Social media can be the perfect complement to a marketing strategy, but in today's day and age there is a lot of noise out there – so it takes a unique approach to really stand out and see results.
If you want to bolster your financial plan via a cost-effective marketing campaign, you don't need to look much farther than websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. However, many other small businesses have had similar ideas, so you'll need to customize your pages in order to attract the highest possible number of customers.
In order to pull that off as easily as possible, here are three simple tips to stand out while using social media:
1. Be friendly
As a small business, you are uniquely positioned to be a local resource for consumers. Al Lautenslager, author of "Market Like You Mean It," wrote in an excerpt published for Entrepreneur magazine that the friendlier you are, the better. For example, be polite and engaging on social media. Ask questions of your followers, send out valuable articles and discuss trending topics and ideas. This way, you'll be on the minds of potential customers, and that is a better way of generating sales than being quiet and timid.
2. Keep the conversation interesting
Like with many things, social media users can lose interest quickly. Therefore, Lautenslager stressed the value of thought-provoking content. Do what you can to stand out and keep people talking. This could be appealing to emotions, being funny, motivational or fresh. Either way, stay consistent with your brand and your strategy. As long as you are engaging other people you will see value out of social media. An interesting conversation can really help show your company's importance to the community.
3. Get personal
Your social media campaign should also have a personal touch, according to the National Federation of Independent Business. People want to see the humans behind the enterprise, not just some brand or logo. So, consider posting about the behind-the-scenes operations from time to time. This could be a video tour of your facility, a shot of your home life or some customized biographies of your staff members. Make sure that things stay as polite and professional as possible, but don't be afraid to branch out and have a little fun with things.