Is social media just ‘of the moment’ or is it a useful way to market your business? Linda Donaldson of Geometry PR explores this key issue in the latest of Bath Business News' weekly Expert Panel series . . .
“More sales, more customers, more profit” is surely a mantra for all business owners regardless of the size or type of business they run. Whether they are an online retailer, a shop owner, a producer or a service provider the drive to find more customers and generate more sales is ever present. But attracting new customers is much harder than opening the shop door on a morning and hoping someone will walk through it, or waiting for the phone to ring. 
Long-term success requires a long-term strategy, preferably one which is focused on marketing the business to the right people. While identifying the right customer, the right product at the right price should be second nature, actually creating and implementing an effective communication plan to reach that customer is often a little bit harder.
The cost of marketing has often been assumed to be prohibitive particularly for small businesses. Marketing tools such as advertising, literature, promotions, events and PR are frequently viewed as simply margin off the bottom line rather than essential expenditure required to ensure a profitable and sustainable return.
Consequently, many businesses have eagerly embraced the dawning of so called ‘free’ social media as a way to market their business.
One of the benefits of social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook, blogger, Pinterest and LinkedIn is they can quickly help to create a personality for a business and a brand. As local communities interact more and more online, creating a local reputation and a fan base for any type of business can be successfully achieved. But nothing in life is free and managing a social media campaign can and does take a lot of time to do it well. So what works, with whom and when?
Content is king. Websites that simply list what you sell, when you sell it and how to find it are just not engaging enough. Video, interactive competitions, surveys and engaging images are what people want. This is where great product shots, top tips, usage suggestions, informative videos, and reviews really work.
The great thing about social media is its ability to deliver different messages to different people but the real trick with all social media is understanding which channel works for your customer. Malmesbury Syrups owner John Taylerson, who sells his flavoured syrups both direct to the trade and to consumers from his e-commerce website, uses a combination of blogs, trade pages, LinkedIn and Twitter for talking to business customers and finds that predominantly Facebook, email newsletter, YouTube and the website is best for reaching his end consumer.
Malmesbury measures the impact of its social media activity by the number people who visit its website, how many converts it gains from visitors to sales “which means we know the acquisition rate” and measure reach using google analytics “that is the most interesting because Facebook shows that you get far more engagement when there is interaction when the consumer has to do something that involves you, your brand or your product,” says John.
Participation is important to create a network of useful connections where you can exchange thoughts and ideas. However, while Tweeting, Facebooking and blogging are potentially powerful tools, like all power tools they can be effective but also harmful, advises Jonathan Overton, owner of the renowned Sally Lunn’s tearoom in Bath.
“Insensitive or intrusive use is more likely to be a negative than a positive,” he says. “The key is to consider new tools as best facilitating conversations and relationship building, just as overly friendly or intrusive individuals scare people off so can excessive use of social media.”
Social media is certainly of the moment but like the internet it is here stay. It needs careful handling and planning like any marketing technique. Done well and it can be a good way to help you differentiate your brand and importantly it can help you engage, attract and ultimately sell to more customers.
