Social Networking for Business

Many business owners still labor under the assumption that social media is a necessary evil that only the younger generation understands.  But this philosophy flies in the face of reason, since social media is rapidly becoming the dominant  promotional tool for businesses large and small.

All too often, social media activity for many businesses boils down to nothing more than posting links on Facebook , Twitter and Linked In to articles and videos that might relate to their business. Likewise, online public relations activity is usually relegated to a smattering of press releases that are arbitrarily distributed to the masses, or posted to newsfeeds. How can this style of haphazard marketing hope to develop followers, establish personal connections, or encourage redistribution by the general public?

In the first place, 99% of press releases aren't all that newsworthy.  This means their chances of going viral are slim.  Just as with news in general, if a press release, blogpost or social media post is neither timely, humorous nor solves a problem then the marketing effort becomes all but moot. 

In order to punch up your marketing  and make your blog and social network posts “newsworthy” you need to bestow them with a little sizzle.  How to identify the “Sizzle Factor” isn’t as hard as you might think.  Every business possesses an element that could be considered unique. The problem is being able to identify, quantify and market it.  For example, most businesses claim to offer the "best solution," the "best service," or the “best prices in town”.  But these timeworn slogans do little to highlight a firm’s uniqueness, let alone present a tangible benefit. 

If you put a little thought into the process, I am sure there's a niche, a solution or an offer that could set your company apart from the crowd? For instance, if your company vends vacuum cleaner parts, your offer could include “FREE Vacuum Cleaner Bags with Every Order”.  If your business is service oriented, you could offer a “$10 discount coupon good for your next purchase.” You may also elect to create a “Free E-Book” that highlights some facet of your business, such as “The 10 Shortcuts to Online Success,” if you run an internet marketing firm, or “The 5 Best Leaf Peeper Vacations on the East Coast,” if you run a travel agency. The secret to breaking out of the herd is not to try to "sell" the whole enchilada, but find one morsel that is yours alone.

Believe it or not, these kinds of offers work well to “Push” traffic to your website, blog, or social networks.  What’s equally surprising is how few businesses are utilizing this technique.

Once you have determined your uniqueness factor, the next step is to publicize it.  To do this requires you to research relevant blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter accounts of those who would be directly affected, or could be interested in the unique niche that you have identified.  If your business is health related, you need to seek out those bloggers and social networkers who are working the opposite side of the same street.  So if your business and uniqueness factor concerns weight loss, you could easily appeal to non-competing companies in the nutrition, dietary supplement and exercise industries.

If you want to add a PR element with a real punch, you may also elect to target your press releases toward news organs, publications and charities that best relate to your topic. 

As a bonus, blogging and social networking is also a great way to increase your website’s SEO potential.

Granted, social networking isn’t the be-all, end-all of Internet supremacy.  But it is one vital and extremely cost-effective means of building an audience for your growing business.  If you are looking for a way to find the fast lane to the Information Superhighway, don’t short sheet the growing impact of blogging and social networking. 

To view an interview with Access-JAX social networking guru Hector Cisneros, click here

http://jacksonville-video-production.com