Poke, Tweet, friend ... profit
Social websites as money-spinners
Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are online social networks that can keep you busy all day long. But they are for more than just killing time, playing online games and connecting with friends, fans and family. The networks are also emerging as a powerful yet low-cost promotional tool for companies, large and small. If you run a small business or are just planning one, ignore them at your peril. Many of your competitors already jumped on the bandwagon, and are networking their way to enhanced credibility and new customers. The old saying that "birds of a feather flock together" means that people with prior connections or similar interests interact. This aspect of social networking can help businesses to grow and thrive. Small businesses traditionally grew through word of mouth; the recommendations of satisfied customers. But 'word of mouth' is slower than the social networks' 'word of mouse'. Artists, musicians and celebrities in Bangladesh first started to promote themselves with the Fan Pages of Facebook. But businesses can also use of such features. Just as a company website is a good and affordable business strategy, putting a company on social networks provides a way to advertise yourself and your business at a very low cost. It similarly tells prospective clients how your business operates and what services or products you offer. If you have a small clothing or accessories line, these networks can let you reach out to potential buyers and rapidly communicate endorsements that are trusted by others. You can display your designs or and accept orders online -- or even expand your reach worldwide without leaving the country. If you run a shop, you can use these networks to advertise or let people know about latest offers, discounts or new products that have arrived. If you provide any sort of service -- such as legal, health, maintenance or consulting -- the networks could reach customers who rarely consume other media, or at least the media where you can afford to advertise. The networks are no longer a meeting place of the young. All ages and interests interact in complex webs. If at some point your target's browsing session comes to you, and he visits your business profile, your profile must interest him. If so, then congratulations; you just got yourself some business for free! There are few rules about using social networks, but there is etiquette to observe as well as strategies you can employ. Experiment with multiple networks, but focus on one or two. Facebook is the leader, but it's a good idea to set up a personal profile there to promote your business, rather than a business account. With a business account on Facebook you can view all the pages and social ads, however, you cannot view the profiles of users, cannot be found via a search, and cannot send or even receive friend requests. Fill out your profile as completely. This will help you start to establish your brand. Start with your contact information, including your personal website. Search using key terms such as Business Networking, Business Marketing, Intellectual Property and so on to look for people and businesses in your industry. A list featuring People, Pages, Groups, Applications, Events, Web Results, Posts by Friends and Posts by Everyone found as a result of your search will appear. Search often, as new profiles are added every day. Click on the link for People and scroll through looking for potential leads and contacts. Send 'friend' invites to anyone whom you feel would be a good contact for your business. Search for groups and fan pages relevant to your business, or whose fans you feel would benefit from your products and services. Click the link to become a fan and then introduce yourself to others in the group. Return often to the groups you join and post things that you feel will interest the group. Don't just 'poke' people; that's annoying. Be nice, fun, witty, interesting and brief. Post tidbits that are amusing or relevant to your field regularly on your Profile Page, Groups, Fan Pages and Discussion Boards, to keep your group members coming back for more. Remember that when person connects with you, you might connect with everyone with whom they are connected, and thus grow your client base.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments