Social Media Strategies for Small Business

This month's issue of flyte log is entitled Does Your Small Business Really Need a Social Media Strategy? I bring this up because so many small business owners are still wondering if they really need search engine optimization or a blog...now we're asking them to consider the value of a LinkedIn account, or a Facebook page, or even Twittering? It seems a bit much.

But businesses large and small, and especially individual professionals, are all discovering the networking, marketing, and even sales benefits of social media. I may spend a lot of time on social media, but it's been a lot more fun and rewarding than the traditional networking event, and less restrictive than being required to show up to a weekly BNI meeting. (Not that there's anything wrong with BNI.)

In the article I talk about some specific things that have happened to me and flyte since I got invested in social media...go check them out. And then come back here and leave your own stories, or ask your own questions. Let's keep the conversation going.

Rich Brooks
Social Media Consultant

Comments

[Jonathan Hoffman]

Richard,

At your invitation, I'll tell you my online mini-success story. I enjoy writing. I tried writing an article or two, and more than a few opinion pieces. No bites - not even a nibble - from the local press.

I had all this stuff, so, with help from an IT guy at my day job, I started a blog and put all my stuff online, and continued with the commentaries. I talked it up with some local media folks whom i knew personally, and now, as a direct result of blogging, I work for a local radio talk show, and am run as a "guest commentary" every few weeks in the local alternative weekly!

I enjoy the blog, it feels natural to me (though I've neglected it since I started the other gigs), and I enjoy Twitter. I do, however, seem to have an aversion to Facebook. I could be a generational thing - I'm 54, or I just find my life (particularly my past) embarrassing.

Do you think being in Facebook is valuable to a small time goofball writer, or should I skip it?

[AG]

Great subject matter. A couple things come to mind... will social media stay in the realm of the younger folks, or do you think that, as it develops as a medium, older people will grow more comfortable with it? I know that on Facebook, for example, things look to be trending older every day.

And do you have any sense on where the line is right now between communicating an effective, targeted message, and simply annoying people at a time when they're trying to connect with friends? The challenge will surely be finding that balance.

www.anonymousadguy.com

[Debt Reduction]

Thank you very much for taking the time to post. In my opinion, the small business community cannot survive without the social media connection, especially in these tough times. Thanks for making this available.

[Frank Norman]

Thanks for your email newsletters I look forward to each one.

I've blogged. Found it difficult to keep fresh posts on it. When I did adwords had about 10,000 visits a month and even turned a few orders for my product. Fianl analysis adwords cost more than the results and stopped them in July.

The blog now produces 2 to 4 orders a month with adwords cost equal to ZERO.

[Ogy]

Good Newsletter Rich. Most of my 480+ facebook connections are college graduates with little say on who will build their next business website. However, if you keep in mind that some day, they may become project managers and executives, they may remember me if I keep myself on their radar. So I see a lot of potential looking long term but not so much at this moment.

[Fred Abaroa]

As a small business owner I realized a while back I didn't have the money to advertise on all the networks, radio, publications, and have billboards hanging all over the place. I started an email list of my customers and sent occasional news letters. Spam filters seemed to get in my way. I asked my kids one day why they don't use email. They mentioned they get less spam by just using facebook. I soon found that my messages I sent via facebook and linkedin were read more often. Then I decided to see what twitter was all about. The first day I set it up and followed everyone with a Maine address I could find. The next day many were following me. I posted where I would be giving out Costa Vida coupons. And soon saw some of my followers reporting eating there. As I attend some network events I found I was an automatic friend with people I was following on twitter and they in turn introduced me to their friend. My ability to successfully meet new people and establish a relationship them is greatly enhanced by these tools. Yes indeed Twitter and Facebook have been selling more burritos than radio & tv ads

[Cristy S.]

Great article, thanks for this.

Love it or hate it, I think social networking is here to stay. (I'm still learning.) I guess my question would be this:

How do we measure success in the use of it? Counting followers or friends? Does that easily translate into dollars?