Back when Social Media started, Internet Marketers were thrilled with the new opportunities to build their presence and their brand for their own companies and their clients.
Social Media now allowed people to contribute and share content in various ways throughout the internet, over and above their own websites and suddenly there was a resurgence in popularity of blogging, article writing, list building and email marketing.
However, Social Media Channels were in their infancy and were better suited to international and national on-line businesses. It was difficult if not impossible for local stores, brick and mortar businesses, restaurants and bars and almost anyone else to effectively use Social Media to get to their local target markets.
The Social Media realm listened and where they saw the need, they came up with ways for local businesses to now utilize their Channels.
Examples:
A burger restaurant in Milwaukee and a savvy owner who chose to market his new establishment through Twitter. He accounts for 75% of his customers discovering his restaurant through Twitter. And his business grew so quickly he opened 2 other restaurants. How cool is that?
Or a local bakery who is off the beaten track and newspaper and Yellow Pages ads were not showing any results. But one of their customers started using Foursquare and every time she used her iPhone to mention on Foursquare that she was at that bakery, their sales went up substantially for the day. You can be assured they are now developing a social media marketing plan because they have already seen results.
And speaking of Yellow Pages, have you listed your business on Google Places? It is the Yellow Pages of Google. Anyone with a smartphone or computer and can access the internet can use local search terms to find your business even if they have never heard your Company Name.
There are many new LBSN’s (Local Business Social Networks) popping up every day.
There are also MeetUps. Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook connections are taking their interaction off the Social Networks long enough to meet up locally “in person” to build the connections they already have and make further connections. Recently there was a Social Networking Day, June 30th to be exact, and Social Media participants everywhere attended local Meet-Ups to celebrate. Lots of new connections were made and everyone announced it was a big success.
If you are having an Event, there is Eventbrite where you can not only announce your Event, but issue tickets (paid or free) to interested participants and post to your Social Media accounts with a link to send them to your Event listed on Eventbrite.
Social Media is not just for international business anymore! Whatever your local business, you too can achieve amazing results!
If you don’t know where to start or are confused about what best strategies would work for your business, ask a Social Media Virtual Assistant. They will be happy to help you.
