Essentially, social media is word-of-mouth marketing, or relationship marketing. Word spreads much faster in an online environment than in offline (face-to-face) environments. When people build their personal brand, they are able to connect with others, and build rapport with them, which results in a relationship that leads to business.
So why should companies use social media, as well as the people in their organization? Here are some astonishing statistics that demonstrate our reasoning:
A growing populous are using social media, and are now telling companies that they should use social media as well. Consumers want to be able to interact with companies on a more genuine level than ever before. Listen to what they are saying, and don’t let yourself (or your company) become a Mr. Nobody. Now is the time to share your voice, and join the conversation.
The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study states:
• Almost 60% of Americans interact with companies on a social media web site
• 93% of Americans surveyed believe that a company should have a presence in social media
• 85% of Americans surveyed believe that a company should not only be present, but also interact with its consumers via social media
• 56% of American consumers feel both a stronger connection with, and better served by companies when they can interact with them in a social media environment
Because it is relatively new, social media is on the whole used incorrectly, so here are some tips:
1) The purpose of social media sites is to connect with other people and build relationships. With the internet, you now have the ability to connect with people on a broader, worldwide level.
2) Building relationships is essential to building business, because it’s based on trust. When consumers trust a company, the company can drive business to the next level.
3) Social media is a marketing channel, not a sales channel. You cannot sell in a marketing channel. If you try to sell on social media sites, people will be tune you out.