The Internet has made a massive difference to our everyday lives and the impact upon the business arena is growing and becoming an ever more vital element for entrepreneurs. One area which appears to be underdeveloped with regards to general business entrepreneurs is social media leads which are growing in number. Social media monitoring leads is a vital part of any business going forward and we will now take a look at what you should do, what these leads can do for you and how you should plan ahead for the future.
Social media
Social media is by far and away the most used “buzz term” on the Internet and takes in an array of different mediums and communication lines. We will now take a look at the more popular social media outlets and how you can monitor leads and collate information on an ongoing basis.
The introduction of twitter a few years ago caused many people to raise eyebrows and suggest that this would be a “here today gone tomorrow” operation. Well, how wrong those people were!
Twitter has literally millions upon millions of followers and users and the valuation for the operation itself continues to grow as investors look towards the future and social networking websites such as Twitter. Initially many people were concerned about how the operation could be commercialised and whether indeed customers would trust Twitter and would actually use it to shop online.
If you take a look at Twitter any time of any day you will notice massive numbers of potential business leads which are literally there for the taking if you monitor this particular area of the Internet. You literally have people asking specific questions about specific products and specific services and begging for more information and links. Twitter is one of the quickest social media outlets available with regards to communication and useful comments and useful links can literally go viral in a matter of seconds.
Facebook is for many people the face of the social media and social networking arena having seen off a number of competitors such as BeBo and MySpace in the past. The company is still in the hands of the original owners although the very fact that some of the best-known names in the investment industry have been clamouring over themselves to gain a stake in the business shows how highly it is valued. So what does Facebook have to offer with regards to business leads?
Like each and every other social media outlet Facebook was originally seen to be an online social club where friends and colleagues could remain in touch no matter whereabouts in the world they were. It was also seen as a very useful way to locate friends and family who you may have lost touch with and regain contact. However, as more and more people are now looking to buy their goods and services online there is no doubt that the face and the future of Facebook is changing.
As with Twitter, a useful comment or useful link on Facebook can literally “go viral” in seconds due to the mass integration of friends and colleagues across the system. People are now more than willing to pass on useful information and useful links to their friends and family who will pass these on to their friends, etc, etc. Before you know where you are, your link and your information is plastered around the social media world and is often picked up by the wider media.
Why should you monitor social media networks?
Despite the fact there are literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of posts added to the likes of Twitter and Facebook each and every day there are still many people who do not fully understand their potential. If you’re able to monitor social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook, using our leads tracking software, you will literally have a massive march upon your competitors as well as the opportunity to have your face and your name plastered across the social media world!
A few minutes a day
When we say it only takes a few minutes a day to monitor social media networks with regards to potential business leads we are being serious. Our software will allow you to type in specific terms and questions and search the social media networks for relevant leads and relevant comments. The list produced will contain active links to the specific pages which will allow you to collate information on the questions being asked and answer these potential business leads.
Making the most of social media leads
Collecting the information regarding potential customer leads is made simple by our software system but it is how you use this information and how quickly respond which will dictate how successfully you will be. There are a number of factors to consider when chasing up social media leads which include: –
Speedy reply
The fast-moving speed of social media networks today means that a question asked just a few moments ago could very quickly be pushed to the bottom of the pile by more recent comments and more recent questions. Thereby, to get the best out of your social media leads, you will need to respond as quickly as possible in a concise and focused manner. Make it very simple for people to access your website and details of your services and products because the quicker you get them off the social media arena and onto your website the better.
Discounts and promotions
If you remember that a customer today could well be a recurring customer in the days, months and years ahead you do not have to make a significant return on their initial spending. Very quickly you can build up your very own mailing list and contact them with relevant offers and relevant promotions in the future. If you are able to price your products and services at a level which is “unbelievable” on the social media arena and you’re able to do this at a minimum no loss level then very quickly you could have a massive customer base.
You only get one chance to make a first impression and if you offer the best deals, the best service and are quickest to respond then the chances are you will receive a favourable response.
Recurring sales
Many business entrepreneurs seem to discount the massive value of recurring sales which are effectively future sales for very little in the way of effort. You have literally planted the seed with the customers first sale and if you offer a service and products which are professional and helpful then there is no reason that they will not come back in the future. It is also worth noting that many successful businesses attract future customers through “word-of-mouth” where perhaps they have been helpful to existing customers who have spoken to their friends, family members or colleagues. The word-of-mouth phenomenon is very strong because literally a friend is telling you that they had an excellent experience with your company and would have no difficulty recommending you. If your best friend recommended a certain company why would you disbelieve them?
Don’t promise what you can’t deliver
Many business people feel under pressure to promise services or products which they cannot deliver purely and simply to grab the attention of a potential customer. However, research has shown that many customers will appreciate your “honesty” if you tell them that an offer or a promotion has ended or perhaps you are having difficulty with an estimated delivery date. If you explain the situation to them in a very straightforward manner the chances are they will appreciate your honesty and you will retain their business.
Many successful entrepreneurs also find that constant contact with customers between the ordering of goods and services and the delivery of such products also helps to smooth the way in case there are difficulties. If you treat your customers with respect then they will treat you likewise and hopefully you will be able to build up some form of rapport for the future.
Stay focused
There are literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of potential new leads posted onto the Internet each and every day. Even though it is impossible to chase each and every one of these leads many people seem to prefer quantity over quality. However, the truth is that whatever product or whatever service you are selling it is highly likely there will be demand across various parts of the world. Therefore, there is no point chasing leads which are loosely connected with your business when there are thousands upon thousands of other leads which are more focused and more targeted towards what you can offer.
It is very easy to become distracted on the Internet purely and simply because of the massive array of information which is available across the board. However, you need to remain focused, you need to remain calm and you need to have a systematic approach to contacting these potential customers.
No lead is ever dead
By monitoring leads on social media networks around the world you can very quickly put together a list of potential customers for the short-term, medium term and long term. Never discount any lead unless a customer has specifically asked you not to contact them because some customers may well buy in the short-term, medium term or longer term. Focusing all of your attention on short-term leads is very useful for the balance sheet and profitability of your business but planting seeds for the future will allow you “bonus sales” in the weeks, months and years ahead.
There are many potential customers that have been contacted by businesses in the past and left high and dry as they have not bought immediately after contact was made. These lost leads could potentially add up to millions upon millions of pounds of lost turnover and lost profitability so why take the chance and bin a lead which is not dead?
The future of social media networks
The social media arena continues to grow in size and influence around the world with millions upon millions of people now joining the likes of Facebook and Twitter for example. Direct access to a potentially enormous customer base is something which no business person should ever discount and ignore. The key to success in the social media arena is speed of response and a professional service which makes your potential customer feel special and wanted.
Those who discount business leads from the likes of Facebook and Twitter will live to regret this oversight because even the head of Google recently suggested that social media outlets will have more influence on website strength and become part of the ever-changing search engine optimisation algorithm. People are literally asking direct questions about specific products and specific services so why not answer them?
Conclusion
There is no doubt that social media networks have taken the Internet by storm and attract the attention of hundreds of millions of users each and every day. These are everyday people sitting at home looking for specific products and specific services and waiting to be contacted by relevant parties. Why on earth would you consider ignoring this particular business channel?
In some ways many people believe that if it is too easy and t0o simple then it is not effective and profitable. However, if the customer is asking for a specific product or a specific service and you are able to offer this at a competitive price, where is the downside? Monitoring these leads on a regular basis is the key to a successful social media marketing strategy, a strategy which could literally transform your business overnight.
It is also worth remembering that a customer who buys today may well return in the future or they may well recommend you to a friend or colleague. It is also worth remembering that some customers take time to decide upon their next purchase and somebody you speak to you today may well buy next week, next month or even next year. Do not miss the opportunity to plant the seed for future sales while also cultivating as many short-term transactions as possible. Covering yourself on a short-term, medium-term and long-term basis will allow you to look ahead into the future, a future which is hopefully very profitable.