Most people who run their own business, or even if you work for a company, may be experiencing the pre-Christmas rush, before the quiet start to the year, which is normal (at least in my experiences with companies in New Zealand). Many put their marketing on the backburner because they know the quiet time is coming up, and they are so busy with fulfilling the last of the 2012 orders for products and services. But with the increased use of technology, Christmas is the best time to be on Social Media. With an increasing amount of people getting connected up to sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, this can be the prime time to convert your target market into a potential customer in 2013 by just being there.
People may be taking time off work, or going away on holiday, but Social Media is not something they can escape, and many will be online over the break to keep up with the news, which is the prime time to get to them. They will be in a more relaxed head space, which is the best time to target them. Throughout the year, people are busy with their jobs, or running their business, that business proposals from others may get swept under the carpet until ‘a quieter time'. But it will usually get lost on their inbox, or somewhere in their brain, and a way to remind them, or even get in front of new potential customers is now!
So what are some tips you can take on board to help you with your Social Media for your business or work?
1. If you are employed by a company who are looking for more sales (what profit making company won't be?), take a look around to see what jobs you can take on or suggest the company do on Social Media, or have a shop around for Social Media companies that can help you get results (like my SocialeMedia, plug, plug, plug).
2. Set up a Facebook Page. Whether you're B2B or B2C, you need Facebook in most cases. Facebook is the billboard of the Social Media world, and with Facebook searches for industries, products and services overtaking Google over the last couple of years, if someone is out there searching for your company or industry, if you do not have a good presence on Facebook (or none at all!), users will basically assume that you just don't exist!
3. Get clear on your target market and do some research about what social networks they are most likely to be on, and set up company profiles on there. If for no other reason, so it for your SEO – this means every time someone searches for you through a search engine, your company is more likely to get higher rankings if their keywords are the same as what's on your profiles, which will push your company to higher search engine results. To find out what exact keywords people are searching for in relation to your company, I suggest the Google Adwords Keyword Tool – it's free even if you don't advertise with Google Adwords, and will show you the amounts of searches that are being made by country or internationally that relate to your industry, products and services. Once you have the right keywords, make sure to include them in your descriptions in the social network profiles you've set up.
4. Search for people looking for your business. Of course it helps if your business is seasonal (e.g. you sell BBQs, and it just so happens to be summer in New Zealand), because more people will be searching for you, but try going on Google, Facebook, and Twitter and searching for keywords or statements your target market might be looking for. As an example, our Social Media updaters who maintain Social Media for clients have a set process where they will go out and look for forums and people searching for something specific; in the case of for example a hotel, we would be going online and searching for keywords such as ‘looking accommodation wellington 2013' or ‘looking hotel wellington'. And guess what, people actually search for these things! The only thing you have to do is find those people, and tell them about what services you offer that can help them in their situation, and boom – you may very well be in business! You may say "I usually call up a place or search the internet if I'm looking for accommodation for a date" for example. The thing is, just because you don't, doesn't mean others aren't. We live in a transparent world where people are more than happy to go out to the internet and voice their questions, in search for an answer. You can be that answer for them, so don't waste the opportunity!
5. Start brainstorming a Social Media Strategy for 2013. We of course can help you there, but while you have some downtime over the break, once you've done some research, why not take a crack at trying to come up with a plan for how Social Media can fit into your marketing and sales in the new year. Focus on how you will market, engage, convert, and track results.
I hope you do take at least a couple of hours during the break to look into Social Media for 2013. The reality is that your target markets are out there, and they may actually be even more attentive to your offering over the holidays, so take the opportunity, and find them to help by offering them your business!
All the very best, and onwards, into 2013!
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