Get Your Social Media Efforts Back on Track

When the social media boom hit, businesses small and large flocked to the many popular networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. However, unsure how to navigate this new form of media, many businesses let their pages go stagnant and soon fell off their consumers’ radars.

It was easy to get caught up in the appeal of social networking. Social media includes a variety of free tools that put you in front of a large audience of users. However, many businesses didn’t consider the time and resources that would need to go into maintaining an active presence on these sites. Get your social media efforts back on track and start seeing real results by following these tips.

Make social media a priority. In today’s marketplace, social media can really set your brand apart from your competitors – if done right. If you are going to delve into this medium, you need to make social media a priority for your business. Sure, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are free, but the time an employee spends logging on to update, monitor and cull an online community costs your business money. Don’t waste employee time or company dollars on shoddy results. If it makes sense, consider hiring someone solely for the purpose of cultivating your social media presence or hire an outside resource that specializes in building online brands.

Make a plan. If you’ve chosen the DIY route, make sure you are armed with a social media plan. This will help the person who is charged with monitoring your social media sites keep these efforts on track. Depending on what type of business you operate and how you want to utilize social media to your benefit, create a daily, weekly or monthly editorial calendar. This will give you predetermined prompts for posting and help spark ideas for future discussions.

Fine-tune your message. All of your social media sites should support the same brand and message. Before you log on, fine-tune the message you want to spread to your audience. And, while you are at it, be sure you settle on a target audience that you want to reach so you aren’t throwing darts in the air.

Measure your results. Create goals and devise measurement tactics to determine if your social media efforts are working. Keep tabs on the number of “likes” you get on a weekly basis, and monitor how many conversions your website gets from social media sites. These efforts will help determine if social media is worth your time and resources.

The Next “Big Thing” in Marketing

The marketing game is continuously evolving to incorporate new technology and applications. Failure to keep up could result in a failure of business. Consider the impact social media has had on the marketing landscape. Many businesses and even communications professionals balked at its usage as an effective marketing tool; however, it is one of the leading consumer touch points utilized by companies today. Well, the next big thing is here. And, you need to be sure not to waste time refusing its place as an effective marketing tool in order to gain a head start on competition.

QR Codes, which stands for Quick Response Codes, have recently burst onto the scene as an interactive marketing method to connect and engage with consumers as the boom of smart phones accelerates. Many businesses have already started using them on business cards, brochures and advertisements as a way to enhance their messaging with additional, targeted content.

QR Codes are essentially a bar code type system that acts as a portal to new content. Smart phone users simply take a picture of the QR Code and, using a QR Code application, are directed to targeted content of your choosing. Their effectiveness is wide in scope. From accounting firms to real estate agents or law firms, every industry can benefit from the use of QR Codes.

ProMoter Inc. has worked with several clients on initiating QR Codes into their marketing plans. Contact us today to find out how we can put them to work for you!

Navigate Social Media for Your Business

The effect social media – particularly Facebook – can have on your business’ bottom line is undeniable. If you haven’t already joined Facebook, it is time to crawl out from under that rock, log on and get connected with current and potential customers alike!

Having a stagnant Facebook page just doesn’t cut it in today’s marketplace. You need to have relevant and fresh content daily to keep fans engaged. SIGNARAMA Downtown – a ProMoter client for over five years – has had its own Facebook profile for several years, and they are seeing a real pay off. In fact, over the past several months, SIGNARAMA Downtown has generated more solid website conversions from their Facebook page than any other method. And, SIGNARAMA Downtown’s fans are engaged and active on their Facebook page thanks to daily contests and giveaways.

You, too, can have a quality and valuable presence on Facebook. Take a look at some best practices in order to give your Facebook account a boost!
· Build a fan base. To have a successful Facebook page, you need fans! Be sure to promote your social media presence on all customer touch points including your website, advertisements, staff Facebook pages, direct mail, Internet campaigns, etc.
· Keep your page active. Nothing is worse than an inactive Facebook page. Not only does it give the impression that business is slow, but it is nearly impossible to build up a fan base. It isn’t enough to make company-related announcements every other week. You need to really offer fans valuable information that is useful to them and their businesses on a daily basis. Dig around for some industry-related news bits to post when company news is slower. Offer contests and giveaways that keep fans coming back to your page for more!
· Get your fans talking about your page. Word-of-mouth is a great way to go viral. By maintaining an active page, fans are likely to start talking up your page to their friends. The more fans you have, the more impressions you make, which could lead to more business.

There isn’t a science to Facebook or other social media sites. Consider what you’d like from a Facebook page of which you are a fan and try to provide that to your fan base.