Are you turned off with all the hype about social media and how it will help you market your company or your products? Well, I was too. I hate to admit it ... but I'm a traditionalist when it comes to marketing, and, frankly, I'm just a bit "old-fashioned". But the last few months I started delving into the mysterious world of social media marketing. Well, it's not all that mysterious once you get started. Here are a few hints and tips to help you:

1. Make your Website a destination for your target audience. When your customers are on Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media networks, make sure you point them to key pages on your Website referring to the subject matter at hand.

2. Monitor the discussions your customers are having about your company and your products. Respond to them whether positive or negative. Social media is about building relationships.

3. Consider other types of social media in addition to Facebook or Twitter. You could start a blog where your customers feel comfortable discussing issues related to your industry, your company, or your products. Or consider advertising on other companies' blogs, if they offer complementary products or services. Join groups related to your profession on LinkedIn and become actively involved in discussions.

 

So, don't be afraid to try social media. The more you use it, the more you'll understand it, and the more you will discover how you can customize the media to fit your individual marketing efforts.

 

Have you signed up for Twitter or started a company blog? The KIWI recently started cracking into the world of social media.  And I must admit that I didn't understand the whole concept when I started. And, I was very skeptical how it would increase my business. But, after tweeting and blogging for a few weeks you start to understand the value of the media. I still use good old-fashioned marketing sense, though, when I'm tweeting or blogging. You can get a lot of spam/scam artists, and so-called Internet marketers following you on Twitter. But, fortunately, you are allowed to block these people from following you, if you so desire. If your customer base is "following" you, Twitter is a good method to get out instant messages to your customers. Dell, for example, has linked their customer service function to Twitter. They are able to react to customer issues quickly. Their customers can send direct messages to a Dell employee and in turn, Dell can react very quickly within minutes, rather than days to resolve a customer's issue.

Other types of mom and pop companies have also used Twitter, to create a following for their brand. They even have offered coupons that can be printed from their customers' computers. For example, an ice cream cart vendor in San Francisco uses Twitter to inform his customers where his cart is located on any given day, what is the flavor of the day, or if he is offering any special discount coupons. He became such a phenomenon on Twitter, that he quit his day job and sells ice cream full time.

I'm learning something new every day while I tweet. I've been using Twitter as an extension to my public relations campaigns. I'm able to link information from Twitter to my Website, my blog, or to another  complementary Website. There are so many Twitter applications coming on board to help you with your Twitter experience. My advice to you is, if you haven't already started tweeting, dive in, play with it, have some fun with it, but always remain professional. After all, the public can see what you write on Twitter, so remember your company's image.

 

We've produced a Marketing Information Bulletin on Twitter Marketing Tips. If you've already signed up you can access this section of our Website today. If you haven't signed up for the Marketing Tools, you can do so on the KIWI Communications Website. Or, feel free to forward this information to a colleague.