Social Media Marketing: Talk With Customers, Not At Them

Use Facebook to get some very low cost marketing opportunities. Make a professional business account or create a business fan page. Take some time to look up your competitors on Facebook to see how much of a presence they have, and what they did to get that. Do not copy what they did, but use their page as an example for what is working or what is not.

If you use Twitter for the promotion of your business, it is important that you respond to followers regularly. Remember to say thank you when your name or business is spoken about and to directly provide responses to any questions that are asked. Two-way interaction is the key to grooming customers. You will also establish yourself as a real person and not just a business entity.

Sign up for Twitter. Get as many followers as you can by signing up for blogging sites like Tweepi.com. Using a site like this makes it easier for people to find you on Twitter. Tweet regularly about other bloggers. You should also automate your tweets so they aren't forgotten about by your followers.

You should create a Youtube channel to post reviews of your products and other videos relevant to your industry. You can set up your account so that your videos are posted right away on certain social networks. This will save you time and prevent you from forgetting to update a site.

Do not post irrelevant and trivial posts on your social media profiles. Always keep your posts professional and relevant. No one cares that you got a new cell phone, or that you are standing in line at the movies. These trivial posts should be reserved for your own personal profile, not your business profile.

Even if social networks have changed the way we communicate with each other, you should always remain professional. While you may wish to introduce yourself by your real name, you should always maintain a professional tone. Do not get into any arguments: you can simply delete any posts or comments you do not find constructive. When interacting with friends, you should create a separate profile in your name.

If you choose to market yourself or your business via a social media network, make sure that your ads are placed in areas that will be widely noticed. If your ad isn't optimally located for maximum visibility, your business won't get increased exposure from it.

Don't think you're going to see spectacular results overnight. Developing an excellent social media presence and strategy takes time and patience. Building a large audience on Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks will not occur overnight. It helps to advertise your social media sites in other marketing materials.

Create useful content by interviewing an expert in something related to your products. Post your interview on YouTube and share it on social media. This is the kind of content your followers will love to share with their friends. Make sure you choose an interesting interviewee and ask relevant questions.

Research social networking. Remember that professional and personal social media accounts are very different. You will find some great resources on the net and lots of professionals who are eager to help you with your marketing needs.

Consider hosting giveaways through your profiles on social media sites. There's nothing like free products to get people coming to your business's social media pages in droves. Choose an interesting freebie, then post links to that deal on popular deal forums like FatWallet.

Give away freebies. Giving away free products is a great way to get followers to your profile. Consider a free sample or a small promotional mug or hat that you can give away by posting a link to the freebie on different freebie sites.

These suggestions are all designed to help increase the number of potential customers any business has. Social media marketing is an incredibly effective tool when used properly. Utilize those that are most applicable and you will notice a sharp increase in the number of people you have in your customer database.

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