We have featured quite a few articles on Social Media during 2011 and it’s not just because it’s the latest buzzword in the marketing world. It’s because it works and can be used as a central part of your marketing activity. Here are another three reasons why we think social media works for businesses.

1. Your customers are using it

More and more people are using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter regardless of age in fact a recent study showed the percentages using social media across all age bands:

• 24 – 34 – 82%
• 35 – 44 – 72%
• 45 – 54 – 58%
• 55 – 64 – 52%
• 65 plus – 31%

That is a lot of customers and potential customers across all age groups and if you are not part of it how will they know about your product?

To take an example, on Twitter on a monthly basis people who are passionate about Scotland and getting more people to visit including tourism businesses take part in #scotlandhour. This is on the last Wednesday of the month between 9pm and 10pm where people promote all aspects of the benefits of holidaying in Scotland. From where to go, to what to do, where to stay and what to eat. It allows all areas of Scotland a chance to promote their area. This month Scotland Hour is taking place on St Andrews Day, hundreds of people and businesses will be talking about Scotland and their tweets will be read by thousands of people across the world. Why not be part of it?

People are talking all the time on social media, these people either are or could be your customers and if you don’t take part you won’t know what they are saying and you will not be able to join in the discussions.

2. Social Media is targeted

Social Media if done correctly can be an important part of your marketing communications both for existing and new customers. Facebook is an ideal place to communicate with your existing customers and encouraging their friends to be friends with you by setting up a business page. You can update it on a regular basis with news and information about your business and photos and even videos and encourage your customers and potential customers to comment and update the page. An example of a great use of Facebook for business is the Hideaway Experience in Angus who not only use it to communicate but also to research improvement s in their product.

Twitter is a good way of raising awareness about your product and reaching new customers. Like any campaign to new customers you need firstly to know who your customers are and what their interests are so you can then follow potential ones like them. An example of this is Oink hog roast in Edinburgh which is rated 30 out of 802 restaurants in Edinburgh. Oink use Facebook mainly as a tool to talk to their loyal customers and Twitter as a tool to increase awareness about their product to foodies in Edinburgh and also visitors to the city. Oink follows as many customers of other Twitter food related businesses as possible as well as Edinburgh Tourist Attractions. This has resulted in new business including following Festival venues during August, this meant many acts and productions were talking about Oink as the place to eat thereby increasing awareness and also business.

3. People will buy from you

Marketing is about communication and getting your message out to as many people are possible through as many targeted mediums that you can afford. Ultimately the reason why we market ourselves is to sell our product whatever that may be and we want to people to buy from us. Like any marketing medium that will depend on the stage of the marketing cycle customers are on. For some communicating on Social Media will raise awareness of your product and through time that awareness will grow and through time they may buy from you or recommend you. For others it may result in instant business. Social Media though does result in business.

Again recent research on social media showed that people are most influenced by the following sources on Social Media:

• Friends – 55%
• People like you – 55%
• Experts – 51%
• Online friends – 39%
• Brands – 38%
• Retailers – 35%
• Influential blog – 26%

And another scary statistic is that one out of every eight minutes online is spent on Facebook.

The research is shown to be true by case studies online. We ourselves have had direct business from LinkedIn and Twitter as well as knowing that we have raised awareness of our company by using both mediums and a Facebook business page.
A retail client who sells shoes sees instant results from Facebook and Twitter as shoes and boots that are featured in Social Media sell and it’s an excellent way of promoting promotions too.
 
Lochcarron Visitor Centre in Selkirk have used Twitter to raise awareness that it sells Starbucks coffee to a local audience which has resulted increased coffee sales. Lochcarron also use Twitter to raise awareness with tour operators. Evidence is one of these Tour Operators was visiting the Scottish Borders and mentioned this on Twitter. Lochcarron then invited him to visit and the tour operator then wrote a blog feature on Lochcarron and plans to include Lochcarron in future itineraries.

So three reasons to use Social Media are; One your customers are using it, two you can be really targeted about how you use it and three it will bring you business.

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