subject: Where Do Business Opportunities Lie in Social Media? [print this page] Where Do Business Opportunities Lie in Social Media?
We all know the importance of social media. We have heard that it will help lead us to prospects, and it will give us more face time with our customers. Deming Hill did some research and put together these statistics:
Adults spend 15+ hours on the internet every month
93% of B2B buyers use search engines to begin the buying process
9 out of 10 consumers will find you when they are ready
This means that your company had better be out ton the Internet for someone to find you, and this is where social media is the most beneficial. The more items you enter into a Facebook page or a blog, the more likely a potential client is to find you. Deming Hill found these statistics out when they did research on the biggest social media site-Facebook:
40% of Facebook users become fans or followers of brands/services.
60 million status updates happen daily on Facebook
50% of users log on everyday and average more than 55 minutes a day
If Facebook were a country, it would be the world's 3rd largest:
1.China
2.India
3.Facebook
4.USA
Facebook is a great site to connect with fans (just make sure that your site doesn't become more social than professional). Clients and customers are on Facebook; so, ask them to become fans of your page. Include upcoming events, polls, pictures and anything that makes your page more interactive. With new features, you can also upload whitepapers, blogs and videos. When it comes to social media, Facebook isn't the only site that can bring you prospects. Twitter also has a large following:
Twitter averages 50 million status update per day
20% of all Twitter communication contains a reference to a product or a service
41% of business owners say that Twitter delivers great value to their business
44% of Twitter users have recommended a product or a service
58% say they have tweeted about a bad experience
So, if your customers have a bad experience with your service or product, you can bet that people are going to know about it. Make sure that your customer service is top notch. At the Twitter site, you can search your company and see what people are saying about it. If there is a positive post, the reply to the "tweeter" and thank them for the kind words. Twitter not only allows you better your service, but it also allows you to stay in front of your contacts. You can enter links into tweets that draw people to your website.
It's been proven that people are out there, on these sites. Now it's up to you to harness the tools and use them to your company's advantage. Once you've got a good grasp on social media, you will begin to see your sales progress.
