Develop Foundational Marketing Messages for Social Media

Today, business owners understand they need to have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and some of the targeted niche sites for their particular industry.  But what most business fail to see is that social media is only one aspect of creating a profitable business.  In other words, there are Six Marketing Tactics that should be developed before engaging in social media.  They will help when designing and implementing your social media platform.  Social media will enhance your ongoing efforts to build your base of customers and expand your reach into the market.

Each tactic is designed for you to create a solid foundation of communication with your current and future customer.  Most of these tactics are low cost or no cost.  Just knowing what to do next is just as important than getting a new customer.  These tactics are how you interact with your customers and how they perceive you and your business.  You may already be developing these tactics or just working with a couple of them.  When you consistently have your business messages involved in all six categories at the same time, then you have a solid foundation to move into social media.  This isn't the answer to all businesses nor do we make any claim that if you do implement these tactics that your business will expand.  However, if you do implement these ideas and move forward, you may see improvement even with your current customers.

6 Main Marketing Tactics

1. Business Communications
• Business Communications means everything you do as part of your daily operations and a marketing tool.  For example, using your email address to promote your business.
2. Networking and Personal Marketing
• Networking is everything you do to connect with others.  Networking extends beyond you business day as you are always interacting with others, and everyone you know is a potential customer or referral source.
3. Advertising and email
• Advertising and email can either be very effective marketing tools and/or very large wastes of time and money.  Nearly all advertising (78% - 90%) dollars are 100% wasted!  For your advertising dollars to be cost effective, you must must target your marketing.  Put research statistics, scientific data, and the principals of psychology to work!  Forget what you've been doing.
4. Public Relations
• Public Relations is one of the most effective, least understood marketing tools.  Public Relations is everything your business does relative to what the public knows and/or thinks about your business.  This includes Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Linked In and many other social sites.  It also includes the traditional methods of writing Press Releases to local media outlets, articles to trade publications and how you are perceived in the community.
5. Promotions
• Promotions are special events (or tactics) with the specific purpose of generating new prospects for your business. 
6. Customer Development
• Customer Development and Customer Base Marketing using specific marketing tactics targeted at your current customer base for the sole purpose of developing them into better, more valuable customers for you business.

During the next several weeks, I will explain each tactic in depth.  I will offer suggestions and give ideas on how to develop an easy system for you to implement. I will also explain the basic understanding of social media and what users need to know to get started.  It's not complicated and information is all over the Internet if you have time to find it.  For most businesses it's a time factor to stay up to date and be consistent with your message.  However, just know what to do next is just as important as getting that next customer.  Hopefully we can help your message get out on a consistent basis and bring in that next  new customer.

Thanks,
Scott