Updated- 3 Common Social Media Marketing Mistakes
Of the 3 most common mistakes I see in local South Jersey Social Media Marketing…
Jamie Siracusa on Social Media Business Mistakes
Second is they just stop after a few weeks or months and say “That Facebook stuff doesn’t work. We tried it and didn’t get any new business.”
My question always is: tried what and to who? Knowing how to post on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Yelp is one thing, turning your pages into effective money making marketing channels, is another! Please do not hold it against these helpful, well-intentioned friends. For one, these platforms are very new. Two, they were never intended for commercial sales use and people these days are smarter and very jaded. And three, even seasoned marketing experts are struggling with conversions on old dependable ad techniques that just don’t seem to work on these new platforms. BUT, the good news is people are having great success with Social Media!
Your social media strategy just like your advertising, sales letters, sales presentations, signs, image and customer service, need to be smart, have value and quality. Crappy, one run ads or sales letters will not work. Hand written, ugly, boring signs will not work. Non-interested(ing), unhelpful, non-engaging, rude employees will not work. Boring, non-descript storefronts or offices will not work. Make your pages stand out, make your messages, offers and responses interesting and friendly. Make people want to “stop in” look, read, tell a friend, write back and remember you. Give things of real value away, something free, things with a Wow Factor.
Keep it going, open it back up tomorrow (if you stopped your posts, or haven’t been active). Tell everyone to join, have it on your website, on receipts, signs at POS, letters, thank you notes, coupons etc… I think you get my drift!
And another very common mistake, and not just a social media one; but a big money missing opportunity, is marketing or advertising in a silo approach. Many businesses are only using one or two forms of marketing and advertising. I.e., just newspaper ads, or radio spots, only a facebook pages or just a website. Make sure you are reaching as much of your demographic in the ways they will see you! Yes, the internet is growing, it is killing the Yellow pages and local print newspapers. But are ALL your customers and prospects looking for your product and services there? Probably not.
New platforms are coming like Quora, Gowalla and Aardvark!
Think about where and how you can reach your target audience. You need to do a variety of mediums. They all work but you need your own- targeted “reach”. Do not be “seduced” by the number of households watching, ears driving, readers reading, emails delivered, letters and val-packs delivered, Google searchers, and growing Internet users.
How many “actual” seekers of your product or services are sitting and watching at your exact run time, actually driving (and listening) at your exact time, opening that days paper to and seeing your page and then your ad, opening an unsolicited mail or valpack/coupon book, reading the emails beyond your subject line and THEN clicking into your website, OR finding you on Google, Yahoo, Bing or AOL? (I still see a lot of AOL email addresses don’t you?)? If your smart and can do a little math, add up all those realistic fraction and you get a significant percentage. BUT, you don’t have the budget of a McDonalds, Nike, Bed Bath & Beyond, or US Life Insurance.
Now here is the trick. If in fact you know where YOUR buyers and prospects are in YOUR local demographic, (and how they get their buying information…) THEN you can be their Pepsi, Nike, Bed Bath and Beyond, or US Life Insurance at an affordable cost. A few letters or post cards a year, some emails (free), with social media (free), a good website with first page Google and Yahoo search results, local well- placed targeted print ads… You can reach them affordably, be “top of mind” within your budget, with a measurable return on your dollars.
It isn’t magic, it isn’t luck. It’s work, it’s commitment, it’s math, it’s smart and most important it is profitable!
To Your Success- Jamie Siracusa, Author
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