Using Social Media
Searching for more leads and new opportunities
- By Lindsay Lougée
- May 01, 2017
Thirty-seven percent of people in the United States
bought one or more smart devices in 2015, and many of
the people in this large consumer market are tech savvy
– so how do you tap into them? Having a broad online
presence with positive messaging can help take your
business to the next level. But, you may ask, “How do I get started?”
BUILD AN EFFECTIVE WEBSITE
No matter how extensive your social media plan is, it won’t matter if
you don’t have a website to direct traffic towards. MONI Smart Security
provides its authorized dealers with a WIX template free of
charge to help them get started. Read their blog post, “How to Showcase
Security Products on an Effective Website,” for more information
on building your online foundation.
GETTING STARTED ONLINE
Once your website is up and running, there are three top mediums
you should target.
Join social networks. Social networks, such as Facebook and
Twitter, give your business a voice and personality that resonates with
consumers. Share photos, customer stories and anything else that will
personalize your organization. This is also a great forum for customer
communication and interaction, so make sure to remain active and
responsive.
As great as social media is for marketing, it’s not successful if you
don’t use it effectively. This includes a content calendar to guide your
conversations, regular updates, and community interaction. While
there’s no single method that applies across every business on when
and what to post, it is agreed that you should target your customers
when they are most likely to pay attention to your posts.
For beginners, there are three social channels you should start
with. Facebook and Twitter get equal or more traffic on the weekends,
while LinkedIn tends to be utilized more during business hours.
Here’s a suggested timeline businesses should strive to emulate.
- Facebook – 2 times per day, every day of the week
- Twitter – 2 times per day, every day of the week
- LinkedIn – once per day, Monday through Friday
Scheduling the time of day for your posts is equally important. The
average life cycle of a tweet is 18 minutes, so it is most beneficial
to send it out while your audience is online and engaged. If you
want to achieve maximum value from your tweets, spread them
out evenly between noon and 11 p.m. Your peak response will be
between 2 to 5 p.m.
Start a blog. Blogging increases your website traffic and drives
consumers organically to your site, creating credibility and recognition.
Below are some content ideas to get you started.
Comparisons. Think about when you go to make a purchase –
you compare different brands of the same product. Often, it’s the
same when exploring new services.
- Compare differences between panel types, package levels and
other choices customers have.
- Compare your company services to other local and national companies.
What makes you stand out?
Tell them what’s best. Customers enjoy seeing what the newest
trends and products are. When making a buying decision, consumers
want to pick the best solution for them and will seek several opinions
before making a purchase. Make your blog a go-to for news and information
on industry changes.
- What are the best solutions for keeping your family safe?
- Here are the 50 best practices for a secure home.
Break news. Be on top of your game and beat your competitors
to the punch as the voice of your industry. Posting about real-time
breaking news can have an enormous impact on the level of engagement
people have with your blog. It can also influence customers to
consider you an industry leader and a credible, trustworthy source of
information.
- Burglary alerts for your location
- Notices on updates to laws and regulations
Be human. Engage with your audience. Be their friend. Make it
personal. Tell the community about activities and events that you and
your company are participating in, and include photos and personal
experiences to help create a connection.
Ask questions. Create conversation and find out what your target
audience is thinking to better serve them.
Typical bloggers post 2 to 3 times per week. This doesn’t overwhelm
your audience but keeps them engaged in your blog. To make
things easier, plan out blog ideas in advance so you’re always prepared.
Try blogging within a schedule – a content calendar will help
to get you used to the idea of writing as you build a routine. Start
slowly and ramp it up when you’re ready. Try starting with one blog
post a week. Most importantly, have fun with it!
ASK FOR REVIEWS
Reviews are the lifeblood of many dealers’ businesses. Take advantage
of this medium by setting up and completing your online profiles on
sites such as Yahoo.com, Google, and Angie’s List.
Next, ask customers that have positive experiences to write you a
review online and direct them to the sites that are most important to
your business. Make it easy by posting a link in an email or on your
website. You can also put this information on business cards and have
your techs ask for reviews if the customer has a positive experience.
No matter what you choose to do, be genuine, consistent, and engaging
with your content and you will make an impact.
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Security Today.