Social media: The new word of mouth and must for business success today!

“Social media is not a media. The key is to listen, engage, and build relationships.” David Alston

Marketing of small to medium and even big businesses has changed completely over the last few years and even if word of mouth is still one of the most effective method of marketing, the new word of mouth in the digital word of today, is social media.

Social media is how people are actually talking to each other today and it is the way they are telling the world what is happening!

People today post constantly on their favourite social media platforms about their experiences, their feelings, their moods, their struggles, good or bad, businesses, products, services or just making conversation. They like to “tell” other people about their life and that is why social media is so important for your business and its success today!

Communities tell each other where to shop, where to eat, where to stay, what business to use, what service to use or who to trust when looking for new products or services and other things like happenings, events, danger, needs and other common community news.

Remember: social media creates communities and not markets, and you want to be part of that communities.

Just think about the following.

If you drive into a town and you want a doctor, good coffee, lunch, freshly baked bread, nearest petrol station, a place to stay or a shop to buy groggeries where do you turn to?

You grab your mobile and use the good and trusted old Google to find what you are looking for!

If you see three coffee shops in your search results, how do you decide where to go, you quickly look at their reviews and what social media is saying about them! You will definitely not go to the one with the bad reviews.

This is the power of social media and the digital world today!

This is how people find “things” (businesses, services, contact details, hours, maps, products, services) and any other information they want, 24/7 today.

If community is using Instagram, twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tok-tok, Snapchat or any of the other platforms to tell you not to use a business or service, what will you do?

All social media and community platform are important to your business, and you must be visible as this will increase believe and trust in your business.

“Social media will help you build up loyalty of your current customers to the point that they will willingly, and for free, tell others about you.” Bonnie Sainsbury, Founder and CEO of Social Media Smarter.

The digital (online) world of today need your business to be available 24/7 because people are look for products and services at all hours of the day or night. They look at social and online platforms to make sure they are not making a mistake to buy or use your products or services and if they see you active on their favourite platform, it helps them to see your business or service as real and trustworthy.

Use your online presence (website and social media) to keep them, your clients, and customers up to date with your business news and developments.

Your website if working correctly, will become one of your most powerful sales tools because its available 24/7 to interact with clients and customers and even possible new customers or clients.

You need a proper designed and working website, a proper social media strategy and to be active on the social media platforms they are using.

If you listen social media platforms, it will tell you what your existing clients and customers are saying to you and your business. You must listen and engage to build relationships.

If a customer or client have a good or unpleasant experience, they want people and you to know about it, and normally will turn to their favourite social media platform to talk about this experience, what has happened with your business, product, service and in what way you reacted to this.

Dealing fast and decisive with customers and clients complains and making sure it is resolved properly and with care, will help to build relationships and trust in your business and brand.

Honest reviews or comments about good service or product is free marketing of the highest value to your business, even bad reviews if handed correctly can be a great marketing tool.

To have a social media and digital presence today is not a choice anymore, it must be part of business and marketing strategy. Your business needs to be active 24/7 in the digital (online) word and this can become challenging for most small to medium and even big businesses.

You need someone to be responsible for your social media and digital presence, someone that understand your marketing goals, the different social platforms, their interaction with clients and customers and the way it will enhance your business reputation.

Remember, what work for Facebook or Instagram will not necessarily work for LinkedIn, Tok-tok, Snapchat or any other social media platform out there.

The real challenge facing businesses and its digital presence is to understand that it is not something that someone with time on their hand can do, it is an especially important part of your business success today and need someone with the right skill and dedication.

You, as a business, should be able to fit this all together nicely.

Remember as Matt Goulart, Founder, Ignite Digital said: “Social Media is about the people! Not about your business. Provide for the people and the people will provide for you.”?