How small business referrals and word-of-mouth is amplified with social media marketing
Share what you love with your social media community!
“We are pretty lucky. Our business is built on referrals from happy customers.” I hear this often when I’m talking to successful businesses and there’s nothing wrong with relying on referrals for new business. In fact, it’s arguably one of the best forms of marketing. Research shows that trust is the biggest factor in a buyer’s decision to choose one company over another. This is why many people look to their friends, family and acquaintances to give them recommendations for a good company or professional to work with for the problem that they need to solve. Let’s dive into how having a strategic social media marketing program amplifies your ability to grow your business through referrals and word-of-mouth.
In-person referral vs. social media referral.
Have you ever asked a friend where she got her hair done or complimented her on her beautiful front lawn and landscaping? The conversation probably included her mentioning her hair stylist’s name and perhaps the landscaping crew that designed her front yard. Whether you were conscious of it or not, that conversation influenced your thoughts about where to get your hair done next time and also made you think about redesigning your own lawn. While personal referrals are great, imagine what this same situation would look like if it were a conversation between two neighbors on Facebook? How many other neighbors and friends are now seeing this conversation and the names of the businesses that this person has recommended? The referral carries even more weight if say another person from this person’s community also comments on his positive experience with the landscaper.
Social media for businesses
There’s no doubt that social media can be a casual place for you to refer a business to your neighbors and friends. But, why is it important to have a consistent, professional and engaging page or account? Your business social media account may be one of the first impressions of you that a potential client gets. If a friend or acquaintance refers them to your business, there’s a good chance that they’re going to do a quick search for your business online before they pick up the phone to call you. Consumer behavior has changed tremendously over the last decade with social media and digitally enhanced buying experiences. Smart consumers are going to do their homework and vet you first online before they make the decision to call or make an appointment with you. This could vary by the price ticket on the item or service. While consumers can view your services, prices and locations on your website, they can learn more about your business through social media.
5 things your potential client is looking for when they visit your social accounts
1. If you have an active, up-to-date and professional looking page or account.
2. If there are examples of your work to look at.
3. The quality of your content. For example, your photo quality, design aesthetics and copy.
4. How you interact with your audience.
5. What your audience thinks of your work.
While it’s possible to create and maintain your business social accounts on your own, it’s also a lot of work if you’re doing it right and trying to continually grow your online presence. Have you hit a plateau in your social growth? Are you looking to tap into a bigger audience or improve your existing audience’s engagement? When you’re looking to grow your audience and scale your business, it’s extremely helpful to hire a social media marketer to do some industry research, plan your monthly content, create engaging content, strategically engage on your behalf and focus on the steady growth of your online community. This also frees up your time to get back to doing what you do best - running your company and serving your clients!
