Social Media is not a Genie

When we all heard about Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, and so on, initially we were skeptical but we soon jumped onto the band wagon in droves. There was a great hype about how it was making many rich. Some of us assumed it was a Genie. We would just do some few things and people would start buying. We transferred our attitude to this media and while we should have taken 1 hour to make the key and 1 minute to open the door, we did the opposite. This is the reason for our frustrations. For some years now, I have seen people try to extend their businesses onto this media. While others claim it is very beneficial some affirm the contrary.   A few months ago, I went to an internet café for some printing. I saw lady happy with herself as she uploaded her pictures on the internet. That was my first introduction to the social media. I decided to meet them where they gathered, I follow my customers wherever they go.

Let’s evaluate our recent actions

We began posting beautiful pictures with some few messages, hoping that somebody would see it and patronize our products. But did they? When the frustration set in, people started duplicating their pictures on these media to the annoyance of everybody. People got angry that they were trying to destroy the ‘social’ in it. It wasn’t long when I heard about facebook ‘likes’. The young man who designed my website (www.autopartsmark.com) for me put it on my homepage. I liked it. I discovered later that it was an endorsement. But is this the case? Some people are selling likes. Those who have got nothing out of it call it useless likes. Now those with small businesses are quitting this media. Does a social medium have a business potential? I would say yes! Are people making money out of it? I will say the yes again. I have benefited from it. I have used it to create awareness for my businesses and made money. I think it is a cheaper way of getting your business noticed; especially when you are a starter and cash is scarce.

Attitude is needed here; if we approach it with laziness, the benefits would elude us. It is not an easier way of making sales. We assume it is a Genie and it would work magic in sales for us but it is not so, it takes hard work.

Actions that can make people bookmark your pages and patronize your business

You first have to think of value. Value is the benefit somebody is deriving out of what you are doing. You should be giving out something that makes people happy, thus meeting a need. I think it should be a NOW value. Create value using entertainment, give away, knowledge and etc. You can transfer similar programmes versions of TV and radio unto this media and it would succeed.

1

Awareness generation and branding; you can make noise on it that can draw attention to your product. Strategies include beautiful graphics that show what you do, gifts (for instance giving credits), tagging discretely and so on.

2

Personal selling; consider the direct approach - look at the profiles and timelines. Find those who may need what you have to offer. Have a person in mind that you are looking for. If it is an educational product for instance, look for their qualification. Then also follow through their friends as most course mates are often connected.

Send segment specific or customized messages into their inbox, don’t overdo it. 

Then engage them. You can do what you are comfortable with but it has to be discrete, maybe a message or chatting or a call. Sometimes, after sending a message if there is a reply and you think you have found the person you need just make a call or meet the person face to face. Sending messages should lead to conversations that result in sales. Just floating your ads on social media is not enough, we have to go beyond. We have to be interactive. 

Request for names from friends; tell them what you sell and if they know anybody who will be interested, they might link you. You can also ask them to share your pages. Reciprocate their actions.

3

Thought leadership; you make them believe you are a master in what you do by sharing ideas. This is often done through good content. Writing articles that solve problems make people appreciate and admit how good you are. As people learn from your depth of knowledge you develop respect and in a way brand yourself and company. Once people begin to think of you as an expert in your area, they add you to their value set. This is approach involves opening blogs, writing articles to different segments by the use of your content marketing plan. Leading people to subscribe for more articles and funneling which finally leads to sales.

4

You can also pay to advertise on any of the medium. But you need a page that would deliver the results. Some pages are too scanty.

The world has become a small place and everybody knows every because of the internet. But this is primarily a function of the social media platform. It has brought the world together. The right attitude towards this platform can turn your business around. Get some professionally help. Most business people would assume some of these steps are easy so they would do it themselves. However, when they discover it is not easy they quit, then the idea dies. Get some counseling or outsource this aspect to somebody or a firm. An effective entity can help you reap the full benefit of social media. Believe me, it is a project.

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Thanks for reading

Claus Otoo /054 873 5505 /clausotoo@yahoo.com