If you are spending time trying to come up with a sure-fire social media strategy for your business or organization, there are some things you should remember. There are certain key tasks that leverage the effectiveness of a social media strategy. In this post, I break down four tasks that should be the cornerstone of your social media strategy.
Engage
Social media is a two way street. It is the ultimate in communication for business owners as they interact with customers and potential customers. A business that comes to the social media marketplace and announces its products and specials without responding to those who try to engage will be ignored. Don’t make the mistake of thinking all you have to do is promote your business without any kind of engagement with customers.
Edify/Enrich
Communicate something that edifies and enriches your customers’ lives. Offer helpful hints and advice. Further, don’t be preachy.
Your blog is the ideal place to do this. For example, a coffee shop could offer tips in their blog on how to grind their customers’ coffee beans. What kind of tips could you offer your customers that can be helpful to them and cultivate a sense of enrichment for your customers?
Empower
Empower your customers to be evangelists for your business. Tell them it’s o.k. to check in at your place of business (geo-social networking) through Foursquare and Gowalla. Encourage them by offering discounts, specials, etc for those that do. Encourage them to share with their friends and families how much they love your business by giving them a place to “like” your business via Facebook or tweet about you on Twitter.
Energize
Energize your customer base with special for being a part of your social network. Create deals that are designed for your Facebook fans, twitter followers, etc. Run a contest through your social media channels. Do something to reward customers who follow and promote you via social media.
Ask yourself when you engage in your social media, “Am I either engaging, edifying, empowering or energizing?” These are the fundamental cornerstones to your social media strategy.