4 REASONS WHY IT’S CRUCIAL TO KNOW YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKING AUDIENCE

Social media is all about engagement and connecting with people.  To successfully run any customer-facing business, the first rule is:  Know your clientele.  And, in social media speak, that means: Know your audience.

Why is this so important?  Because your audience (hopefully comprised in large part of your clients and prospects) is your sole reason for being active on social media sites from a business standpoint.           

Here are four definite advantages to knowing who your audience is and what they’re all about:

1. You’re Able to Better Focus – If you can focus intently on whom you are targeting, it makes it easy to create content that resonates.  And that’s important because generating valuable content that allows you to engage the highest number of people is the essence of your social media business strategy.  

2.  The Walls Come Down – You’re able to listen to what people have to say about your business – the positive as well as the negative – and respond in kind.  Social media is all about, well… being social.  And interactive.  Social networking affords you the opportunity to effortlessly communicate with your audience in an unprecedented manner.  Make communication with clients and prospects a priority.

3. You Can More Readily Respond to Specific Needs – Imagine being able to get to know clients so intimately through social media that you come to the point where you’re able to offer them what they require prior to them asking.  You can make valuable suggestions to them and can tailor your services to fit their specific needs simply because you have made the effort to communicate with them.  Ask lots of questions and interact often.   The ultimate in customer service.

4. You Can Position Yourself as an Industry Leader – When people in your audience have industry related queries or need to be apprised of current information, you want to be the one they turn to.  Make yourself readily available to people on your social networking sites – be the expert. Blog, blog and then blog some more.  Blogging is a prime way of showcasing your wealth of industry knowledge.  And, don’t forget to post links to your blog posts on your other social networking sites.  

For more information on social media and the importance of getting to know your audience through social networking, join one of our Social Networking workshops.  For a schedule of upcoming workshops in your area, please visit: http://escomputertraining.com/socialmedia

6 TWITTER TIPS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE (OR AT LEAST YOUR BUSINESS)

Twitter is by far one of the most popular and the “noisiest” of the social networking applications.  Twitter is a microblog – a distinctive way of communicating with consumers. and consumers, by nature, like to feel that they can easily access your business and communicate effortlessly with you.  Twitter functions as a broadcast medium.  It is an informative newsfeed and very useful for announcements and updates.  Twitter’s premise lies in its principle that, “The open exchange of information can have a positive global impact.”    

Doesn’t Twitter sound like a most effective means by which you can reach your clients?  And, what a great platform whereby to get tongues wagging about your business!  

Tweet-based marketing and customer service campaigns are two fundamental ways in which Twitter can be used to promote your business.  The essence of Twitter from a business perspective is consumer/client engagement.  Engaging clients with content-heavy tweets positions you as an industry expert!  Here are some tips to help you tweet more effectively to reach your clients:

1. Examine Twitter to Understand its Functions – No matter what you want to say on Twitter, you have to keep in mind that you only have 140 characters with which to say it.  Your messages must be brief, but informative and engaging.

2. Craft Your Messages – To point #1, given the 140 character limit, it’s important that you think about what you want to tweet before you tweet it and ensure that each tweet is relevant to as many people as possible. Remember, your tweets have to be engaging and newsworthy – no one is really going to care what you’re having for dinner!  And, try to refrain from tweeting solely about your current listings – be more imaginative.

3. Follow and Be Followed – Your aim is to reach as many clients and prospects as you can.  Yes, you want to be followed!  But, you want to be followed by people that are actually interested in what you’re tweeting.  Follow other leaders within your industry and get them to follow you.  Follow your clients and prospects and get them to follow you.  The goal here is to communicate with people you can help and those who can benefit you and your business.

4. Never Over-Tweet – You don’t want to be posting a gazillion times a day.  People are going to think you’re spamming them and that’s a terrible thing for people to think about you and your business.  Each time you tweet, you want to capture people’s attention with something meaningful and thought-provoking.

5. Add Detail to Your Profile – Ensure that you include all of your business contact information within your Twitter profile.  You are afforded the opportunity to include a short bio & a photo and from a business standpoint, it’s a good idea to provide as much detail as you can so people know with whom they are communicating and have the opportunity to take the next step and contact you.

6. Get Tweeting!! – So, now that you’re more familiar with Twitter and the concept of the Tweet, you need to get active!!  Start tweeting and eventually, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without the wonderful little microblog we all know as Twitter!

If you want some more in-depth information on Twitter and how to really use it effectively to drive business, we’d love to see you at one of our Social Networking for Business workshops.  Just click on the following link for a schedule of what’s going on in your area.  http://escomputertraining.com/courses/list/industry/2