Everywhere you look and virtually everything that you hear about the online world these days seemingly revolves around social media. The “big boys” of the online world either already have a social media presence (think Google+), want a social media presence and are developing it, or will simply look to acquire a social media presence or additional social media sites. This is a high stakes game of Pacman that is still in its relative infancy. And why is this so? The bottom line always reverts to the bottom line – money.
Social media has literally billions of adherents from all over the world. It enables not only huge multinationals but also John or Jane Smith, sitting in their underwear in their one room apartment to potentially conquer the world. Social media gives the average man in the street the platform to conquer the world one click at a time.
As a person starting a new business you are no doubt aware of social media and its impact on the lives of many. It is a tool that you must also use if you are to have any hope of your business or software competing on the world stage.
Following are five ways that you can use social media to boost your new business:
1. Market Research: In the past you would have had to spend big bucks to get the answers to those little questions that you asked yourself as to the best way to configure a part of your business – big bucks that big companies have but you probably don’t. Today, using social media, you can access a group or community via, let’s say, LinkedIn, and run a survey to attain this information. This survey will cost you the sum total of zero dollars but can have a profound impact on boosting your business.
2. Marketing via Your Own Blog/Website: For your business to succeed in a highly competitive marketplace, your marketing must be done in conjunction with the business development. You will require a blog at the very least from which to spread the word, build a community, and also gather valuable input in the development phase of your business. Once your baby is ready to be unleashed on the world, you will have a ready to go group of followers ready to not only buy from your business but also, hopefully, become evangelists for it as they a part of the development process.
3. It is Better to Give than Receive: This may not really be the case when you want to market and monetize your new business site, but you have to give a little to get a lot. You must contribute to other blogs and social media communities to attract followers. When you are seen as an expert in the eyes of others, they will come to trust what you say and do – such as creating software or a new business. It all goes toward building credibility, followers, and ultimately, sales and your bank balance. Of course, link or reference to your business site when you contribute, just don’t make it too obvious.
4. Ability to go Viral: Social media provides one of the few avenues for something going viral due to the speed of information flow as well as the number of users on the network. Consequently, you just need that spark, that little touch of luck for your business or new software to become the next big thing. But you know Samuel Goldwyn’s famous saying – “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” Just having a social media presence is not enough; you’ve got to work it all the time; however, the rewards are definitely worthwhile.
5. Incentivize Potential Customers: You have used social media to gather free and informed opinions, you have used social media to build a dedicated community with followers, and now, that your business is ready for unveiling, you can use social media to tell the world via tweets and other forums. Incentivize potential customers by running a competition with the prizes being none other than free copies of your software and other freebies. These should help get the word out with customer reviews and glowing reports on online communities.
Social media confers you enormous powers in boosting your business sales. Use them!
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Kim, Like always you give great tips. Thank you!