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When I began my sales and marketing career in the early 1980s my work was measured weekly against a number of budget metrics. To stay focused when I was calling on clients, I often reminded myself of the words of legendary sales trainer Zig Ziglar: “Are you a sales professional or a professional visitor?” This results-oriented perspective typified the sales and marketing culture back then.
Thanks to a number of innovations that includes social media, the business culture is more relaxed and casual today. Even targeted Internet marketing tactics that were acceptable just a few years ago are now considered passé. Visiting and socializing are now valid business tools. This is one of the dangers of social media marketing. Don’t be fooled. Customers still expect results, and you will be wise to remember you aren’t a professional visitor on the social networks.
The Perfect Storm for Entrepreneurs
Consumers today are tired of dealing with faceless companies that insulate themselves with technology. This is creating a shift in the marketplace toward a relationship based economy. We are witnessing the formation of a perfect storm for entrepreneurs who have traditionally built their businesses through personal relationships and the development of trust. This is significant for you because your personal brand – who you are – is often inseparable from the company brand, and that quality is the magic for making social media work to enhance your market share.
Social media is conditioning your customers to respond to marketing that engages them on all levels –professional, social, and personal. This layered approach to marketing creates a message that is like a ball of string that slowly unravels to reveal the core, and at that core is the vital ingredient for successful marketing today –you.
Your Professional Role
However you market, you have to put your company first. Carefully developing this first layer of your marketing
approach will always be relevant. This is the essential framework you need for satisfying market expectations prior to developing personal relationships.
One of those expectations is having a quality Web site. Even though its power is limited within context of social media, the marketplace expects you to have one and you should. It is the hub that you point back to that gives your prospects and customers accurate information about your company.
Just keep in mind that it is a passive marketing tool that functions much like a dictionary. It provides valuable
information that validates your professionalism, but your customers aren’t going to spend much time there. For this
reason, you should not rely on it to build your business.
Your Social Role
To reach your customers on an emotional level, you must be absolutely clear why they want a relationship with your
company. A technique that worked well for me was to ask them what they would look for if they were searching for a
company like mine. This keeps it from being personal. They will often describe those intangibles that include how they are greeted, the appearance of technicians and crews, and how quickly problems are resolved.
You can now use your blog to elaborate on business scenarios that demonstrate you understand what these intangibles are. This effectively engages new prospects that are looking for a company like yours. If your Web site is the meat of what your company does, your blog is the spice that makes it come alive. Be sure to include photos or videos to further enhance it.
For videos I use the inexpensive Flip Mino® camcorder that is smaller than most cell phones and a breeze to
operate. And remember this: If your company isn’t blogging, your prospects are getting the latest information they are seeking from your competitors that are.
Another approach you may consider in combination with, or instead of a blog, is a Facebook group. Your company
Facebook group is an open or private community – you choose – of fans and customers that receive regular updates about your business, just like a blog.
Be mindful to communicate with your group in a casual manner to fit in with the relaxed, social culture of Facebook. And most importantly, update your group consistently. A blog or social media group that is not providing fresh and relevant information will soon be ignored. My advice is to do this only when you are ready to do it right.
Your Personal Role
This brings us to you – the core of your social media marketing. In my opinion, this is what makes social media so
incredibly powerful for entrepreneurs. Small businesses have the ability to get close to their customers, and when you do you will discover common problems and needs in your community. Don’t turn away from these opportunities for social entrepreneurism because this is where you can make a difference that sets you apart.
Social entrepreneurism, the trend toward serving the economic and social needs of a community, is on the rise and
shaping a new model for successful businesses. A notable example is Tom’s Shoes, a Santa Monica, Calif., business that donates a pair of shoes to impoverished children for every pair it sells.
If you doubt this trend, then you may consider why social entrepreneurism is enjoying a resurgence at Yale, Columbia and other top business schools. You won’t have to look far for a social cause to support, just think about the environment that you and your company enhance every day.
Jeff Korhan helps companies maximize marketing results with social media and social entrepreneurship. He is the
author of Strategic Social Media Marketing for Entrepreneurs. Jeff can be reached at 630-774-8350 or
speaker@truenature.com. He blogs at http://jeffkorhan.com
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