain, so why not be the better person.
SPY ON YOUR COMPETITION
One of the most valuable things that your brand can take advantage of is social media's blatant transparency. In other words, social media allows you to spy or keep tabs on your competitors.
With this benefit alone, you are able to learn a lot about how others are running their business, as well as take a peek into how they reach their successes and observe failures that their brand has had to overcome.
Chances are your competitors are viewing your social media accounts too, so make sure that you are effectively representing your brand on all social media platforms and learn from your competitors.
PROVIDE BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE
More than ever, when consumers are considering a purchase, they turn to the product’s social media first. Often times, your brand’s social media accounts can be the most accessible and easy to find and it also allows the buyer to see directly what other buyers are saying about your products and services.
Due to the fact that more people finding themselves on a brand’s social media before their website, businesses have found that customers are utilizing these outlets for their customer service needs. This being said, it is crucial that your brand has an individual who tends to your brand’s social media accounts on a daily basis.
Customers are able to leave both positive and negative reviews and comments on your social media pages when they turn to these outlets for troubleshooting and other customer service needs. So, don't forget to reply and recover when necessary... others are watching.