A website is a must, but it’s no longer enough to make your practice stand out from the crowd. Online marketing is quickly becoming a marketing game-changer. According to Forbes, 54% (and that number is growing) of small and midsize businesses are using social media to promote their businesses and it’s working for them: 60% credit social media with positively impacting their businesses, 46% said their company’s brand awareness has increased and 36% have attracted new business as a result of their social media efforts.
Social media can give small businesses a step up and a level playing field in the marketplace, allowing them to engage directly with current and potential customers, educate them about your business/profession, your products and services, and establish credibility and trust, all before anyone walks through your door. Plus, many social media sites are free and fairly simple to use.
Where the big guys have a leg up however is in their ability to put time and manpower into their online strategies! That’s where many small to mid-sized businesses feel the pinch. They figure they can’t possibly compete and as a result, let their online profiles, pages, and blogs sit stagnant and sour. That’s when we find that many revert back to what’s familiar; yellow pages, newspaper, printed fliers, and find they no longer produce results. Let’s face it; your customers just aren’t there any longer. No, they’re on their laptop, iPad and mobile phone!
Online is where it’s at and we’re here to tell you that it’s possible for any business to leverage social media and experience the benefits that go along with it! The secret is in the strategy.
Watch for our next post when we’ll continue the discussion and reveal two common misconceptions about online marketing that may be hindering your social media results.
