Industry Application: Small Business
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www.radian6.com 1 888 6RADIAN (1 888 672-3426) Copyright © 2012 - Radian6 Small Business Social media can help your company get even closer to your customers, attract new ones, and grow your small business into a big business. There are lots of reasons why people shop small. Customers can often discover unique, hard to find items they wouldn’t be able to find in a box store. The welcoming environment creates a more intimate and personalized shopping experience. And, let’s face it; small businesses are the backbone of local economy. $68 of every $100 spent at a locally owned business goes right back into the community , so when people support small businesses, they feel good. People already want your small business to succeed. But they can’t help you succeed if they don’t know you exist. In light of quickly changing technology, businesses of all sizes have had to adapt their marketing strategies. You’ve seen the success larger companies have had by getting involved in social media – those same principles can be applied to smaller businesses too. No matter the size, location, or industry of your small business, here are some ideas for how you can use social to get a big break. Engage with Your Regulars Building a tight-knit community is arguably even more important for small businesses than larger enterprises that can coast on greater brand awareness. Each and every customer counts for a small business, so you want to make people feel special so they’ll keep coming back. Repeat customers have a huge impact of long-term sales, so it’s no surprise connecting with customers is the top reason small businesses leverage social media. It allows you to have direct conversations with your customers, just like you would in store, to build better relationships with them. Relish Gourmet Burgers grew out of the idea that customers want to be treated like friends. They wanted to be able to “relish” their customers and personalize the dining experience. Instead of getting a number when you place your order, they ask you your name. They applied the same welcoming technique through Twitter and Facebook and experimented with social to get their recipe just right. Since opening the doors of their first location in January 2010, they now have five locations with another three set to open in 2012. Attract New Customers Finding new customers can be a challenge for small business owners. How do you get your company name out there to bring in a steady stream of business so you can remain successful? Social media enables you to gain more exposure through word-of-mouth advertising. 75% of people don’t accept advertisements as truth, although 90% of people believe brand recommendations from friends. Social allows you to get the word out about your business and share customer referrals There’s something charming about small businesses. Whether it’s a Mom & Pop shop tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood, or a street vendor in a bustling metropolis, they recognize their regulars and often know their names.
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There’s something charming about small businesses. Whether it’s a Mom and Pop shop tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood, or a street vendor in a bustling metropolis, they recognize their regulars and often know their names. Social media can help your company get even closer to your customers, attract new ones, and grow your small business into a big business. In light of quickly changing technology, businesses of all sizes have had to adapt their marketing strategies. You’ve seen the success larger companies have had by getting involved in social media – those same principles can be applied to smaller businesses too. No matter the size, location, or industry of your small business, here are some ideas for how you can use social to get a big break.
Transcript of Industry Application: Small Business
www.radian6.com 1 888 6RADIAN (1 888 672-3426) Copyright © 2012 - Radian6
Small Business
Social media can help your company get even closer to your customers, attract new ones, and grow your small business into a big business.
There are lots of reasons why people shop small. Customers can often discover unique, hard to find items they wouldn’t be able to find in a box store. The welcoming environment creates a more intimate and personalized shopping experience. And, let’s face it; small businesses are the backbone of local economy. $68 of every $100 spent at a locally owned business goes right back into the community, so when people support small businesses, they feel good.
People already want your small business to succeed. But they can’t help you succeed if they don’t know you exist. In light of quickly changing technology, businesses of all sizes have had to adapt their marketing strategies. You’ve seen the success larger companies have had by getting involved in social media – those same principles can be applied to smaller businesses too. No matter the size, location, or industry of your small business, here are some ideas for how you can use social to get a big break.
Engage with Your Regulars
Building a tight-knit community is arguably even more important for small businesses than larger enterprises that can coast on greater brand awareness. Each and every customer counts for
a small business, so you want to make people feel special so they’ll keep coming back. Repeat customers have a huge impact of long-term sales, so it’s no surprise connecting with customers is the top reason small businesses leverage social media. It allows you to have direct conversations with your customers, just like you would in store, to build better relationships with them.
Relish Gourmet Burgers grew out of the idea that customers want to be treated like friends. They wanted to be able to “relish” their customers and personalize the dining experience. Instead of getting a number when you place your order, they ask you your name. They applied the same welcoming technique through Twitter and Facebook and experimented with social to get their recipe just right. Since opening the doors of their first location in January 2010, they now have five locations with another three set to open in 2012.
Attract New Customers
Finding new customers can be a challenge for small business owners. How do you get your company name out there to bring in a steady stream of business so you can remain successful? Social media enables you to gain more exposure through word-of-mouth advertising. 75% of people don’t accept advertisements as truth, although 90% of people believe brand recommendations from friends. Social allows you to get the word out about your business and share customer referrals
There’s something charming about small businesses. Whether it’s a Mom & Pop shop tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood, or a street vendor in a bustling metropolis, they recognize their regulars and often know their names.
Interested in learning about how Salesforce Radian6 can help your small to mid-size business strengthen your community and generate more revenue?
Contact us today to learn more about getting started with Salesforce Radian6, visit our website at www.radian6.com, or contact our sales team via email [email protected] or telephone 1 888 672 3426.
Copyright ©2012 Radian6
SMALL BUSINESS
with a larger audience, helping you increase your customer base.
Social media is a natural fit for Curtis Kimball’s small business. His Creme Brulee Cart started with a single torch and tiny push cart in a back alley of San Francisco, but he was able to drum up excitement about his business through Twitter. He tweeted the location of the cart in real-time, shared featured menu items and retweeted posts from people praising his delicious crème brule. In doing so, he collected over 22,000 followers and many new customers based on people’s recommendations. Other food carts, like Kogi BBQ and Marination Mobile, have seen similar success by leveraging social media.
Thank Your Fans
The people who frequent your store recognize real human beings are behind the business. You can further humanize your brand by taking the time to thank those who support you. Use social to give people what they can’t get anywhere else – exclusive offers and discounts that rewards faithful customers.
A great example of this is The Marsh Cafe. They treated people’s Foursquare check-ins at their cafe as a kind of loyalty card. They received mainstream news coverage for their innovative social campaign “Foursquare mayor drinks for free”. The promotion caused so much increased business, the cafe had to hire extra staff and extend their hours of operation to keep up.
Share Content that Encourages Conversation
Social media can help your small business stand out, but don’t use it to aggressively plug your products or services. Instead, try creating and sharing interesting content that speaks to your audience and encourages conversation. Content creation can establish you as a thought leader in your field so people will turn to your business—no matter how small—for answers. Customer participation in this process makes people feel included and valued, too.
One small business that hits the nail on the head is Martell Home Builders. This small company grew to be the number one home builder in Atlantic Canada through its use of social media. They understand that someone’s home is where their heart is, so they encourage people to play active roles in the home building process through social. The company regularly post photos of customers’ houses being built in what’s called a “99-day construction countdown” to keep people updated on the status of their house at all times. This eases the customer’s mind, builds trust and excitement, and allows them to share the experience with family and friends.
Martell Home Builders also frequently updates its blog with interesting articles, trade show booth interviews with experts on home building, and recommended reading about design and decorating. Site visitors have the option to subscribe to the blog’s RSS feed, or get updates sent directly to their inbox. They also have links on their site to the company Twitter (almost 12,500 followers), Facebook and YouTube pages where they share other great content. Moreover, they promote other small businesses, showcasing “hidden treasures” in the city.
