Why Your Small Business NEEDS to Use Social Media

A recent Nielsen study from August 2010 showed people spend up to one third of their time online in social network sites, primarily Facebook, which opens the door of opportunity for small businesses.  You need to recognize that no matter what your business is, or what it does, you need to be connecting with your customers or clients to maintain a strong marketing relationship with them throughout the year. That’s the power of Social Media

Here are some hints how to use social media to boost your bottom line.

1.       Consistency

If your business has a social media site and entrepreneurs have their own, they should use their own personal social media site to promote the businesses. Look at your site to see if people landing there, even if by accident; know that it’s tied to your venture. There should be a consistent feel from one to the other.

2.       Share

Share what your business does, share new products or services, share special sales and events to online people, share interactive online Q&A’s with followers. All this helps create a buzz around your business and brand.

3.       Manage Your Online Presence

You may find that managing both your business and online presence is difficult. If you can’t update regularly – at least daily – you may need to consider hiring someone to do it for you. It’s key to hire the right person, with the right skill set and understanding of today’s technology, trends and capabilities. Social media gurus can be hired in expensively and can take the pressure off of you.

4.       Learn and Listen

It’s important to constantly learn what the latest market trends are for your business or service but also the latest marketing trends and how to use them. Learn how to use social media as a tool rather than a toy.  Most people haven’t fully developed an understanding of the power of social media. And listen to what your online followers are telling you about your products or services. Use the feedback they provide to adapt your business to your customers’ needs.

Three Business Lessions I learned from Surgery.

A couple of weeks ago I noticed some abdominal discomfort. Being my usual self I kind just blew it off. A few days later I had severe discomfort – so much so just bending over nearly made ma break out in a sweat. The pain subsided but I noticed my abdomen was bulging in a particular spot and my naval was misshapen.  As I dropped my youngest off at the sitter – my in-laws – I had my doctor, who is also my father-in-law, look at my stomach.

“Looks like you have a hernia.”

A quick trip to the surgeon and I was scheduled for repair. It was explained to me that the majority of umbilical hernias are congenital defects and I probably had mine all my life and just didn’t notice it. Age and lifting something most likely aggravated it to the point of needing repair.  As I was laid up post-surgery for a few weeks I was thinking about how I could relate this issue to small businesses.  Below are the lessons I came up with.

If there is a problem you need to fix it quickly

If I had waited to have my hernia repair completed it could have quickly turned into something much more serious, even life threatening: strangulated bowl or hernia sac (tissue coming through the peritoneum), either of which can send a person to the hospital for emergency surgery. Unfortunately, small businesses have problems needing immediate attention yet owners and proprietors wait until the business is on life support to make a move to resuscitate the business. If your business encounters a problem, address it now, not later because it may be too late.

Generally, you can’t fix it alone

They don’t sell home hernia repair kits at the store so I knew there was no way I would be able to do this one on my own – not that I would have attempted to fillet myself open anyway. The same can be said for those small businesses encountering problems. It’s key to know your own strengths and weaknesses so you know in which areas you need to seek help. I am terrible at QuickBooks so if there is an issue, I don’t even bother trying to fix it myself. I call in the experts. I let them fix that so I can focus on the things I do well. That leads me to the next lesson.

Follow the experts’ advice

I haven’t been to medical school, haven’t performed surgery on anyone, nor been responsible for follow-up care. I relied on what my surgeon told me I could and could not do: don’t lift over 10lbs for the first two weeks, 40lbs for two weeks after that, Steri-strips will come off on their own – don’t pull them off, etc. I have followed his orders to the “T”. If I didn’t and I had problems during recovery I would only myself to blame.  When a small business owner has problems, seeks out advice and then doesn’t follow the advice given, they have no one to blame but themselves when the business can’t move forward and ultimately succumbs through its own device.

I’m still on lifting restrictions but I know soon I’ll be fully recovered and able to do things better than ever.  If you’re a small business encountering problems, don’t wait, seek out advice and follow that advice and your business may be on the road to recovery before you know it.