Market and Investment

I often get asked about Twitter and its role in marketing. Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter seem to be interesting sites, but can they be used to build your brand or help you sell more? I believe they can as long as you keep these strategies in mind.

Social media is all about building a dialog with like minded people or people who are in your target audience. Social media has impact when it is focused on the market you serve. If you are in shoes and you’re trying to build a following in the area of automotive, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Start with a plan. If you want to use social media for marketing and promotional purposes, you really need to have a plan. Starting to post or profile is a great idea but certainly not enough for online success. To succeed you should define objectives, resources, and responsible parties. Doing so improves your chances of success dramatically.

Share what you know with your audience. Everyone has something they like to do or know something about. What is your passion? Where is your experience? Share what you know with others who are just starting out or who are in a similar field. Just because someone is an expert in one area doesn’t mean they are an expert in all areas. Pick and area that you know especially well and commit to sharing what you know with others.

Be consistent with your communications. Speak with your audience on a regular basis. Better yet, create a dialog and conversation around specific topics. This ensures that your conversation is meaningful and valuable. Its always a good idea to solicit topics from your audience. What you share must be relevant to their day to day needs.

Invite others to participate. By inviting others to participate in your subject matter, you can create meaningful conversation. If those who are interested in your topic have an opportunity to participate, they feel a sense of ownership and want to give more. Social media is all about conversation that is two ways. Solicit topics and questions from your audience and keep them engaged.

Succeed by not selling. One of the biggest turn offs of social media is that a lot of people, businesses included, jump in and start selling. Just like the used car salesman, some individuals focus on selling without first creating value. This is one of the most important things you can do within the realm of social media. Start by creating a dialog and providing value to your followers. Once you do, they will want to use the products you’re using and try the services you recommend.

Using social media for marketing success is possible. However, to do so you will have to walk a fine line between offering value, communicating regularly, and mentioning products or services. Your best bet is to create a following first, create value, and only offer suggestions that are relevant to the dialog. Make a social media plan that can help you succeed online and follow through every day. Social media should be a significant part of your marketing plan.