With this year flying by even faster than last year, business owners and marketing managers are trying to get the first quarter off the ground and launched into a successful Marketing managers and business owners have come to realize that their companies are significantly stronger with proper implementation of social media marketing.  While everyone is out there trying to reach for the stars, this raises a tremendously difficult question:

What is the “proper” way to market through social media?

To start (and consequently close the argument), let’s take a look at three questions that help us determine if your social media marketing is effective:

Are You at the Table?

One of my former bosses used a saying that truly defined his professional philosophy.  “Always be at the table.” In other words, always show up and be willing to participate.  His theory was based on the idea that constant contact with your current network evolves into an ever growing sphere of influence that you and your company can utilize.  Your business’ brand and mission will spread rapidly if you show up at community events, organizational meetings, and other networking opportunities. Social media can and should be viewed in the same light; the more networks that you efficiently pursue and participate the better brand awareness your company receives.

Now that you know what being at the table means, it’s time for you to actively participate.  Here are a few tips to help you become recognized and respected as an authority figure within your industry throughout the social media platforms:

  • Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are not the same sites and should not be treated the same way (more on this in this Friday’s article…so, stay tuned or RSS to our blog).
  • Groupon, YouTube, FourSquare, Flickr, and other social networking platforms are great but are also not meant for everyone.  Be mindful of which networks in which you participate.
  • Plan, schedule, and execute your social media marketing plan so that you are consistently “in the stream”.

Do You Have a Niche?

Before we dive into this question, let’s clarify; this “version” does not mean a niche within the products or services that you provide to your clientele. In fact, your marketing niche is much more than that as it includes your brand’s reputation and how it is recognized throughout your audience.

There are a few things to look at when trying to find or maintain your niche.  First and foremost, the client perception of your company marketing.  Are they happy with your marketing efforts overall?  Do they feel that you are clearly communicating on a regular basis?  What is it about your marketing that drives them to buy from you and not your competition?  Answering those questions will give you a better insight as to what your current customers like and why they like you.

Second, you need to figure out why potential customers are not taking the leap into that buying relationship.  With that said, you need to understand their perception of your company.  What are they looking for that they are not getting from you and your business?  Are you effectively reaching your target demographic through all marketing venues?  Is there something that your competition is doing better than you when it comes to marketing or branding?  If you are able to find honest answers to these questions, you will find your return of investment significantly increase on every level.

How Are You Using QR Codes?

The evolution of both online and offline marketing media is absolutely amazing.  QR codes are a phenomenal innovation that can significantly enhance how you communicate information to your audience(s).  Now, we don’t necessarily mean that everyone should have a QR code (though it doesn’t hurt), but want to emphasize the idea of your business keeping up with the ever-changing technologies.

As an industry leader, you need to ensure that you are keeping up with the changing times and that means to actively pursue new ways to reach out to your audience and spread the good word of your business.  Of course, one of the easiest ways that you can stay updated with the changing times and trends is to subscribe to our IMPACT blog or contact us today for marketing and branding consultations.  Remember, stay three steps ahead of your competition and be the trend setter in your industry.

Need Help?

If social media marketing is something that you are interested in but don’t know how to get started, contact us today to schedule your free marketing analysis.

Sources:
“The Essential Step-by-Step Guide to Internet Marketing”-E-Book
SlideShare.net
Image Source: HubSpot, “The 2011 State of Inbound Marketing”, E-Marketer.com