If you own a business, you are probably on social media or considering it. Before you create a TikTok account for your manufacturing business, let’s consider these tips to ensure you enter the social media marketing arena fully armed and prepared.
Set Goals.
The first question is why. Why are you looking to create a social media presence? Because you have heard that to be successful, you should be on Instagram? That mindset can equate to failure. Social media should be created, managed, and measured with goals, defined strategies, and targeted tactics.
Find Your Customers.
In today’s environment, there is at least one social media home for almost every customer. Bear in mind, this does not mean that every customer is on every social media platform. You need to understand which social media outlet is used and preferred by your customers.
With today’s limited resources, you can’t be everywhere, so opt for the platforms that work best for you and your business. For example, a manufacturer who believes Instagram is a viable platform may find later that his customer base is not on Instagram.
Be real.
Successful businesses talk with their customers, not to them. Your customers want to know you. Sharing community stories, local heroes, and human interest stories opens up your business’s human side. In turn, this helps build customer loyalty and ongoing social media engagement.
Real customer experience is a valuable tool for your social media communication strategy. Businesses can no longer afford to ignore the value of the actual experiences they provide customers. Good customer experiences generate revenue; bad experiences can be devastating. Be prepared to deal directly with both on your social media pages.
Talk Don’t Sell.
Your customers will buy what they are looking for, not what you are selling. Customers make buying decisions to address a need or desire, not because you tell them something that doesn’t matter. The difference? Are you selling to or talking with your customers?
Start by demonstrating that you understand their pain then showcase how you can provide solutions.
Build Relationships, Not Likes.
Customer loyalty is not created with one-time likes on a social media page. Look to build relationships. Suppose your Twitter account has 25 followers who regularly engage by sharing pictures of your store or restaurant and commenting about their experiences. In that case, they are dramatically more valuable than 150 clicks of the like button.
Celebrate birthdays, National Dog Day, and engage with your followers. Social media is meant to be social, and that is how relationships are formed.
Create a Social Media Calendar.
One of the most common challenges businesses face is a commitment to a focused and consistent social media marketing plan. Using a social media calendar serves many functions:
- A planned outline for your posts ensures you are not repetitive or lack focus on a product, sale, or build-up to a special event.
- It enables you to stay on track without getting distracted or posting about the same thing all the time
- You can build engaging stories with a sequence of posts.
- It saves time. You will not have to think about each post at the last minute. A one-time creation and plan using a calendar deliver focus and consistency.
There are several great tools available to help you put together and execute your content calendar. Here are a few of our favorites:
Be Visual.
It is time to step in front of the camera and overcome your fear of video and selfies. Video and photo content are the most successful and engaging, no matter which social media channel you employ. Quite frankly, if you aren’t using them, you should reconsider your desire to build a social media presence.
Over 80% of businesses use video in their social media efforts and presence. They do it because it works. Consumers look to videos for concise and visual answers to their questions. Short and sweet delivers a compelling message.
Monitor your results.
Social media marketing platforms have built-in analytics to help you identify your customer and continue to speak with them. These tools can identify who is viewing your social media pages, when they are engaging, and what they are thinking.
Using analytics to build a better understanding of your customer will convert into achieving the goals you outlined in Step 1.
We can help create a social media presence.
Are you still not confident about creating a social media marketing strategy? Then, let’s work together to create the strategy to engage your customers, build followers, and convert them into sales. Give us 30 minutes of your time, and soon you will be a social media guru!