A lot of blogs will come up with creative titles and bury the lede to keep you reading—but this one is just the opposite. Read the title, and then read it again.
You might not care about social media, but your potential customers do.
Social media is not everyone’s cup of tea, and that’s totally fine. People have a multitude of reasons to avoid being “logged on” all the time. We aren’t here to invalidate any of those reasons. You do not have to be a social media fan, lover, enthusiast, or even casual user to understand the value it has for businesses. It’s a tool, that when added to your arsenal, can be integral in helping your business grow. We all know word of mouth is the best form of promotion, and what’s the fastest form of word of mouth? Social media!
For your tried-and-true, longterm customers—not having a social media presence isn’t a dealbreaker. They know you and love you, and that’s pretty awesome! But, for those who don’t know you yet, it’s a different experience.
A curated feed can draw a new person in and make them your next regular!
Don’t believe us? Let’s break it down into some actual, real-life scenarios.
Scenario 1: Alex comes in to your store and buys something they really love (food, a hat, a massage). They want to gush about your business on social media, but your business isn’t there. They might still post about your establishment, but they won’t be able to tag you. What this does is create an extra hurdle for all of Alex’s friends to find out about you. They would have to ask, or punch your name into Google and hope for the best. Having an active social media presence removes that burden from potential customers.
Tagging a business allows all of Alex’s friends, with no effort, to see exactly what you’re all about. They can go directly to your account from Alex’s raving review with one click. Up pops your business page with recent photos of what you sell alongside your address and phone number. They can even start interacting with and getting to know you. That is the beginning of building a relationship that brings people back. It keeps you in the forefront of their mind when they’re ready to shop for whatever you sell.
Scenario 2: Alex is looking for somewhere new to get X item. They’ve punched what they’re looking for into Google, and your business name pops up, but your social media is relatively dormant. Since they’ve created no relationship with your business in the past, it’s just easier to scroll to the next business that is obviously open, since they’re active and responsive on social media. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found the Facebook page for a local business that hasn’t made a new post in years, which instantly makes me wary. What if they closed? Is it possible they moved? The hours could have changed! Having an active online presence lets people know you’re open and ready for their business. It also relieves any of their doubts about where you are, your hours, and what you have to offer.
Scenario 3: Alex would like to try something new, but is wary about trying a place they have never been before. Alex wants to learn more about the business before they patronize it.
Business #1 has a website with an address and some information about products here and there, but no social media. Business #2 has an active social media, where their products are showcased and talked about, and questions are being answered in the comments. With all of this information, Alex can get a good idea of what they might encounter before going there.
Which business do you think Alex will choose?
Being easier to find online makes you more accessible to a multitude of new customers.
While it’s not absolutely necessary to have a social media presence in order to see your small business thrive—social media is the new word of mouth. By ignoring it, you’re missing out on a lot of new customers you could be connecting with just by signing up and being active.
Get out there and get posting! If you need help with that, well… we know exactly who you should talk to.
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