Using Social Media to Your Advantage | Companies Already Doing So
Even if you feel you are “behind the curve” with technology and all that social media has to offer, it’s never too late to use the tools social media can provide to a company. With more advancements and creations for social networking, the possibilities are seemingly endless. (There is only so much social media can do for you, but that “so much” can equate to a lot!)
Here are some great examples of companies doing it right, like Best Buy and eBay who are using social media to its full potential. They are integrating the components of social media with their advertising efforts and are getting connected with customers by offering things of value, like eBay offering free WiFi. Customers are more likely to return to you after you’ve gained their trust, and at times that can be done with something free.
Jeff Bulla of Jeffbulla’s Blog also wrote a nice summary of a study done on Fortune 500 companies and Inc. 500 companies.
“This research proves once again that social media has penetrated parts of the business world at a tremendous speed. It also indicates that corporate familiarity with and usage of social media within the Inc. 500 has continued to grow in the past 12 months.” (You can read the rest of his blog post here.)
I’ve stressed it many times before (and I’ll do so again) that social media is an important (and vital) part of any business plan and has proven itself to be a necessary component of PR plans as well. Social media has made life a little easier for PR professionals: with the ability to connect to customers directly, social media is no longer simply a social networking tool but a PR tool to connect and communicate with buyers directly.
Hop on the bandwagon; don’t be afraid of change! Don’t ignore the Internet, and go above and beyond having just a company website. Play around with the online tools and have fun. Just remember that your customers are not there to be advertised to. They are there to connect with you and perhaps even walk away with something of value.
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