8 Tips to Optimize Sales with Social Media, But Beware of a Red Flag

 

Updated Nov. 16, 2012

It’s time-consuming, but there is data to illustrate why social media should be part of your marketing and human-resources recruiting mix.

For example, social networking continued to increase in popularity with consumers in the United States, according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project in 2011.

Pew reported 50 percent of all U.S. adults are social networking. So are 65 percent of adult Internet users – an increase of more than 100 percent since 2008. Daily, 43 percent of adults using the Internet are also on social networking sites.

The salient social networks: Google+, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Twitter. (The Biz Coach has the AddThis option for readers to share this and other articles – it provides 300 social media options.)

Social Networking Red Flag

So, social media has value. However, beware: Despite the hoopla over social media, Web searchers stay longer.

Social networking doesn’t necessarily lead to sales, according to another Pew study.

It shows three types of social media aficionados:

• Heavy users – 26 percent of time spent
• Medium users – 4.1 percent time spent
• Light users – .42 percent time spent

Surprisingly, heavy users don’t necessarily consume products. Statistically, Pew reports they’re not as likely to buy products and services on the Internet. Plus, they spend less when they do.

Average spending among the three categories:

• Heavy users – $126
• Medium users – $212
• Light users – $297

What you need to do is find the right use of social-mediums for your business, and start interacting.

Here are eight options to consider:

1. Manage your online image and reputation
2. Branding for repeat customers
3. Respond to customer complaints
4. Complement your press releases with blogs
5. Crisis management
6. Stage contests to attract Web traffic
7. Publish thought-leadership commentaries
8. Attract and recruit employees

Naturally, the latter – No.8, recruit employees – is especially viable on LinkedIn. Ask any headhunter who is concerned about competition from LinkedIn. Conversely, it’s a networking tool for jobhunters, too.

From the Coach’s Corner, related information:

• Social Media vs. Traditional Online Marketing – Where’s the Money?
• Understanding Customers: Social Media Teaches Another Lesson
• Is Facebook Approaching the End of Its Product Life Cycle? Ostensibly, Yes.

“Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.”

– Mike DiLorenzo

__________

Author Terry Corbell has written innumerable online business-enhancement articles, and is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services. For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule him as a speaker, consultant or author, please contact Terry.