Out with the old, in with the new! It’s time to wrap up 2012 and start looking ahead to what’s in store during 2013. As marketers, we must always position ourselves two steps ahead of the rest of the world if we wish to get our message out on time. That means planning ahead and getting your ducks in a row for the entire year, starting now. We gathered a few social media marketing for small business ideas for you here to get your creative juices flowing and leverage the power of social media for your small business.
Create Buzz around events
One of the ways to make use of the “social” part of social media is to use it to publicize events. If you’re a restaurant, host a cooking demonstration. After you host the event, don’t forget to post pics on Facebook to give people who could not come a taste of what they missed. Ask them to tag themselves in your photos – they have to “like” your Facebook page to do so, and each photo will appear in their friends’ news feeds, stretching the viral reach of your event and your small business.
Promote Seasonal Campaigns
Marketing by holidays and seasons is nothing new, but social media sites make seasonal marketing even more fun. In addition to the big holidays like Christmas and the 4th of July, think about events like National Donut Day (First Friday of June) or National Flower Month (May). Then use Pinterest to create a pinboard devoted to products, crafts, recipes, and other ideas for celebrating that holiday. Also, it’s fun to update your Facebook and or Twitter profile backgrounds and avatars to be holiday specific! The world is your oyster.
Use Polls
Facebook makes it easy to create a poll on your page to tap into the interests and concerns of your fans. Ask questions related to your business, such as “What is your favorite type of wine?” for a winery; or, “How do you prefer to spend your vacation?” for a bed and breakfast. The results won’t be scientific, but they will give you a glimpse into your customers’ lives, and they will enjoy seeing what others say, as well. They can also help you plan future content for your blog, events, product changes or other decisions related to your small business.
Showcase Customer Stories
People love to hear about the stories of others, so highlight them through blog posts, pictures on Facebook, or videos on YouTube. Keep an eye out for creative and innovative uses that customers find for your products or services, and then contact them to see if they’d mind being featured on one of your social media channels. Telling their stories will build interest in your company and create a sense of community among your customers.
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