How to better manage the time you waste on social media
The introduction of Social Media into our lives has literally rocked our proverbial world. People who were once worlds apart are now just at the very end of our fingertips. Grandparents are totally in touch with their growing grandchildren who are living continents apart; families who are separated by work are able to keep in touch almost instantly with updates from social media platforms like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook.
Today you shouldn’t write letters as long as custom research papers to tell everything that you want. Social Media makes our communication much easier and more pleasant.
The two most popular media platforms, Facebook and Twitter can actually open up a world so much wider than just checking up on what your ex was doing on the weekend. And the best part it is totally free. Using social media networks like Facebook can have a huge impact in marketing ones ideas, products, services and businesses, which is starting to make large ad campaigns superfluous for the small business owner.
If you use these platforms correctly, you may never even need a website or a shop window, and people from all over the world can see everything you have to offer. Make jewellery from home?
Facebook and Twitter are the perfect platforms to showcase your wares. Upload a small brief about who you are and what you do, include good quality, recent photos of your designs, add prices, post an email address and other contact info and you could start getting customers almost immediately.
Word of mouth is the most rapid fire sure way of getting your point, sales pitch or opinion across. When it comes to sales, marketing and ads, social networking is your word of mouth – but faster than the speed of sound. But make no mistake; it works for negative press in the opposite direction too.
Apart from the obvious social aspect of these platforms, which enables friends and families to stay in tough, real time over different time zones, it has emerged that social media is one of the most incredible marketing tools.
If you are not sure how to make use of these platforms, to market your services or goods, you are not alone. It would almost appear to be that the younger generation has the monopoly on social media – but don’t let that put you off, they are your potential clients after all.
Here some tips on how to effectively use social media platforms to your advantage.
Get into the 21st Century
Read up about Facebook, open up an account and learn how to use it. If you find it confusing, find somebody who uses Facebook or Twitter regularly, and let them help you set up an account. Your teenage children might be a great start, but don’t let them do it for you, learning how to use these platforms will keep you on the ball.
Look at what other people are doing
Explore what other businesses, crafters or service providers are doing that are in your field, get some ideas and make sure your ideas are more progressive, with clearer outlines, better service and great prices. ‘’Like’’ your competitor on your page, if you feel you would like to be associated with them, and you can keep an eye on them as well.
Regular Updates
Although it may seem like a bit of a pain, it will be worth it to check in on your Facebook page and Twitter account every day. People like to see a healthy page that is updated every day, if not more, engages them as clients and finds out through a bit of on the spot market research, what their clients want. It’s an instant lifestyle, if people post a query on your company’s page, they expect an instant reply, or they just move on to the competitor.
Stay Current
Educate yourself in the ways of internet marketing and social media platforms. There are even companies that will personally design your Facebook cover page for you, load all of your information and keep the graphics up to date.
You can even hire a student or techie to manage your Facebook page and or Twitter account, in order to maintain a presence and stay current every day, as you would hire somebody to manage your web page as well.
