News flash, the online networks are increasing daily through social media outlets such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Well this is not exactly breaking news in fact these social media gorillas have member increases by the minute. Each day the number of users worldwide that login to Facebook and LinkedIn are increasing. It was estimated not long ago that Facebook had over 350 million users, probably closer to 400 million by now and LinkedIn with over 50+ million users to date. If your business is global you can sure bank on increasing foreign numbers as well considering roughly 70% of Facebook users come from outside the US.
There are many reasons to set up a Facebook Fan Page or a LinkedIn profile to act as a bridge to contacts, consumers and friends all over the world. Setting up a business fan page on Facebook and creating a LinkedIn profile allows at the very least for people to find you or your website through back linking. When you’re able to create an online presence and marketing buzz you create momentum and drive traffic to your website. This is a goal that can be reached when you use these social media tools. Depending on your target market or your business you can determine which one works best but you should certainly set up both accounts. Here are some reasons you should consider.
1. A Facebook Fan Page creates a platform to provide prospects, contacts and customers to connect with your business. You can provide company news feeds, sale information, set up a calendar for upcoming events. Another communication bridge is always a positive.
2. When you set up a fan page you can invite friends and colleagues on Facebook to join your page. When they subscribe they will be informed of company happenings which also creates word of mouth buzz. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
3. The most important reason to set up a Facebook Fan Page is it creates brand recognition and awareness. You can explain your business and or services for anyone on Facebook to view. These are just three proven reasons for creating a fan page and for reasons on using LinkedIn are discussed below.
1. LinkedIn can be described as the formal version of social media. LinkedIn is a business network for educated and connected people that can help bridge the gap for job opportunities, networking, job postings and just a great way to connect with industry leaders.
2. A LinkedIn profile can be used as a running resume, so to speak, that can help keep your contacts up to date with current projects or recommendations. Another great feature of LinkedIn is you can request recommendations from previous relationships or jobs that act as your own review source.
3. Visibility. If we haven’t emphasized it enough, if you stay active in social media you’re staying active with your community.
There are many reasons to use Facebook and LinkedIn and the applications and way we search the web are changing with each passing month. Social media is a great platform to promote, help, correspond, advertise and educate.
Successful Business Uses for Facebook and LinkedIn (GF202)
Inbound marketing, or any form of online marketing for that matter, has pros and cons just like your traditional avenues for marketing. Inbound marketing takes considerable time and on most instances the leads do not generate over night. The biggest pro of inbound marketing however, is that your leads are pre-qualified. Almost 100% of your leads will be people looking for a particular product or service and by searching Google or other search engines, your name, website, product or service has the potential to show up in rankings. What does this mean? When you allow people to choose you or your business you become more than just a provider you become a source of knowledge or expertise in your field.
Let’s give you an example of how this could work in real life. You blog about fashion design and because you own a boutique you are very knowledgeable about fashion. Since you have been blogging about fashion and have used several relevant terms to people searching for fashion tips, hot trends or local clothing, you begin to climb in organic search rankings. Emails and phone calls begin to trickle in (inbound) from people asking about your store and clothing. Since they have taken the time to search and find numerous articles you have written about fashion and clothing you stock in your store, people begin to visit your store or website looking for the hottest outfits. Why? Because they know your store carries certain brands due to in the inbound marketing efforts of blogging about those brands.
This happens all over the world and can be used for any product or service. When you are able to provide valuable content and cast your pole in the consumer pond, your business is extending its hand to those that are in need of your product or service. You’re generating exposure through inbound marketing efforts to do the selling for you. Your not picking up the phone to cold call people during dinner. When you give your customers the opportunity to find you they are not only interested in your product or services but they will also be more willing to open their wallets.
One of the biggest cons of internet marketing or inbound marketing is that it takes time. By time I mean months, perhaps longer. It truly depends on how focused your efforts are and how saturated your area of expertise may be with other businesses. There are certainly no shortage of clothing stores so it’s imperative that you separate your store and clothing from the rest. If you’re clothing is more expensive than the Gap, be prepared to explain to the customer why and what makes your clothing different from the Gap. Internet marketing works the best for niche businesses so giving an explanation on why your clothes or services are more expensive and sometimes declining business is all a part of the process. You don’t need to make every sale for every customer that contacts; in fact I would recommend saying no every so often if you feel the customer does not believe in your businesses services.
The companies that are able to bridge the communication gap between consumers and providers are the companies that succeed. Eventually you will find out that it will become necessary to implement some form of inbound marketing to cast your business pole. As always, Inbound Promotions is here to help your small business with its online marketing efforts when needed.
