There’s really something amazing about getting a fresh start. When we wake up on January 1st it’s like someone has hit this invisible “reset” button that allows us to put the past in the past and get started on a successful new year.
As entrepreneurs and business owners, we know there is no such thing as going in halfway. If we do, we will inevitably waste too much time and money on thoughtless marketing efforts that fall flat. And when your competitors’ effective use of technology is quickly catapulting them to the top, you can just as quickly fade into oblivion by ignoring it.
There’s no denying it: technology has definitely shifted the way we do business. It has given us the tools to communicate directly with our target audience. But what many businesses forget is that using social media is about more than broadcasting your sales message. Your interactions must be about more than that or you will miss the mark every time!
We at Amore social would love if 2018 were the year that we brought your business to the next level using our proven methods to develop an authentic online voice. But until you give us a buzz, here are the things you should be focusing your social media efforts on this year.
Listen Closely
There’s a whole lot of chatter going on online – but no one ever seems to take the time to listen! Monitoring online conversations, hashtags, keywords… this is one way you can get a serious leg up on the competition. We have the tools to listen and view what consumers and the people around you are saying. Follow those people. Engage with those people. Start a conversation with them and you’re one step closer to landing a new customer.
How to Get Started: Determine where your customers are engaging online and find a listening tool that you like. From there it’s just a matter of finding the keywords that your customers are using in everyday conversations.
People posting about food in the NYC area.
Ignite Your Influencers
[in-floo-uh ns] noun: the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behaviors, opinions, etc., of others
AKA, someone who will do your selling for you. People trust other people more so than brands. Period. And while everyone has influence over someone, some people have more widespread influence than others.
The best part? Oftentimes your best customers are willing to spread the word about your business for free. You just have to ask.
How to Get Started: Come up with a plan for an influencer program. Don’t go into this blind – every industry is different so do your research! The best way to find influencers is to look for people who have a larger audience on social media that are sharing posts about your industry and then reach out to them.
Create All the Content
Content: this word gets thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean to your business? Everything. Consumers are exposed to thousands and thousands of brand messages a day. Creating content that is interesting, entertaining, stands out AND gets your message across without feeling “pushy” or “salesy” is no easy task, but it must be done. This takes a lot of time and effort, and the task should be entrusted to someone who:
• Knows and understands your brand, industry and customer
• Is a strong creative writer who can master your brand’s voice
• Is capable of communicating your message in a visually appealing way
How to Get Started: If you yourself are not a strong writer, this is one of the most important tasks to outsource seeing as it’s time consuming and requires serious creative copy skills.
Real Amore Social client examples
Advertise, Advertise, Advertise
You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth reiterating: Facebook advertising is one of the most affordable form of promotion available to businesses to date. Target your competitors’ fans, target gadget enthusiasts and trendy homemakers… these are literally “buyer profiles” that you can advertise to on Facebook. And the cost to connect with these people? Pennies. We have had ad campaigns run for 5 cents per website click. Not to mention when you run an ad through Facebook you benefit from the virality of the social platform: when people share your ad you’re reaching their friends and connections organically (free of charge).
How to Get Started: Go beyond the “boost post” options on your Facebook page. The targeting capabilities are much more advanced in the Power Editor. Create some really eye-catching imagery and run some tests with a small budget for ad copy.
This Amore client’s advertisement reached 110,000 people, but since it was shared 1,286 times, nearly half of the reach was organic (non-paid)! Essentially it’s free advertising and it’s people this business would have never reached if they didn’t create an ad with Facebook.
Two Heads Are Better than One
Lock yourself away from other businesses and you’ll lock yourself out to some of the best business opportunities. When you partner with a complimentary business that has a similar audience to your own, both businesses win out. Some ways to collaborate:
• Co-sponsor an online promotion/giveaway
• Co-market and swap site content
• Sponsor a joint event
Large businesses have been doing this for years, and here are 50 examples to spark some ideas. The example below is how Evernote and Moleskin, two businesses with a very similar audience, collaborated on a product that united an old way and a new way of managing ideas.
How to Get Started: Make a list of 5 businesses in your community that have a similar customer to your own. Reach out to them with information about your business and your customer base, with a few ideas of your own for collaborating.
