Social Media are changing the way business can be done. Big businesses, small businesses, and home businesses are able to enter the marketplace on even footing through Social Media. But just in case you aren’t convinced of the power of Social Media for your business, we’ll show you five ways to user Social Media to help your business.

Sales and Marketing Channel

In the past, businesses were able to control their message through the use of traditional marketing techniques¹. Businesses decided what benefits and features would be talked about. There was no conversation, just noise. Over time, customers learned to ignore the noise. It turns out that people don’t like being interrupted².

But then along came TiVO and Sirius Radio and Web 2.0 technology and all of the sudden, people had a choice. It turns out that people would pay extra for the privilege of avoiding commercials.

Then the scene shifted even further, from advertising avoidance to content creation. Customers started determining what benefits and features would be discussed. The growth of Social Media allows businesses to connect with their customers on a level that encourages sharing. Customers are now friends, fans, and followers. They read your thoughts and comment with insight and intelligence. They offer their opinions on business decisions³.

It’s the community building aspect that makes Social Media the best way to market your business. Customers buy from people they know, like and trust. Using Social Media to nurture that feeling of community is the best way to connect with your customers and when done with strategic consistency, sales will increase.

Customer Service

Without a doubt, the shift toward Social Media has meant a shift toward customer service. With customers connected like never before, businesses cannot afford to miss out on opportunities to provide top-notch service to their customers. Since businesses no longer hold the megaphone, customers have taken back some⁴ of the power, and smart businesses realize they can provide real-time, world-class customer service without spending any extra money in the effort.

Zappos.com is the long-standing example of excellent customer service through Social Media. The reason, of course, is that Tony Hsieh’s philosophy that they are a customer service company that happens to sell shoes.

They use the power of Social Media, specifically Twitter, to connect with their customers and keep their finger on the pulse of their brand. It tells the customers that the company is listening, that they care, and, should a problem arise, that they are willing to do something about it.

Relationship Development

Using Twitter, Facebook, numerous other Social Media sites, blogs, email, and other Social Media tools, allows businesses to build relationships that last longer than a simple point of sale purchase.

These relationships are real, based upon real connections, whether we’re talking about a baker who likes World Cup Soccer, a butcher on a steak crusade, or a real estate agent who likes mojitos, customers are attracted to people first, not businesses.

Which brings us to:

Brand Building

Social Media allows a business to really make a name for itself by defining its own place in the world. Your business is unique. It has to be. Otherwise, why does it exist. If your business isn’t filling a need, then you are not going to be in business long.

Social Media allows for a multi-pronged, consistent, wide-spread message of why your business exists and why it is unique and awesome. From the colors you choose, to the tag lines you write, to logo you display, they all come back to a consistent message.

Partnership Creation

One of the most untapped areas of Social Media is that of partnership, not only with those businesses that complement your niche by providing services that your business doesn’t, but also between businesses that are in direct competition with each other.

Many online businesses are feast and famine types. You can go from a funnel full of clients to an empty echo quickly. If, when your funnel was fullest, you were to offer work to a competitor who needed it, the gesture would reap some definite positive consequences. First, the competitor would surely be appreciative and be willing to share work in the future, creating a win-win partnership. Second, the client would understand that their needs are important enough for you to have it done right, by someone you know could do an excellent job. Instead of hoarding the work and producing less than excellent results, you are willing to sacrifice for your client.

That’s powerful. And that’s the power of partnership.

So what would you add to the list? What would your remove from it? Now, let’s hear what you have to say:

1. Also called “interruption marketing” by Seth Godin [↩]
2. Who knew? [↩]
3. Smart business owners seek their input, too. [↩]
4. Most [↩]