Online Retailers Don't Fear Social
Media
by: Howard Lee
CIO
Wirehead Technology
Recently I got a call from a past
client who had a problem understanding how social media to grow their
business online. She told me that she was reading that posting
picture on Facebook was a good way to create likes for her business.
She said that she was posting up to ten times per day and did not see
an increase in her business and did not know why.
Since I was one of those friends who
got her post I told her while her post were fun and entertaining
they did not say anything about her business and after time most of
her Facebook friends forgot she was even in business. So my advice
to her was change her post and feature pictures about her business
and post of the products the sells. “Is that all I need to do?”
she asked. No, lets go over what you done this past year to see where
we are. “Last time we talked about crating a Facebook business
page to promote your business. Have you been using that page?” I
asked. “Not everyday” she said. “Yes I know you only have two
items on that page I have checked”. “Do you mention your
website on your post, and that people can use Paypal to order
products from your Facebook or business page?” I asked. “No”
she said. “So if you know that what you should do and not doing
them what is the reason you are calling me”. I asked. “Well it's
my competition I was at a trade show and some of the people who
followed me online was complaining to me that they could not buy my
products online and they went to my competition who quality was lower
than mine, but they could buy his products online and send him
messages via social networks” She said.
“Why can't I do that?” she asked
me. “You can you have all the pieces you need all you have to do is
connect them”, so what is the real reason you are not doing that?”
I asked. I am afraid that I will get it wrong” She said. I chuckled
at first. “You can't get more wrong then you have now”. But
after she said that I thought about other small business and online
retailers who also have not used social media effectively because
they are afraid of the technology and the conflicting reports they
have read about using social media in business. This fear has caused
many small retailers to do nothing thinking they might do it wrong or
trying to create a social media network by piecing together reports
they have read that has nothing to do with their business that in
many cases damaging their products or services and angering their
current potential customers. So What should my former client do to
create a social media network here's what I advised her to do.
- Make a plan. that is the main reasons that most business fail using social media. Making a plan gives you a roadmap you can use chart how social media can help your business with out you will spend time and money on schemes that go no where.
- Work with a consultant that understands business. I have seen business who have come to me after a so-called consultant who was no more than a salesman who after they sold their services moved on to another customer and left them in the dust.
- Don't believe the hype of new social media products. Everyday a new comes out saying how much money you can make using their tool. Before jumping in see how that toll can work with your business and if will benefit your business.
- Don't wait as may past client illustrated waiting only helped her competition take away her customers just because she didn't think that planing and creating a complete social media network was necessary to help her business. So if you are think about using social media for your business don't make her mistake. Starting planing your social media network today.
About the Author:
Howard Lee is CIO Wirehead Technology
Mobile Retail
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