Today, social media platforms are about more than getting a date or a new job — they are an essential part of running and growing any successful business.

Why use social media?
Social media is the easiest and fastest way for your company to connect with potential customers around the world. It allows you to engage with clients, share information about your products and services, gather crucial data about your marketing base, and stay in touch...all for (almost) free!

By maintaining an active presence, you can increase brand awareness as you build and strengthen relationships. Communicating with your customers is easier too — whether that entails sharing new products and services, getting real time feedback, or providing fast and personalized customer service. Social media also allows you to gain insights based on how customers interact with content. And it lets you keep an eye on your competition!

Targeted marketing
The key to success is knowing your product well enough to understand your ideal client and how to get their attention. Create an attractive business profile that has authentic and unique content. Then develop a strategy, and schedule time for social media marketing — it can be very time-consuming, so it's important to plan ahead. Don't waste your energy by having a presence on every social media platform; think about which ones will attract the most clients who would be interested in your product, and be active there.

Learn how to optimize your resources (namely time and money). Think carefully about what you are trying to communicate, to whom and how often. The trick is producing content that's eye-catching, memorable, and easily shareable. Depending on which platform you're using, you can promote your business to different audiences, segmented by categories like gender, age, location, behaviors, and interests.

How do you measure your success?
Social media generates a huge amount of data about your customers, so you should regularly measure your performance and adjust your strategy. Use platforms like Hootsuite or Social Report, which provide analytics, allow for scheduling posts or targeting, and have tools to help you stay organized. A properly managed social media presence — one that is interesting, interactive, and regularly updated— is key to growing your business. If done right, it will help drive traffic to your site, give you crucial insight into product development, and ultimately increase your sales and brand loyalty!

How do you represent your business online? Are you on the right track? Talk to one of our business coaches to take your business to the next level. Call 1-888-614-9788 ext.316 or visit www.yesmontreal.ca