If you’re a small business owner, there’s a chance that upwards of 80 hours of your life in any given week are totally booked. (And if you still made time to read this blog post – good for you, and also thank you.) To say you “wear many hats” undersells just how much you’re juggling at once, so it’s easy to let little things slide in service to the big picture. Social media, for instance.
MAKE ROOM FOR ANOTHER HAT
Sorry, but ignoring social media is not an option – no matter how small — or new — your business. In fact, recently launched small businesses especially need the attention and customer retention that savvy social media marketing can offer. If you have time, it’s worth browsing Sprout Social’s 2018 Index, where they compare how 2,000 social marketers approach strategy against what more than 1,200 customers actually want. There’s a lot to unpack in the Index, but let’s call out a few reasons why a social media presence is imperative to growing your bottom line – and your brand.
CONSUMERS ARE 57.5% MORE LIKELY TO BUY FROM A BRAND THEY FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
The implications for retention are clear and speak to a marketing truism as old as time: people are more likely to buy from you if they’ve already heard of you. By keeping a consistent social media presence, you reinforce your voice, and shoulder your way to the front of your consumer’s consideration.
THINK OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN ALWAYS-ON STOREFRONT.
It’s also often your first and most important point of contact in consumer relations, with all the opportunities and dangers built in: any interaction can be shared with hordes of potential new customers through a simple retweet or share. When you keep things positive, the ROI speaks for itself: 71% of consumers are more likely to buy from you after a positive social experience. And it’s important to know that a “positive social experience” doesn’t just mean publishing promotional deals. That 71% figure applies only if you actually engage with your audience in a relevant way. Social media is a two-way street, and brands that simply broadcast turn into noise over time.
WHAT DEFINES POSITIVE SOCIAL EXPERIENCES?
I’m so glad you asked, because the Index offers insight into brand actions on social media that prompt consumers to purchase. 48% of consumers say that a brand responding to them prompted their purchase. That’s simple interactions: questions asked and answered in a timely manner. 46% were driven to purchase by special promotions, while 42% appreciated educational content, 38% responded to interesting visuals, and 36% like a funny account.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s how to K.I.S.S.: find a way to offer value to your followers, whether that’s literal value in the form of promotions or the more abstract value of just being fun to follow. Consumers on social media are searching for genuine value and human connections, and if you can clearly state what is special about your business while being authentic to your voice, you’ll grow an audience. Offer value, and your customers will find the value in you.
KEN LOWERY is the Senior Digital Copywriter for The LOOMIS Agency, the country’s leading challenger brand advertising agency and a top Dallas advertising agency for digital, social, mobile and user experience. For more about challenger branding, advertising and marketing, leadership, culture and other inspirations that will drive your success, visit our blog BARK! The Voice of the Underdog and catch up on any of our more than 300 posts.
