The worst thing you can do is to jump on to a social media site  without a business agenda. Social media sites offer wonderful  possibilities for promoting your business if you go to there  with a business agenda. Your business agenda will determine  the best sites for you to participation in; your agenda will  regulate the time you spend on the sites; your agenda will determine what you say and do on the sites.    In this  post, I will explore what’s involved in creating a business agenda for your social media marketing. Enjoy and prosper.
Reason for Participating
The first step in your agenda is asking, “Why am I participating?â€Â Here are six of the most common reasons for using social media sites.
Build your expertise. People buy from people they know, like and trust. By participating in social media sites, you have the opportunity to let others learn more about you and learn what expertise you bring to the table.
Build relationships with others. Many businesses promote business based on the relationships they establish with existing and potential customers. Relationship building on social media sites involves give and take on different levels. Relationships allow you to build new contacts and drive more traffic to your website.
Test new ideas. Social media programs are great places to ask questions and get input from others on new ideas, new services, current trends or questions about your existing products and services. Others can provide valuable insights.
Build brand awareness. Most social media programs allow you to create a profile on their sites. When brand building is your goal, placing more emphasis on your profile is the way to use these programs most effectively.
Find resources. Social media programs are a great place to find resources to keep you updated professionally as well as finding solutions to specific business problems. Others are eager to share their experiences with you, saving you time and avoiding mistakes.
Learn about your customer preferences. One of the skills you need in participating on social media programs is listening. By reading and listening to the comments of others in and around your business area, you gain insight into customer preferences, what they like and dislike. The standard rule of sales is “Give the customer what they want.â€
Other agenda considerations
Who is your target market?
Like other marketing efforts, you want to be clear about the people who are the best candidates for your business.  Never market to everyone.  In today’s competitive world, you must select a niche and a specific group of people who are the best customers for your business.
Where does your target audience gather?
There are thousands of social media programs that make up Web 2.0. You want to participate in the social media programs where your best customers participate.
Your Current Efforts
Social media sites should compliment your other marketing efforts both on and off the internet. How will social media marketing efforts fit with what you are already doing?
Plan Your Time
Based on your current marketing efforts and the opportunities you see for social media programs, decide how much weekly time you want to spend on these programs. Â Budget the hours you will spend and stick to your budget just as you stick to a financial budget.
Conclusion
Every small business owner will have their own agenda for using social media sites. Use your agenda to guide where you will participate, the level of your participation, what you will say and how often you will say it.
To be continued, your comments are welcomed…
Al Hanzal
