Three tricks to use when venturing into social media marketing

A majority of the population around the world is now accessing Internet on phone, a device that is in nearly everyone’s pocket or purse, and one which most people use almost non-stop. For most people, social media is their online home and brings together a captive audience for business or social affairs. Social media is an irrefutably effective platform for marketing and marketing mavens have harnessed it to connect with clients and make a fortune.

NETWORK
Social media marketing, however, appears deceptively simple. Yet not everyone who has used it for marketing tells rosy stories.
In many ways, the principles for social media and marketing are the same. Social media exists to connect people, delight them with good experience and influence them enough to bring other people into the network. Social media succeeds when you like what it offers, sign up and tag your friends along.

RELATIONSHIP
Likewise, marketing is all about connection: Connecting with clients in unique ways. It’s not a one-off event. Successful marketing requires building an enduring relationship with clients so that in return, they can patronise your services and keep your business buzzing.
But it takes hard work to catch, convince and keep clients long enough to buy your services or goods. There are three important practices that underpin success in social media marketing.

EVERGREEN
Target wisely. Select one or two of the social media channels that reach a majority of your intended audience and make the most of them. Posting content on every available social media channel to market your goods is spreading your resources too thin and it is counterproductive.
On the selected channels, ensure that the message is concise, consistent and regularly updated. One message or occasional messages, pictures or videos won’t work. The marketing team should keep the platform evergreen and fresh by placing content that meshes well with existing clients or potential clients.

FOLLOW-UP
Don’t sell, tell. People desire to know how your product or service will add value to their lives. They don’t want to be sold to; they detest receiving tones of messages meant to sell. Don’t even extol the features of your product. Instead, tell the benefits. People want to know how the product will solve their itching problems — and that’s when they buy.
Follow-up. Fortune is in follow-up. Social medial strategy for marketing should ideally be a means to initial connection with clients, followed by in-person meetings. It’s through the old, tried and tested face-to-face meetings that you can persuade a client to buy, by matching his needs to the solution you are selling.

The writer is an informatics specialist. Email: [email protected] @samwambugu2