Social media has turned the world of marketing on its ear. What’s more, as it continues to evolve, I’m convinced that it will continue to create new opportunities for businesses to promote their products and services online while building a community of allies and supporters. The implications for businesses—especially for those run by Boomers—are huge: as more members of the internet-generation filter into senior positions in the world of work, the older “tried and true” methods of doing business risk becoming increasingly irrelevant.

In fact, this is already happening: the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council reports that the decisions of 85% of BtoB buyers are affected by online content. Furthermore, in order to compete, businesses need to become publishing houses with an eye on providing value for the customer. But publishing content is just one part of the equation: social media is how you tell people that the content exists. The most successful businesses going forward will be the ones that can adapt to flexible ways of delivering information and doing business.

In other words, the train is now leaving the station. Businesses need to make sure they are on it. A lot of the businesses I work with feel a little suspicious of social media marketing, in the beginning, at least. They are not the least bit interested in what celebrities eat for breakfast or where their friends from high school are now living. But rather than look at social media as some newfangled thang, I invite you to see it as a tried and true method for generating business leads.

What’s more:

1. It can demonstrate that your company has an organized and well-established online program for keeping in touch with existing and potential customers.
2. It gives you the chance to showcase your company’s products and services while highlighting the benefits of doing business with you.
3. It is a tool for developing greater rapport with your existing client base.
4. It is a tool for inviting feedback from existing and prospective clients.
5. It is a means of keeping customers connected to you…perhaps instead of, or at least in addition to, your competitors.
6. It is an opportunity to build your customer base.
7. Like all other content marketing tools, a social media marketing program is an opportunity to create an online footprint for your organization that is larger than you otherwise could enjoy.
8. It’s a chance for clients and prospects to get to know more about your business and give them an opportunity to like and trust you more.
9. It’s an important tool for funneling people to your website where members of your sales team can have the opportunity to enjoy the types of conversations that might lead to a sale.

Would you like to know more about how my team and I can support you in the development of your social media presence? Contact me at susan@crossmancommunications.com and let’s talk about it!