What marketing lesson did Fort McMurray give small business owners everywhere? Neil Young's recent comment “Fort McMurray looks like Hiroshima” drew a quick, angry reaction from local residents who wanted to speak out. Their comments and images on Twitter are an excellent example of the power of social media. Here’s how your business can learn more from this great lesson.
This Twitter hashtag was quickly established and used by the residents of Fort McMurray to make their point. Twitter served as a marketing tool to show a part of the community that no one was talking about – the natural beauty of Fort McMurray. This hashtag served as an effective, viral, no cost travel and tourism marketing initiative. Was the response passionate? Did it cause some people to say – Wow, I didn’t know Fort McMurray was that beautiful? See for yourself.
From Huffingtonpost.ca - #MyHiroshima Responds To Neil Young's Oilsands Criticism
Everywhere I speak to small business owners, here’s what I hear…
I get it. Social Media is huge. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest. It’s all very overwhelming. Which forms of social media are good for me and where do I start?
Here’s the best post I have read to date. The name says it all Social Media Exposed: Which Platform is Best for Your Business and How to Get the Most From It. Written in September 2013, it’s very current.
It’s a great guide for small business owners. I have used it for my own business and have recommended it to many business owners. It educates you on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest. The post explains each form of social media based on your sales model being either B2B – Business to Business or B2C – Business to Consumer.
There are great guides online free of charge. I find Hubspot to be a great resource to small business owners. You will have to provide your contact information to download the free copies. That’s a marketing lesson in itself, yet worth your time and effort. Click Away.
Facebook: Facebook For Business
Twitter: How To Use Twitter For Business
YouTube: SEO for YouTube: How To Search Optimize Video for B2B Marketing
Google+: An Introduction To Google+ For Business
LinkedIn: An Introduction to LinkedIn For Business
Pinterest: How To Optimize And Measure Your Pinterest Business Account
Before you put in time and effort in investigating social media, I have one strong message for you.
Ensure your website is functioning to 100% of its capability.
You don’t own any the forms of social media. I don’t think Mark Zuckerberg is going to ask for your opinion before making changes to Facebook. You own and control your website. It is an important to the success of your company as its retail location. Maybe even more, considering that its the first place customers will go when considering a purchase.
Drive all traffic to your website. Ensure it’s current. If you are having problems with your web provider, hire one who gets it. Consider running social media updates through your website. Your website should be the control center for all of your business activity. That can also include one other powerful form of social media.
Blogging allows you the opportunity to engage customers. A blog is not a self-promotional piece – no sale items and propaganda please. It’s an opportunity to establish your company as a leader in your field. Great content from the reader’s perspective needs to be the focus of your blog.
Here’s a great guide to Blogging from Hubspot - An Introduction To Business Blogging
Try not to get too intimidated. Start with the first link above and pick the one form of social media that makes the best sense for your business. Do the best job you can do with it before starting another. Pick the one you know you can do properly based on resources. That’s after you ensure you are 100% satisfied with your website.
If you have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help.
Should you be interested in Business Consulting Services or Sales Training for you or your staff, please click…
Dave Warawa – PROSALESGUY
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