How to Use Social Media Marketing To Attract and Retain Customers

By Debra Zimmer, The Expert Marketing Coach and CWCC Member

Social media sites are all the rage these days. We comment on friends’ photos, news feeds, jokes, and other activities multiple times a day. But is it possible that these very same social outlets can be a boon for marketing businesses?

Using social media marketing is a very effective method of communicating with both prospective and established customers. In fact, according to a University of Massachusetts marketing research study, 73% of Fortune 500 companies utilize Twitter to announce product information and news. Meanwhile, 66% of Fortune 500 companies have a presence on Facebook. Many others also utilized social media sites such as YouTube and Pinterest to further enhance their marketing campaigns.

One of the more effective ways that businesses can leverage social media is by publishing informative articles and answering customer queries. If customers find the information valuable, they will, in turn, share it with others which could help drive even more attention to the business.

To take this trend a step further, utilizing such elements as social media buttons on a business website is an effective means of spreading the word. For example, a Facebook or Twitter feed link would make sharing web content easier for visitors.

Ensuring that the content is shareable is essential in any social media marketing program. This can be done by helping customers solve common problems, using humor, and even giveaways and contests. The right kind of stories and contests could even go viral and further build the customer base.

One common pitfall to avoid when using social media is to overdo the approach. Cie Andrea Hayden,a Chicago digital marketing consultant, advises to just concentrate on one or two outlets to communicate with your audience and use them wisely, perhaps spending up to two hours a day interacting with visitors on those platforms by answering questions, offering advice, and continuing conversations.

While building a successful customer base using social media marketing can take time and patience, you will soon reap the rewards of increased traffic and sales. Contact us for more information on how you can use social media in your marketing campaign to generate sales.