Social marketing has fast become a mainstay in our current business climate for marketing communications. As we develop strategies to market our products and services and establish our brand presence, we have prudently engaged this new technology. It is no doubt a powerful communication and connection tool! However, most people aren’t using it correctly.

Most small to midsize businesses are using this tool in a traditional sense, creating a monologue with their audience rather than a dialogue. Stop talking at your potential customers and start communicating with them.

Ask them questions to find out what’s important to them.

  • What keeps them up at night?
  • What are they fearful of?
  • What problems are they trying to solve?
  • How can you help them?

We need to create conversations that provoke thought, provides inspiration, and adds value to their lives!

The reason people aren’t able to use social marketing to get new business is that they promote their products instead of building trust and sharing their expertise with their audience.

Below are three key areas that you need to change now in order to make social marketing work for you;

  1. Connect with the right audience and cultivate a community in which you are the champion. Position yourself to be “the voice” of the industry in this community.
  2. Develop a communication strategy based on adding shared value, not promoting products and services. As the saying goes, people buy from who they know like and trust. Establish trust and you will earn a right to do business with your audience. Otherwise, you are just becoming background noise in the social-sphere. Earn Trust! Earn Trust! Earn Trust!
  3. Shape a message that is going to resonate with your audience. Making sure that you are always creating opportunities to spark conversations and cultivate dialogue. You want to make sure that you are a catalyst that drives the discussion and debate of important topics to your audience and community.

There are No Shortcuts when it comes to developing real business relationships and earning trust!

Be the thought leader in your community – once you have done this, you have found the key to leveraging social marketing for your business and your brand.