2/27/2015
With much buzz circulating the business world about the advantages of social 
media, it may (or may not) be surprising to hear that social media strategy has been slowly embraced as an effective marketing effort by manufacturers. Although the internet revolution has drastically changed the way companies do business, many manufacturers still believe client interaction via social media, especially business to business dialogue, is a virtually impossible task.
If done incorrectly or the proper effort isn’t put forward, this is emphatically and whole-heartedly TRUE. It is impossible and offers you no return. But, the truth is, social media can make a tremendous difference for your company if you know what you’re doing.
Social media can position you to gain an advantage over your competition. Many companies resort to social media only for the benefit of SEO, which definitely helps, but they are missing a great opportunity. Consider a different perspective with your social media activity by executing the following five ‘P’s:
- PICK – Choosing your social media avenue is very important. Being all things to all people is impossible. Don’t think your business has to have an account on every social platform. Strategically pick your outlets. Research what your competitors are doing online and where your customers may be engaging. For example, if you find your customers and/or competitors aren’t on Facebook, your time and effort may be wasted on utilizing that specific site.
- PLACE – After researching client and competitor activity, place your accounts on those decided upon social media platforms, claiming your presence.
- POPULATE – Fill in all the required data and then some. Maximize the available fields unique to each social media platform. If there is a blank space, fill it in. If you are allowed 2500 characters, don’t settle for only typing in 145. This is your opportunity to shine and highlight what your company excels in. And, if you are ever considering paying for an account upgrade, ask yourself one question first: Have I maximized all the available free options to strengthen my account as much as possible?
- PLAN – Set a schedule of who will be posting, what content is to be shared, and how often. Without a plan, it is easy for weeks to go by without activity.
- PERFORMANCE – Decide how your company is going to measure success. Is it by the number of followers? Is it by engagement quality? Measuring is easy with built in metrics available through most administration dashboards. If you measure the effectiveness of your posts, you can duplicate their success in the future.
If you find yourself in over your head and need help digging yourself out, Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center can help discuss your specific situation with you. For more information, call 888.414.6682 or visit www.mmtc.org.
Categories: Sales & Marketing