Small Business Social Media PITFALLS to avoid !

05/05/2012 12:55

 

source : James Debono

Small Business Social Media Marketing can help organizations grow and become more efficient in a number of ways. However small businesses have made mistakes and are continuing to do so as they try to adapt to new tools, platforms and the shift towards a more social culture.

1. Jumping In Too Quickly

Social Media marketing is not something that you can get started with unless you are willing to commit consistent time and resources to it. There is nothing worse than a Facebook page that is never updated, or if someone has managed to spam an offer on a business page for a pair of red glitzy shoes! How many Twitter pages have you seen where the last update simply says “happy new year to all our followers”.

Rather than jumping in, reserve your user names, monitor what’s going on and listen to what is happening in the social community. Follow what the most profitable small businesses do; observe what your customers, prospects and competition are doing and how they are interacting before joining the conversation when you are ready.

2. Not having a defined strategy

Simply having a Facebook Business page or a Twitter profile is not a strategy.

  • Why are you building a Facebook page?
  • What is it that you are trying to achieve?
  • Who is your target audience?
  • Do you have a content marketing strategy?
  • how will you look to engage your following on a regular basis?
  • How are you going to encourage users to become engaged community members?
  • What value will you offer them? What results are you looking for and how will you measure them?

These are the types of questions that you should be asking yourself and of your business before you begin the social media marketing journey.

3. That it is Free

It may cost nothing to set up a profile on Twitter or a Facebook Page, but that doesn’t mean that small business social media marketing is free. The profile or the page is a mere carcass, a shell for what is the true investment. The investment is the time that you will have to spend in order to develop a community that people want to be involved with.

4. Shiny New Object Syndrome

If you spend even a small amount of time on social media you will recognise that there is new fandangle, super shiny, fail proof, push button solution that can increase your fan base fifty fold by increasing your conversions and sales dramatically – whether it be Google+, Pintrest, Twitter or another new site that everyone is talking about. However it is important to see your original strategy through, and spend your time and resources where you know your customers will be.

5. Small business social media marketing is not all about sales

Too many people and businesses jump straight on to Facebook or Twitter and immediately start making offers and pitches, sharing links to sales pages and showcasing their latest products or offers. Social media is not about that. Social media and online marketing for small business is about developing an engaged community, building trust, developing relationships and increasing interest. It is a longer sales cycle but once you have established that relationship and built a level of influence through being authentic and sharing value to the community, leads and sales will follow.

6. Giving up too easily

Small business social media marketing can be frustrating; there is no doubt about it. Building relationships takes time and it can be discouraging when you think about all the time, effort and even money with no immediate impact. But as long as you are providing value, sharing great content, and targeting your audience well, your patience will be rewarded. It may not be through immediate sales, but you may pick up some great business contacts that can help elevate your business to the next level.

In conclusion, small business social media marketing can have a dramatic effect on increasing the awareness of your business and over time, leads and sales. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that because it costs nothing, it is free. You need to have a plan in place and you need to interact and engage with your community on a regular basis to see the long terms goals.

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