The Basics of Social Media Marketing

Guest Blog by Tracey Warren of Ready Set Grow Marketing

Marketing is complicated! The always changing Social Media landscape certainly doesn't make that any easier. But, if you've ever passed out flyers, other handouts, and business cards – only to later find them tossed in the garbage, on the floor or otherwise unused – Social Media may not only be the answer for your conscience, but for your bottom line.
You may have heard, "Your business should be on facebook or twitter!" And, that may be true. As with any marketing efforts, you may want to ask yourself a few questions first.

• Who is your target market?
• What Social Media sites are they actively using?
• What are your goals for using Social Media?
• How can Social Media help you realize those goals?

Answers to these questions will help point you in the right direction.

Bob Burg, author of "The Go-Giver" says that people do business with people they know, like and trust. That know, like and trust used to be created over lunch, coffee, or on the golf course – sometimes very time consuming activities. Now, it's possible to build those from the comforts of your own home through online interactions.

So, where do you start?

Facebook is the single largest Social Media platform, with almost 600 million users worldwide and half of those logging in every day.

 Digital Buzz business pages are fairly easy to create and they are free. Be sure to have a strategy in mind for what you want to post, how often and your desired results. On facebook, you can create a community and build advocates for your brand and business, and the viral nature allows that brand and business to spread far beyond your immediate sphere of influence.

Twitter is another animal altogether, and people are finding the most powerful use for Twitter is their search feature. Take any term related to your business, your brand, your competition, etc. and add a # sign or hashtag (#socialmedia, for example) and you can get live, active, up-to-the-minute results for what people are talking about regarding that topic. You can't get that anywhere else on the internet.

Whether you sell to other businesses or directly to consumers, there is a likely a place for you on social media. These tools and so many others are available, and most of them are free, simple ways to connect you with current and future customers.
This article has barely scratched the surface.

Tracey Warren is the owner and principal of Ready, Set, Grow Marketing, a local Social Media Marketing company. She helps businesses owners create and implement a strategy to grow their businesses using these and other tools. When owners decide they want to use these tools, but don't have the time, Tracey acts as their Social Media Manager.

For great articles and information, Tracey Warren recommends Mashable.com or Mari Smith.com

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