Social media marketing is the smart business' listening tool. It allows a company to hear what their marketplace is saying about them, their product and even their employees on first hand basis. In the last decade, a company would have to wait for their customers to divulge their feelings to them about their goods. It required expensive focus groups, tedious data analysis and people on the ground to find out how well the public was taking to their latest and greatest widget. Not any longer; social media marketing just made listening to your audience significantly easier.
Thanks to platforms like Facebook and Twitter, a business can find out what their public is saying about them when and where they say it. This is such an amazing opportunity for businesses, but very few actually take full advantage of this priceless tool set. Social media marketing has to become part of a business' marketing strategy or that business will be left behind in today's competitive market place.
Here are several reasons why your small business cannot afford to neglect the social media channels they have at their disposal:
1. People are talking about you. Yes, no matter how much you try to avoid social media, people on those platforms are talking about your business. They are either singing your praises or tearing you down. Either way, if you're not there you will miss out on opportunities to engage people who are in touch with your business.
2. Your potential customers are there. Not only are they on the social media sites, but they are exchanging information about where to make that next big purchase. They have questions about your widget and statistically will purchase from a company that steps in to help answer those questions. If you won't engage them, you can guarantee your competition will.
3. Bad things happen on social media sites. This ties back in with point #1, but it needs a little extra attention. With the positive that comes from social media, there is a lot of negative as well. The negative side for businesses is that bad PR takes off like wild fire and, if left unattended, will ruin a company's good name in a matter of hours. If you are there to address these situations, you can dramatically minimize the damage.
4. Social media marketing levels the playing field. David just climbed up on a step ladder and is starring Goliath right in the eye. Social media offers small businesses the same massive audience that larger companies have dominated in the past. Patience and persistence can open doors for small businesses that were not afforded them just five years ago. And you thought "The Twitter" was just for the kids. 
If you would like to learn a little more about how Social Media Marketing works for small businesses, fill out the form below and take advantage of our free online presence analysis. We will tell you where you need work and where you have things under control. If you want to speak with us either in person, just include that in the message or give us a call at 865-804-8155. We would love to have the opportunity to meet you!