MARKETING
The SMEs surveyed by LinkedIn shared their top five uses for social media : 1 ) delivering content and new information about their company ; 2 ) advertising to help increase awareness ; 3 ) generating wordof-mouth about the company ; 4 ) maintaining a company presence and identity online ; and 5 ) for promotional purposes and to provide deals to consumers .
“ The biggest issues for SMEs related to the use of social media come down to two things ,” said Grace , “ first – getting it right . Social media can also be extremely damaging to a brand and make a company look amateurish if not executed well . Second is consistency ; engaging with customers is great with relevant content , but ensuring it ’ s not an initial burst that then fades away is also a common mistake .”
By using your company ’ s social media platforms in these ways , you open more chances for dialogue about your company ’ s products and services . Create a marketing strategy that puts your company in front of its clients on a more regular basis so that you can communicate with them through a more casual setting . In addition , this casual and personable atmosphere creates a more receptive audience .
Fulfil sales-boosting content needs The number one challenge companies , particularly SMEs , have in today ’ s market is attracting new , businesssustaining customers . Many markets are saturated with similar options for products or services . A creative
34 September 2014