Social media has completely changed how businesses connect with consumers. Direct mail, billboards, print ads, and even T.V. commercials are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Social media is the new marketing landscape, and businesses have to change their approach or risk alienating themselves from the market. You can't spam social media with your sales pitch and product ads, hoping that people think of you just because you were in their face more than the other guy. You can try it, but you will fail and lose a lot of money in the process. 54% of consumers are now calling for companies to fundamentally transform how they engage. In other words, they are sick of seeing sales ads interrupting their social feed. As a business, you have to figure out how to become relevant to consumers by bringing them value and not just a sales pitch. Luckily it's never been easier to do this.
In your pocket right now is the only tool you need. Pull out your phone and start taking pictures, recording videos, or writing how-to articles about what you do. Entertain or teach people about your business and the problems that you can solve for them, and you will begin to build a fan base, and fans are better than customers. Fans support you because they trust you and not only because you have a great product.
Tell Your Story
Your story is unique to your brand; your success, failures, your mission, and values will resonate with people. Find a way to tell them why you're in business. Remember that phone in your pocket? Pull it out and start recording. Talk about why you started, how you kept going when you faltered, what it felt like when you got a win. Be open about your values and what motivates you to be in business. Keep it real, let people take a true peek behind the curtain of your business. Be transparent with people, and they will follow you.
Entertain them
Back when I owned a local video game store, I went all-in on social media. I cut out all traditional advertising and went full-blown Facebook and YouTube for the better half of a decade. We made weekly video game review shows, hosted tournaments, and covered them on our channels. We even did a "reality show," which was mostly me having nerdy conversations with all of our excellent customers. Yes, I posted new product and sales ads, but the best performing posts were the ones that entertained our following. These entertaining posts were the ones that got people talking about us with others and spreading the word about our business.
Answer their questions
You're in business to solve a problem of some sort, and every problem has questions around it. Answer those questions without holding anything back, and you will build the type of trust that creates fans. No one knows the problems your customers are facing like you do. Give them the answers without any expectation on return, and when they need something that only your product or service can supply, they will come back to you. This could look like a painter giving tips on how to paint around a ceiling fan, or a mechanic doing a how to change your own oil video. Look for ways to offer information for free, no strings attached, and you will be amazed at how people start to gravitate to you.
Teach people something, answer their questions, entertain or relate to them, and you will build trust. Trust makes fans, and before you know it, you'll have a loyal following of people that not only buy your services or products but share how awesome you are with everyone they know.
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