Most people who own or run a business believe they automatically have a ‘brand’, but unfortunately that simply isn’t the case. It takes much more than just starting a company, designing a fancy logo and publishing a slick website to build a brand, and the key to doing this in today’s digital age is by leveraging the power of social media to find and then engage with your customers and potential new customers.
However, ‘doing social’ well isn’t as easy as it sounds, which is why many companies prefer to hire the services of social media marketing companies to take care of this aspect for them instead. It’s not easy to strike the right balance between hard selling and engaging updates, but doing it well will make a huge difference to your digital marketing efforts.
The following hints, tips and techniques will help your turn your business from faceless to branded in just a few simple steps:
Pick the right platform
Doing well on social media is a bit like online dating. The first rule to true success is to pick the right dating agency (or social media platform) because that’s where you’ll find the most like-minded people and therefore stand the best chance of success.
Pick a maximum of three different social platforms for your business, and take time to perfect your approach on them. Monitor results closely to see what works best and tailor your approach accordingly.
Create a brand identity
Your brand identity should be inextricably tied to your business vision and values. Your brand should be the embodiment of everything you believe in and demonstrate to consumers what’s special and unique about your company.
The first step is to create a brand voice and make sure this voice is heard through every piece of content that’s created and/or shared by you, whether internally or externally.
Engage with people
Once you’ve set up your social accounts, talk regularly to the people that talk about you, or to you. There are several social monitoring tools to help you do this quickly and easily so there’s no excuse for missing any updates or mentions about your brand.
Don’t be afraid of negative comments, and never EVER try to hide or ignore them. Instead use the feedback as an opportunity to show that you do listen and care and answer their queries honestly and calmly.
Connect emotionally with your audience
Most consumers will make emotional purchases rather than rational ones and social media offers you the unique opportunity to engage with customers on an emotional level. Customers will pay more for a product they have an emotional connection with, and want to be made to feel part of a larger group or family.
Be flexible
If your business is new to social media it may take a little time and patience to get it exactly right at first. Or maybe you’ve been ‘social’ for some time but have found your approach isn’t working as well as it was.
Even the biggest and best brands have to bend and flex with the times, and being flexible will help you stay ahead of the competition. If something isn’t working or engagement isn’t increasing, then don’t be afraid to try something new instead.