Make social media a window, not a wall.

As a small business it can be very intimidating to dive into the culture of Social Media.  What is it? How can it benefit my business? What if I don't even have a website? The idea of even dipping a toe into the social media scene can be extremely overwhelming.  

There is no need to fear. All you need is a desire to learn, the willingness to try and a basic understanding the idea behind social media.

So, what is social media? Daniel Nations, (Webtrends), does a fantastic job at putting this into simplistic terms.  He writes “Think of regular media as a one-way street where you can read a newspaper or listen to a report on television, but you have very limited ability to give your thoughts on the matter. Social media, on the other hand, is a two-way street that gives you the ability to communicate too.” 

We must recognize that the market is shifting. The way in which customers find products and research companies has greatly changed. As small businesses, we must keep up with the pace so that we aren't left in the dust of our larger competitors.  I encourage you to check out Social Media Revolution, a video that illustrates how social media has impacted the marketplace.  

The key is to engage in conversation with your customers and allow them to be interact with your brand—allowing the 2 way street to happen.  When consumers begin to build a relationship with you it becomes easier for them the recall your name when they have a need for your service or product in the future. 

Let’s apply this idea to our industry. Most people commonly think of stationery products for certain events in life—the holidays, weddings, a new baby… this usually means that a significant amount of time passes between their purchases.  Utilizing social media as a stationery retailer allows you to stay connected with these customers all year long. Bottom line? Better customer retention and an increase in purchase frequency.

If you have a desire to learn more about how to use social media, where to begin, or how to more effectively use an existing platform, I encourage you to check out Mashable: The Social Media Guide.  This site is truly the mecca for all things related to social media.  Check out this links to all things Facebook and Twitter .         

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