Why Companies Should Embrace Social Media Now

We see more and more companies, big box and small entrepreneur, taking a leap of faith and utilizing social media to promote their brand or product.  This becomes more and more important as the consumer ventures online to shop, looks for advice, and wants to engage.  It’s no longer a question of ARE you getting online, WHEN you are getting on board with social media, but HOW FAST can you get there.  So many creative, enlightening campaigns are taking off, and brands don’t want to be left behind in the dust.

PR sees the benefit.  More and more PR people that I talk to see that without a Twitter or Facebook presence for their brand, they miss a huge market of consumers.  When people engage online, they expect to see their favorite brand tweeting deals or a fan page they can join.  If you aren’t there yet with your business, it’s time to make your move.

People are looking for you and you aren’t there.

I owned a small e-commerce site, and I got into blogging because I was told that if you had a small business, you needed a blog.  I didn’t know why at the time…so I did it, and got on twitter, and here I am.  I had no idea what I was doing…and had a lot of trial and error.  Then, surprise!  Blogging and tweeting were more fun to me, and I stuck around…and sold the e-commerce biz.  But while I was promoting my brand, a monogrammed gifts site, I learned that it takes more than google rankings and SEO to get sales.  It takes customer appreciation.

Finding the time and resources is something hard for a small start-up who is limited in both.  Often you are a one man show, and handling the site, orders, customer service, and promotion is a full time job x 2.  Where a big brand has a public relations group behind them, the small business owner has the 30 minutes before the school bus comes home to promote their site.  Something has to give.

And big brands, if you aren’t on Facebook and Twitter, why?  What is holding you back?  You have to be seen to be heard, and these days the consumer recognizes forward thinking in advertising and customer relations.  After all consumers, shoppers, and brand enthusiasts are looking for you on twitter, facebook, and social networking sites.

Get ON the bus, don’t be chasing its exhaust fumes.

You need someone in your company devoted to promoting the brand in online markets.  Whether that person is you, an employee, or someone who loves your brand and works with you as your brand enthusiast.  Can you afford to hire someone?  It’s possible you can’t afford not to.  The kind of relationship you have with your consultant may be a function of the product.  Company or brand enthusiasts can be found to work for a retainer, on commission, or for product or some combination.  Gauge what you have to offer, and who might be interested in promoting you and your brand.  It’s a form of bartering, and you never know what you may find until you put it out there.

Give me a a year’s supply of Suave and Twizzlers I’ll tweet all day! I’m pretty easy… but you get the idea. NEGOTIATE

The Power of Social Media:

*You can connect with people who have an interest in your brand.  Social media campaigns can range from a Facebook event to announce a new promotion to discounts and coupon codes tweeted to new Twitter followers.  Crocs gives away free shoes on occasion, and HPCheer computers.  Nothing like a freebie to grow your group and attract interest!

*Are you associated with a philanthropic event or group?  Use social media for good, to connect people not only with your brand,  but your cause.  Increase your goodwill in the social media community.   Hanes, who truly embraces social media,  works with the Susan G. Komen Foundation and you’ll see their presence as the Race for the Cure events take place this fall and they are teaming with online sites.  BlissfullyDomestic.com encourages you to join as Team BD and walk or run in your city.   And here’s to Hanes for providing the Team BD shirts!

*Connect with your consumers in a customer service capacity.  It’s all out there wide open…who is mad, happy, or interested in your brand…and your competitors’ brands.   It takes someone like Dooce to complain about her Maytag on twitter, and the twitter world goes crazy.  A competitor, Bosch Appliances (@BoschAppliances), reaches out to Dooce and now a new washer and dryer are being donated to the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake.   A long story with a good ending.

Today it’s not a question of SHOULD YOU embrace social media; it’s a necessity with today’s digital world.  Don’t be perceived as the company who doesn’t get it.   There are still so many brands not involved at all.  This is the time to move forward.  This is the time to JUST MOVE!