Leveling the Corporate Playing Field with Social Media
One of the things that excites me most about Social Media is the potential of leveling the “corporate playing field”. Small businesses are better able to compete with brands that have spent millions of dollars on marketing and advertising.
In fact, small businesses may have a “leg up” because there is less “red tape” to go through. It’s also much easier to get all the various departments of customer service, operations, marketing, sales etc to work together so the messaging is managed and consistent.
I think many people are tired of the lack of customer service and run-around from big companies. And, with the plethora of competition out there, consumers want the most value for their dollar. If customer service brings value, then Social Media can certainly extend the personal relationship small businesses can usually provide.
It appears that small businesses are recognizing the power of Social Media. According to the “The State of Small Business Report” from Network Solutions and the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, over 75% of US small businesses have a company page on Facebook or LinkedIn and are using these platforms to extend their marketing message, monitor and connect.
In most cases, expectations of Social Media performance exceeded accomplishments:
but….
most of the small businesses polled believe Social Media will allow them to make money or break even in the future:
Social Media may be the latest “catch phrase” in marketing, but with the power it provides, it’s here to stay.
Social Media, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship….