Laurel Tielis

Remember Stop the Insanity! Susan Powter’s 1993 book on overambitious dieters? That’s where small business owners are today, in terms of social media. They’re overwhelmed.

I cover a lot of events–from the NY Times Small Business Summit to the National Retail Federation’s Innovate Conference, to my last post about  Inc. magazine’s panel in San Francisco, Using Technology to Drive Growth--and meet a lot of small business owners. Most are already wearing a myriad of hats. Social media is just one more, and sadly, it’s one that doesn’t fit very well.

What’s the problem?

There’s an abundance, maybe even an overabundance, of social media choices. New ones come along daily. Let’s just start with Twitter. To tweet or not to tweet? And if so, what to tweet? And how often to do it?

How about Facebook? Should it be a site solely for reaching out and engaging with customers or clients, or should it be a home for e-commerce?

Then there’s blogging, LinkedIn, Groupon, and Foursquare. And coming down the pike, Google+. What’s a business owner to do? How does a retailer separate the sites to find social media success?

Think of a Smorgasbord 

Smorgasbords are great; they offer a tremendous variety of foods. But as you know, when you load your plate with everything, you walk away full, but dissatisfied. It’s wiser to sample several  items, and then choose what suits your palate.

Pick your social media choices as wisely as your food choices. If someone at your table is extolling the sausages, and you’re a vegetarian, as good as they may be, they’re still not right for you. Do what’s right for you.

Make Social Media Work for You

Start your social media campaign slowly, and invest your time and energy wisely. For example, if you keep on top of what’s happening in your business through online articles, share the links with others. Brief tweets several times a  day will keep followers following–put in a promotional tweet only after eight or 10 informational one .

Have a story to tell and not interested in the Reader’s Digest condensed version? Create a blog that you publish regularly (mine, for example, goes out twice weekly on Mondays and Thursdays).

The point is, don’t do everything. Choose one form of social media and get good at it. Add a second only when you have a comfort level with the first. And remember, while the message has to be in your voice, you don’t have to write it. You can oversee someone on staff, or hire someone who specializes in writing about your industry to do it.

If you want your customer base to really “like” you, give them a reason to do so. Give them information, entertain them, or try an online event–like a webinar or a flash sale. Make sure your audience sees you value them, and then they’ll value you.

Want more ideas about bringing in business? I can help. I’ve been a retail reporter at Women’s Wear Daily and Home Furnishings News, a columnist at the Miami Herald and a correspondent at Peoplemagazine.

I’ve also handled the marketing and public relations at major corporations and small businesses. Need a speaker or a consultant? Get in touch at ringupmoresales@gmail.com. Or, for easy and effective ways to bring in more business, read Ka-Ching! How to Ring Up More Sales.

Copyright © 2011 Laurel Tielis

Filed under: business, retail Tagged: | communications, customer engagement, customer relations, marketing, social media