Manitoba Chamber of Commerce
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/70344
HOW by Pat St. Germain If social media isn't part of your marketing plan, it's time to get with the program. "Facebook, I think, has over 800 million, almost 900 million people on it, so your customers are there. You want to be on it," says Susan Hurrell, marketing and communications expert at Modern Earth Web Design. When customers "like" you on Facebook, their friends are notified, which can drive traffic to your website. Hurrell says it's a great way to show off your staff and promote your company, and maintaining a professional page can protect your brand. "There have been instances where people have created pages because that company's name wasn't protected," she says. " So you should definitely own your name in all the digital spaces." Hurrell says there's a growing interest in Pinterest, a site that lets users set up virtual pin boards where they gather photos and inspiration for weddings, home decor, fashions and anything else that strikes their fancy. Pinned photos are automatically linked back to their original websites so users can source products they like instantly. And Twitter can be a hub for all your social media accounts. Just make sure your followers aren't subjected to a daily barrage of tweets. "I personally think that Twitter is the least understood and most abused social media tool," Hurrell says. "It has huge potential to deliver information, but it does get overused." It doesn't take any special skill to create Twitter and Facebook accounts — users just have to follow simple onscreen instructions. But businesses need a game plan to use social media effectively, and that often requires a shift in thinking. "All social media channels are meant to be somewhat conversational, and a lot of businesses haven't figured that part out yet — that it's not a broadcast medium," she says. "You want to post information, but you want to engage your readers and you want people to ask you questions or retweet or share or pass on your information to their own group of followers in a quietly persistently viral way." Businesses that use Twitter successfully act as a conduit of information, passing on select items from people they follow, along with original tweets. SOCIAL MEDIA STAR: Susan Hurrell has the inside track on Internet communications MBiz June 2012 39 TWEET IT IS CONNECTS WITH CUSTOMERS SOCIAL MEDIA If you're new to Twitter, follow interesting people and start sharing one nugget a day as you gradually build followers. If you can't tweet daily, you should at least have a regular schedule so followers know when to expect information. For example, Westjet followers know the airline posts seat sales every Thursday, along with almost daily retweets of compliments and comments from passengers. "The ability to communicate directly and conversationally with your clients or potential clients, with your customers, with your community, is a huge win. It can really differentiate you from your competition," Hurrell says. Businesses should have a designated tweeter — someone who understands their brand and can respond quickly to questions as well as complaints. "People are really so afraid that somebody is going to say something negative," Hurrell says. "Well, people are talking badly about your business already — that's a fact of life." At least if they're bad-mouthing you on social media, you have an opportunity to address it quickly. "Social media is part of a comprehensive marketing mix," Hurrell says. "I don't believe that it's either or, but in your print advertising you need to mention your website, you need to put your Twitter handle, you need to say follow us on Facebook."