Social Media….Demented and sad, but social.
I’ve always loved the Judd Nelson’s character John Bender says in Breakfast Club “So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social”.
That’s kind of the way I feel about Social Media.
Personally, I feel comfortable hiding behind the computer while joining the virtual networking called Social Media. This medium has transformed cold calling into warm introductions. It’s taken the six degrees of separation and made the world a more accessible Global Village.
Using Social Media, I’ve been able to reconnect with childhood friends, create strategic alliances and build business. Without Social Media and the Internet, it’s highly doubtful I could have made these same connections.
Yet, there are still a lot of businesses who haven’t tapped into the benefits of what Social Media can bring.
According to an article in the Detroit News, a survey reported that of 500 small business executives polled, 76 percent have not found networking sites to be helpful in generating business leads or for expanding their business during the last year.
Source: http://www.detnews.com/article/20091203/BIZ/912030393/The-business-of-social-networking
Baffling.
Every marketer knows that the more (good) exposure you have for your business, and the more familiar people are with your brand, the more likely they are to buy from you. Building trust and familiarity translates into sales.
So why not take the time to develop your brand through this free opportunity? Some people don’t even know where to begin, so they don’t bother. Some people think it’s going to take too much time, and since this is something they don’t have much of anyway, why spend it behind the computer?
Here’s the kicker: you can spend as much time or as little time as you want.
Simply dedicate a couple of hours a week to log on and connect. Check out what people are saying about your brand. Perhaps do a little market research of your own by asking a question to encourage a dialogue. The more you know about your customer and their wants and needs, the better position you are to sell them what you have to offer.
It makes common cents/sense!
The good news for local Durham businesses, PUNCH!media will be setting up some workshops in early 2010 to help businesses learn about the value of Social Media. We’ll showcase:
- How you build buzz so people are talking about your business.
- How can you use Brand Ambassadors to spread the word about what your business has to offer. (And how to spot those Brand Ambassadors.)
- How to use resources like LinkedIn to prospect new business.
- How to use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Blogs to publicize events, post for job openings and create visibility within your target audience.
So back to my earlier statement. Is it sad that we’re all so busy now we’re spending more time behind the computer and less time out mixing it up in public?
Well yes, it is.
But at the same time it’s an opportunity that all businesses should be taking advantage of. Creating a relationship with your customers, online or offline is essential in building a lifetime value.
All sorts of big businesses are now turning to Social Media to create relationships with customers. The almighty McDonalds has recruited Mommy Bloggers – otherwise called “The McMoms”. The purpose is to have these Mommies talk candidly about their experiences with McDonalds. A market research opportunity o create more transparency and to generate grassroots exposure.
And as you can see below, studies show that women are taking over social media. All in all, 53% of users across the 19 sites were female and 47% were male.
I remember when I first began my journey in the World Wide Web, way back in 1998, businesses such as McDonald’s and Martha Stewart didn’t even have a URL (for a moment I considered cybersquatting, but thought it was unethical).
Now look at the web. Who doesn’t have a presence online?
Your website is your online brochure. Social Media is virtual networking.
Demented and sad networking, but networking.
Leslie
