contractor success EXPLORING Social Media Sites Online options to build customer relations and improve business affordably. By: Joe Napoli S Social media is one of the biggest buzz words in the business world, and it’s some-thing that everyone says you need, but not everyone understands how to use. We interviewed two experts in the field of social media about how small businesses can best utilize it for public relations and marketing purposes. And, while Facebook is still the most im-portant social media site, there are others that you should be using to help improve your customer relations and get the word out about your operation, according to the experts. He also recommends that you post regularly, at least a couple times per week, and that you have some humor and per-sonality in your posts, so that people ap-preciate them. Social media is about building up loyalty and community, according to Atkins. He said it’s important to respond back to people on Facebook that contact you, and create posts that are designed around the types of things that your customer base is interested in. Facebook isn’t just about getting new customers, but keeping ones you have, ac-cording to Atkins. Professional Connections On LinkedIn While Facebook is still the most important social media website, there are many others Facebook: The 800 Pound Gorilla Facebook may have lost some of its “cool factor” with the youth, but Blane Russell, president of Social Eyes Marketing, says it is still the most important social media website. “Make sure you’re doing Facebook in a big way, because it’s the 800 pound gorilla,” he says. J.R. Atkins is the author of the book “So-cial Media 2.0,” and also a speaker and con-sultant on social media. He says, “Facebook is definitely the place to start, and then grow based upon your market and what you learn from Facebook.” The experts have some tips on making Facebook a good use of your time. Facebook isn’t just about selling to peo-ple; it’s also about entertaining them, ac-cording to Russell. “Everyone’s natural nature is to try to sell all the time, but if you want to get liked, amuse them, and they’ll like your page” he says. “Ask open ended questions, and you’ll start a conversation rather than turn people off with a sales pitch.” Social media is an important business tool that more owners, operators and workers need to learn to utilize to increase their exposure and reach. August 2014 32 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® Images courtesy of Burak Cakmak/iStock/Thinkstock
CMM – Archives August 2014: 32
