Is being social a hassle?

The hype of being social online seems to be the top of every conversation lately. Not very many people turn to the yellow pages in search of a local listing anymore. With the creation of smart phones the new generation says “I can  Google that”. Within seconds you can find out the exact location of their facility and what they offer. If you’re the one company out there that isn’t being social ask yourself “how can my customers find me?”

Did you know that more people spend time on their phone (primarily social media) at work, home, and while out and about. They take photos and post them online showing all their friends what they did that exact minute. They check in to every location they stop at. When you can become friends with someone for the first time on social media you can find out within minutes what their hobbies are and where they work.

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Why does that matter to you as a business owner? Well…ask yourself who are you trying to target? Who purchases or uses your product? Who needs your services? When you promote your business via social media you are showing the world (yes the whole world) what kind of company you are. By telling your story via photos, post, and comments your potential customers gather information about the company. Showing photos of your finished products you can reach someone who searches online for the exact item. Then they can check your social sites out, view your company values and read reviews on the products to make their decision.

Do you think we all want to spend $100.00 on a hoodie? Do you think we enjoy paying for a service (like lawn mowing) that we can do our self? Probably not. However there is a reason why we put a value on an item or a service and have no problem paying for it. Maybe it’s because they share the same passion. Maybe the company is local to you and you want to keep your hard earned money local. Or maybe it’s because you once started your company with $100 and want to help the next small business owner succeed.

This is where social media comes in. Today I searched online for a sporting goods store in my local area because I was looking for a specific blue football helmet. Three companies came up. I will call them A, B, and C. Company A showed up in my search with an address and phone number, Company B showed up with adress, Phone number and a website that didn't specifically show the different options of helmet colors, Company C showed up with address (including map) phone number, hours, (no website) and links to social media sites. First thing I did was click on the social media ( Facebook) site of Company C. The second post on their site was exactly what I was looking for. The photo showed the blue football helmet on sale and in stock and was posted about an hour prior. Since I already knew their hours, location and that the helmet was in stock I had no reason to call the other two places. Even though those other two places may have had the item on sale and in stock as well I saved the hassle of calling around.

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People now a days shop like this. If a potential customer is searching for a  powder coating shop in their local area and you don’t have a website they won’t find you unless they physically pick up the old phone book or happen to drive by. Social media sites like  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and so on are FREE. No charge and easy to set up and maintain. When you add yourself to the social media world you’re adding yourself to the world. When someone searches online for a  powder coating shop in your town they will notice your social media site in the search engine. Even though you may or may not have a website they can see your updates, photos of past work, read reviews, and get location/hours of operation.

Being social isn’t a hassle. It’s a part of creating a presence for your company as well as making it easier for potential customers to locate you. And with that means more income.