Social Media Jump Starts Relationships

Submitted by peek on Thu, 04/12/2012 - 1:06pm

Social Media Jump Starts Relationships

So, have you taken my advice and built yourself a Facebook page or a twitter account? Have you acquired 50 friends and followers yet? If so, congratulations. If not, is it because you are intimidated or feel you are too old? Do you still feel like an outsider? Well, come on in from the cold. Join the 500 million Facebook users. Creating an online presence on Facebook helps build your brand, create and keep connections with prospects and friends and helps your bottom line when used properly.

Empowerment:

For example, if you are a hotel manager, there is someone on staff, either in the housekeeping department, front desk staff or restaurants, that knows Facebook and twitter and others like geo-targeting site foursquare and group couponing sites like groupon and living social (CITYPEEK Patti will be explaining these in more detail in a future column). EMPOWER your employees. Feed these employees them with the content you want relayed and give them the opportunity, with your guidance, to run your businesses social media. But, I always warn my clients, you must operate your social media accounts professionally with your business top-of-mind. This is not your kid’s Facebook and it CAN make you money and solve issues, but acting always on your businesses’ behalf is imperative.

Sharing such activities amongst your staff is key to success. With the guidance of a social media expert, get tips and strategies for managing your accounts. Let an expert management consultant set you up, manage and train staffers on the do’s and don’ts, the best practices for your business and how to integrate these sites on your own marketing materials.

Find interested, knowledgeable employees to, under our initial management, run the day-to-day online relationships. One benefit is you are using a paid staffer who is already intimately familiar with your product and goals to expose your message and build relationships with your clients. Another is that when there are issues discussed online like a positive or negative customer experience you can and must have immediate response and feedback.

Try it, ask around in a memo who knows Facebook and twitter and have a conversation with them. Then start this conversation about beginning a Facebook and twitter account. Don’t worry, you are not alone. I am here to work with you and bring you into the future. The internet is a world wild web, but, when used effectively will continue to build your name, your brand and make you stand out in the crowd.

‘CITYPEEK Patti’ Neumann is founder/ceo of Baltimore-based CITYPEEK.com-a regional online resource guide to the best in town. Connect: patti@citypeek.com or CITYPEEK Patti on www.facebook.com/citypeekpatti

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