How Small Business Can Benefit from Social Media

Small businesses enjoy a resource that was unheard of twenty-five years ago. Social media has opened a door for entrepreneurs and hustled in a new era of communication. Small businesses can learn to utilize social media and social networking to increase their market share, promote their company, and expand their name recognition.

Each of these assigned roles within social media will increase traffic to your website, inform your customers, and engage them in an interactive role-play where they are an active participant. The Los Angeles Times recently ran an article entitled, “Social media giving small firms a boost.”  

It profiled a small start-up business owner, Dede Parise, who used the power of social media and social networking to increase her business contacts to 15,000 potential customers within a year. This is amazing. Social media can be used to grow your small business and achieve a level of success and exposure with simple networking. And, one of social media’s greatest achievements is the cost. Networking on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs are free. Your only cost is time.

Facebook: Facebook allows small business owners the ability to create a page and post product information, display pictures of their inventory, and engage customers with meaningful dialogue. Small business owners can also track how many people “liked” their page each week. This will give you a sense of how successful your social media campaign is.

Twitter: Small business owners can benefit greatly from Twitter. Twitter allows businesses to tweet up to 140-character blurbs. Businesses can post specials, advertise upcoming deals, or impart their customers with useful information. Frequent postings keep your company name on the mind of your followers.

LinkedIn: As a small business owner, you can use LinkedIn to connect with former colleagues, college classmates, neighbors, and fellow entrepreneurs. As you increase your connections and develop contacts, you gain a new audience and potential customers through their connections.

Blogs: Having a personal blog on your company website is another tool to stay connected to your customer. Engaging your customer with helpful information, informing them of important product features, and upcoming sales will increase customer loyalty, brand recognition, and company profile.  And, each of these factors is important when you are trying to grow your business.

The Wave of the Future

Social media’s role in today’s business climate will only increase as time moves on. It has become woven into the fabric of our business world. As a small owner it is important to harness social media and social networking to increase your client base and company growth.

Now is the time to jump on the social media train and head for destinations uncharted for your company. But, like a good roadmap, using these tips will have you arriving at your destination on time and in good spirits.