Lets face it, starting your own company can be difficult. In the early stages of all businesses, owners need to learn how to squeeze maximum value out of every dollar they spend. Social media is the key to saving money while still having the ability to deliver value. With the right strategy, social media can be used for community building, customer service, or product marketing

Community Building

Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook are great for rapidly building a community and company awareness. Providing support, invites, encouragement and general engagement will build a sense of community between the startup company and their client. The key here is to establish actively engage users and attempt to organically build relationships with the industry’s influences.

Building relationships via social media is commonly talked about, but a key aspect that is commonly overlooked is the relationship building that takes place outside of social media. It is important for startups to take their online encounters to the next level; startups should go out and talk to customers in person.

Customer Service

Every startup company needs to utilize social media for customer service. Real-time responses is what makes customer service top-notch.The instantaneous access to customers via Facebook and Twitter is invaluable to any startup.
Responses to an issue on Twitter within a few minutes is extremely beneficial for the customer and the startup alike. Customers receive real-time responses to their dilemmas and startup companies receive feedback on products or services. This social interaction improves life for the customer and overall customer experience.

Customer Support from TOMSshoepport

Marketing

Using social media platforms as a form of marketing should be a no brainer for any startup company. With the wide variety of social media platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Slideshare, marketing a service or product is extremely easy.

Social media use should be centered around company leadership within their field allowing potential customers and journalists to have quick and easy access to information about products, services and industry. Startups which plan on using social media for marketing need to be in it for the long haul. Think of it as commitment or a strategy but not a campaign. Its like having a conversation, once you start a conversation with someone, you cannot just turn around and walk away.

Remember to concentrate on value while providing for others through social media tools. The gimmick is not to just sell, sell, sell but rather attempt to establish wholesome relationships with your customers, become a leader in your field, and become an inspiration for others.

Social Media is full of myths and misconceptions, but one has become quite prevalent in recent months.  I interact on multiple social networks on behalf of dozens of clients, so I’m constantly researching content, reading posts, blogs, etc.  It’s unfortunate that so many people post to social networks under the assumption that online communications are informal.  It is as if the social media gods loosened the rules with regards to spelling, grammar and capitalization.  In my opinion, online communications personify you or the organization you represent.  Whether you realize it or not, viewers judge you or the organization by not only what you write, but how you write it.  Content is key, but if you post something of relevance with complete disregard for the English language, I’m far less likely to pay any attention to it.   Yes, it is often difficult to consolidate your thoughts to 140 characters for the purposes of posting on Twitter, but is it really that hard to spell check your tweet or capitalize a person’s name?

Why should you worry about case sensitivity or spelling on Facebook?  I can think of tons of reasons.  For example, there is a laundry list of regulations limiting how much information a potential employer can request from a candidate, therefore many recruiters are looking beyond employment history for a broader view.  Your interactions on social media provide a potential employer with a window into your world:  your communication skills, your personality, your attitude about previous employment, etc.

Social Media is a fabulous platform for communication.  Just remember to cross your “T’s” and dot your “I’s”.