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Originally Posted by Lis Sowerbutts  @leela I can see the place for social media for building your business brand - which is what i assume you do - but the OP is talking about a furniture store - no one don't needs tweets from furniture stores - maybe an email list with this month's specials - but I can't see social media working for a product based business. |
Hi Lis
I'd like to offer you another perspective....here is the text of my ezine for next week...
quote- Twitter is fast approaching a crossroads; Is it built to last... or will it fail
to bring in real business results?
Wikipedia defines Twitter as a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read updates called Tweets.
Now, we have all heard about celebrities tweeting about this and that including Hugh Jackman’s tweet about relaxing on the harbour in front of the Opera Centre.
But, what can organizations expect beyond the networking basics?
Well, you need to have a gameplan first which includes:
• Some research into what people are saying or not saying about your business. There’s a great little tool called Twazzup for that.
• Some objectives... like increase revenue or reduce costs or to build social equity. ie. your brand
• A strategy... please keep reading.
• And finally, the right technology platforms to implement your strategy.
Strategy? You can have various strategies.
For instance, you can use Twitter to make Sales just like DellOutlet did when they added $1,000,000 in revenue.
Or you can use it for Marketing like HomeDepot does when they announce new product launches.
And what about Customer Service... the JetBlue airline advises of delays using Twitter.
And B2B Communications like event updates.
However... the Really Big Point is that conversations are taking place on Twitter every day either with you or without you. If you don’t want to participate then that’s fine but at least listen... because it’s about how your customers relate to your business which is not always exactly how you planned.
A word of caution.... Who really is knowledgeable when it comes to social media? Lots of people think they know it from a personal perspective but not from a business perspective.
“One of the dangers to the effective adoption of social media as a marketing strategy is the large percentage of those who consider themselves knowledgeable but have no social media experience. Their overconfidence in unproven ability can doom social media initiatives to failure” – Marketing Sherpa 2009 Social Media Marketing & PR Benchmark Guide -end quote