In the 9 years I’ve been involved in graphic design and marketing, so much has changed. So, so much. A definite shift in strategy has become apparent, simple ads are no longer enough for consumers to want to buy your product. The power of mobile, internet, and social media marketing has turned to the forefront of advertising.
What do I think about this? I think it’s great! The days of paying hundreds of $$ for 1/8 page ads and a spot in the yellow pages are long gone. Okay maybe not long gone, but there are more affordable and efficient ways to market your business in addition to those “old-school” methods.
Let’s focus on the typical start-up business that I’ve been seeing lately. A company that is in its early stages of establishment is looking to plant their feet deep in their industry, have a little bit of money to invest, but doesn’t have lots of start-up capital. They ask what is the best form of marketing for their business. My first answer is always social media.
But before you go online and search for every possible social media outlet there is so you can plaster your business’s logo all over your profile page, do your research. Ask yourself a few questions:
- What do you want to achieve with your social media campaign?
- Do you want to be solely professional or personal too?
- How many media outlets can you manage to make sure there is always interesting content?
Something to realize is not every social media outlet is right for every business. If you create a blog, are you going to regularly post in it? Do you have a passion to write, to spread your voice, to really sit down and share what you know on a regular basis? If not, then maybe a blog isn’t for your business model.
The point of social media is already sited in its name: social. The goal is to captivate an audience/community and talk – create conversations. Being genuine, honest about your business model, and personal is at the heart of what successful social media is all about. In my opinion, it’s the only way you’ll see success. Talk about topics relevant to your business, engage your followers/friends in the conversation, welcome critique, and most importantly, HAVE FUN WITH IT!
Alright peeps, you ready? Let’s jump into the online world and start socializing!