11 Tips for Generating Leads through Social Media

Social media is where the people are… Is your business there? It should be and here are a few reasons why.

66% of all adult Americans are on line, in one or more social media platforms. Of them Facebook has 845 million active users, Twitter has 127 million active users, Linkedin has 150 million registered users, Google + has 90 million unique visitors and Pinterest, our newest social media player, has 21 million unique visitors.

So you ask, how do I harness this information for my business? How do I generate business leads that turn into sales? The key to social media marketing is no different per say than any other form of marketing and advertising. The most important component is devising a clear strategic plan and setting short and long term goals. The difference’s that are seen in marketing and advertising today is that content is king… be it a blog article, a Facebook post, or a Twitter tweet, so how do you generate leads via social media????

1.      Consistency:  It is important that if you start a social media Campaign that you stick with it. Social Media is no different than any other networking group, event, or organization. Perspective client’s want to know that you are going to show up and follow through.

2.      Segment your message by audience demographics. Most of today’s social sites have a tool that enables you to target your message to specific demographic groups by age, sex, geographical location, schools, colleges and income

3.      Keyword Placement: Just as it is important to utilize keyword placement on your website it is also advantageous to utilize your keyword phrases in social media. Think what word or combination of words would describe your business if they couldn’t remember the name and use the in your social media copy.

4.      Strategic Partnerships: Most businesses share a client with another company or several other companies. Creating a social media partnership with these businesses, where you share each other’s content, will help to establish you as an expert within your industry.

5.      Content: Create a message that people can relate too. Speak like a real person. Share a story or use humor both of which helps to create authenticity as well as relationships. People want to feel that they know the people they are doing business with.

6.      Feedback: Always reply to the comments that are posted on your social sites, people appreciate it. They want to know that their comments have been seen and valued.

7.      iCon’s:  Social Media icon’s make it easier for others find you and to share your information. Place them on all of your various social media sites, website, and printed material.

8.       Contribute: Many Non-profit companies are now using social media to educate the public about their charitable organizations. Sharing their information establishes you and your company as a team player and solidifies your community standing

9.      Share Your Knowledge:  Share tips on how to do it yourself. Others will appreciate it and it will help to establish your expertise in your industry.

10.   Contest: Contests are a great way to get people involved in your business, just make sure you understand the policies on the different social sites regarding contests.

11.   Call to Action, A good “call to action” statement will help you close those sales. The most important thing to remember though is like you, no one like the hard sale, so use something that’s fun and creative.

Now that we have discussed a few of the many ways you can generate business using social media it is important to note that like all marketing and advertising platforms it takes time, consistency, and a strategic plan to be successful.