Hey there, fellow entrepreneurs! Something I’ve noticed in my years online is the importance of staying connected. As you continue your journey with your own business—whether it’s a neighborhood bakery or an innovative tech startup—one thing you need to consider is the role of social media. You might think that traditional methods will suffice. However, the truth is that you could be losing more than you think by not using social media for your business. Let’s find out why.
Social media is a powerful tool that can help you reach a large audience, build relationships with potential customers, and generate leads. It’s also a relatively inexpensive way to market your business. Here are just a few of the benefits of using social media for business:
your company’s story, answer questions, and provide customer support.
- You can generate leads. Social media can help you generate leads by providing you with a way to collect contact information from potential You can do this by running contests, offering free samples, or simply asking people to sign up for your email list.
If you’re not already using social media for your business, I encourage you to give it a try. And be sure to utilize more than one platform as each platform seems to attract a certain demographic. I know I’ve talked about that in a previous article and it’s more important than you think.
- You can reach a large audience. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Threads, Instagram, or even YouTube have billions of active This means that you can reach a large number of potential customers with your message.
- You can build relationships with potential Social media is a great way to connect with potential customers on a personal level. You can share
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Visibility—Or the Lack of It
Think of social media as a giant billboard in the busiest part of town. It brings your business to the attention of thousands, even millions, of people. Not having a social media presence is like having a billboard in a deserted alley. You might offer fantastic products or services, but if people aren’t aware they exist, they can’t become your customers.
One thing that I’ve noticed is that too many times a business or brand will have a social media account, but their most recent post was months or even years ago. That’s nothing to get excited about and people will even wonder if you’re still in business. You have to stay active, or you fall out of their feed. Even posting something once a week will help get eyeballs to your business. There are ways to schedule posts ahead of time, so you don’t have to remember to do it every few days. Just schedule it and forget it.
Facing the Competition
In business, staying ahead of the competition is crucial. It’s similar to a bicycle race—if you stop pedaling, others will pass you. When competitors utilize social media to reach more customers and you don’t, they can gain an advantage, even taking your potential customers. It’s easy to start “coasting” when it comes to social media.
We think we may have posted recently but when you check it has been much longer than you thought. You may see that your competitors are coasting too. But that doesn’t mean you should let off the gas. Now that Meta has different platforms, their business manager tools will allow you to schedule and post to multiple platforms at once which really comes in handy. There are also different resources and apps that will allow you to preschedule your social media posts.
Customer Communication Gap
Communication is an important part of any business. It’s like the bridge that connects you and your customers. Not being on social media is like having a broken bridge—your customers might have questions, feedback, or need assistance, and without social media, these valuable conversations are much harder.
While email is still fairly popular, it has taken a back seat to social media for many. It is faster and easier for people to jump on their favorite social platform and send a DM (direct message) or PM (Private Message) to get the answer they’re looking for. While sometimes it might be a support question, other times it very well could be a pre-sales question. Having more avenues to communicate can only help your business grow. And, if social media isn’t your thing, there is a growing market in the social media management field. That is where you allow someone to come in and assist you with your social media needs.
Missing Out on Market Trends
Imagine everyone in your class is talking about a new movie, but you’ve no idea about it. That’s how it feels when you miss out on market trends. Social media allows businesses to keep track of these trends—what customers are interested in, what they’re buying, and what they’re talking about. Without it, your business can miss out on opportunities to meet customer demands.
With the tracking in many of the social media services you can quickly see if an idea is a good one. Or you can monitor how people respond to different messages for your products or services. It will also allow you to see the demographics for these campaigns. It is also a good place to advertise by running ads or boosting posts. You can more easily hit your target market based on the reach of your audience.
Losing Trust and Credibility
Trust is like the glue that binds customers to a business. If customers can’t find your business on social media, they might wonder if it’s credible. Social media allows businesses to build and maintain trust with customers by sharing useful content, responding to feedback, and providing excellent customer service. This goes along with what we discussed a bit earlier when I mentioned about not having current posts on your social media feeds. Even if it’s a “hope you have a great week” type of post, you’re reaching out and connecting and showing that you want a relationship with the visitors to your social media feed.
Consequences on Sales and Growth
In the end, not being on social media can affect your business’s bottom line. The lost visibility, competitive disadvantage, communication gap, missed trends, and reduced trust can all lead to fewer customers and lower sales.
It’s like having a lemonade stand on a hot day but keeping it hidden in your garage. I look at it as out of sight out of mind. You don’t always have to toot your own horn. Maybe, share a testimonial about a product you’ve recently received. Or maybe you’re running a summer promotion. Tell them about it! Emails aren’t reaching in boxes as easily as they once were. Or maybe people just aren’t reading emails as often.
Seizing the Opportunity
While this might sound a bit alarming, there’s no need to worry. Understanding these risks is the first step towards harnessing the power of social media for your business.
Being present on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, or LinkedIn can help your business become more than just a seller of goods or services. It can become a valued part of your customers’ community. And who knows, your business could be the next big sensation to trend on social media!
So, don’t underestimate the potential of social media for your business. It’s an investment that can yield substantial rewards.
Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, or in this case, a single post. Start your social media journey today! If you’re on social media, let me know. I’d like to connect with you there, as well.
Social media can amplify your business’s voice, boost its visibility, and connect you directly with your customers.
– Frank Deardurff
