Mover Marketing 101: Online Social Media Strategies to Generate Business

Moving companies can generate income and increase their market share with a successful marketing campaign targeted at moving consumers. Name recognition and reputation carry significant weight. When people are ready to secure and hire a moving company, they are more likely to go with a moving truck rental company that has name and brand recognition.

Put yourself and your moving company’s name on the lips of consumers with a savvy marketing campaign that informs, engages, and educates. Continually engaging your customer with informative mailers and a social media campaign will pay off in the long run.

Increasing your Marketing Share through Social Media  

Creating profiles on social media sites, such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter and more, can dramatically alter your market share. Connecting with customers via social media gives you an instant rapport and delivers your marketing message to their front room.

Tweets on Twitter and frequent updates on Facebook about moving truck rental specials for the weekend and deep discounts on boxes for moving keeps your customers continually updated on specials, and keeps your company name on their mind. And, this is good thing. When they are ready to move, your name will be one of the first they think of.   

You’ve Got Mail: Informative Emails

It is more important then ever to keep up with your customers. Strong competition from competitors can squeeze your market share and make it difficult to compete. Company loyalty is not easy to come by and businesses must look for ways to engage their customer. A successful email campaign is one strategy a moving company can employ to inform their customers of deals and specials and engage them in a regular manner.

Compiling a customer email mailing list is as simple. Be sure your rental agreement has a space for their email address. Update your database frequently to include new customers. Send them updates on upcoming deals, but you can also include helpful tips a customer will appreciate.

Innovative ways to pack fragile items, new moving box accessories to protect paintings, clothing, and other items will all be welcomed advice.

 Straight to the Post Office  

Never forget your local Postal Service for an affordable and tried and true method to advertising. The United States Post Office, which offers a change of address service, has bulk rate mailers that will be delivered to a designated group of addresses. 

You can target certain neighborhoods and your surrounding community. Direct mailers give you the opportunity for brand promotion, name recognition, and a great way to advertise specials.

Bringing it all Together

Increasing your moving company’s presence through successful social media networking, an innovate email campaign, or a savvy direct marketing flyer which target your audience will enhance your company’s position and, more importantly, boost your bottom line.

Getting Established in a New Market After a Move

The task of getting reestablished in a new community after you have relocated can be daunting. You have left behind close friends, familiar restaurants, colleagues, job connections, work associations, your church and all your favorite well-known watering holes. All of your go-to connections are gone, and you can be left wondering where to turn. But not too worry, help is on the way.

However, to make you feel at home in a new place, social media has opened up a whole new world. There is no need to troll the Yellow Pages and hunt for associations to join or wait for an introduction from a new colleague. Social media puts you in the driver’s seat after a move. After you are done checking things off your moving house checklist, put a line through getting established. Use these tips to become a local in no time.

After the moving truck has left the driveway, and all your moving supplies have been put away, and you have put the last stamp on your moving announcements, pull out your computer and start surfing. 

Professional Associations   

Many community and professional organizations use social media. They like to harness the power of social media to recruit and retain new and old members. LinkedIn and Facebook are two good sites for getting connected in your new community.

Local chapters of professional associations can be viewed online and you can use a social media site to make an introduction. Facebook can also be used to obtain information on when and where a particular group meets. You can also discover local colleagues from your new place of employment and use this as a stepping stone to getting established in your new community.

Getting to Know You

One of your first tasks after a big move is to become familiar with your new city. You want find out where the locals eat, discover the freshest organic fruit stand, the best daycare or the hottest nightspot. Whatever your taste, social media opens businesses to new community members. Browse different social media sites to learn of clothing stores, bakeries and more.

On Facebook, simply type in your town and you will be surprised to discover how many local businesses, hospitals, doctors, churches, and more use social media. There is no need to stay in the dark about local services after moving to a new community. And, don’t forget after finding a great new store or service to sign up for their Twitter feed. Getting in the loop speeds up your acclimation to your new city.

Word of Mouth

So, if you are a spouse of a transferred employee or you are striking out on your own and moving to a new town, harness social media to make connections and land a new job.

Browse your LinkedIn account for associates with connections to your new city.

They can prove to be a wealth of information and a source of networking to secure a new job. The same can be said about professional organizations. Many have Facebook sites and be sure to sign up to get the inside scoop on upcoming jobs.

Just for the Fun of it

If you are one of the lucky ones who has a great new job, a beautiful house, and instant connections with your new colleagues in your new city, what you will be looking for is fun and where to have it.

Many people who share similar interests have hooked up on social media sites to advertise and spread the word. Popular lakes, chess clubs, boating groups, off-road enthusiasts and more all advertise their groups and actively seek new members.

Go For It

Don’t be shy. Social media allows you to test the waters and get a feel of a new group and their philosophy before joining them. And, before you know, you will be an old local.   

Social Tool Confusion: Learning Which Tool Works for Which Strategy

The explosion of social media and social networking has altered the landscape of advertising and the interaction between businesses and customers. These two forces have begun to shape and change the way we conduct our businesses. We are now able to engage directly with a customer; entice them with specials and promotions; and inform them personally of changes and additions to our product lines.

But, as business people, we need to know the similarities and differences of social media and social networking to use each to its full potential. Each term has a tendency to be used interchangeably. There is often confusion about the function of social media and social networking.  However, as you will see, social media and social networking are distinct entities which have a defined role.

Similar, but Different

Let’s define social media and social networking. Understanding each term will allow you to position your company and develop business strategies to capitalize on each application:

• Social Media: Social media can best be described as a tool to impart and deliver information to an extensive audience.  Social media directs the message to a customer and conveys this information by way of the internet. The seller is directing the flow of information and the consumer serves as the receiver.
• Social Networking: Social networking connects with your client and builds a relationship. Bonds are formed with individuals and groups who share a familiar interest or activity. Give and take is paramount with social networking. You continually engage a consumer, and they become a partner alongside you.         

Social media and social networking are really two separate ideas and, therefore, should have two distinct roles within your marketing, brand, and publicity strategies.

Social Networking:

• You are an active participant with the consumer.
• A dialogue is created with the customer and a relationship is formed. 
• An exchange of ideas, concerns, comments, and praise are welcomed and encouraged.

Social Media

• This is an instrument on which you use to direct information to a customer.
• The business is solely responsible for the flow and direction of information.

Therefore, it can be said that social networking is the “act” of engaging your customer while social media is the tool we use to conduct the conversation.

Leveraging the Differences

Understanding each function and purpose of social media and social networking allows a business the opportunity to effectively utilize these two mediums to their maximum potential. A company’s continued growth and success can be increased with successful social media and social networking skills.

Put those skills together to deliver a powerful message that attracts customers, maintains current clientele, and builds a powerful platform to launch a new product or sustain an older one.  Your success in the 21^st century might just depend on it.   


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Social Media: A Major Component of Today’s Business Strategy

Social media is all about connections – searching for them, establishing them, and maintaining them. Business, too, is very much about the search, the establishment, and the maintenance of client and sales leads. It’s a natural progression for businesses to use social media as a way to reach customers and increase revenue. Now more than ever, businesses are effectively adapting social media as an increasingly larger component of their overall marketing strategy.

Consider these statistics:

• According to a recent blog post on The CMO Survey, executives reported 7.1% of the overall marketing budget for their company was spent on social media. Over the next five years, this number is expected to increase to 17.5%.
• Marketwatch.com reported a recent survey by Socialware revealed that in 2010 only 57% of respondents knew if their company had a social media policy whereas just one year later, that number rose to 80%.
• Of the respondents to the 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 72% felt social media increases website traffic, 62% said social media improved search rankings, and 58% of small business respondents felt social media reduced marketing costs.
•  In a group of statistics presented at AG Beat, 47% of all Americans use at least one social media site – up from 26% just three years ago.

Why Social Media?

Social media use by businesses is on the rise for several reasons. Customers want to feel a personal connection with their favorite brands of products and services, and a social media platform gives them just that. Social media provides a user-friendly forum for questions and concerns. A business can then quickly and easily respond. In turn, this action strengthens that connection and improves customer service.

Social media platforms are also an easy and effective way for businesses to gather customer feedback on new and existing products and services. This feedback can also be used to assess the needs and wants of a company’s target market so adjustments to products and services can be made accordingly. The cost effectiveness of social media has been proven again and again. Startup costs are extremely low and even free in many cases. Businesses commonly opt to hire a firm to manage their social media platform, but that investment is well worth the return. The connection social media forges between a company and its clients serves to build trust, which along with elements, such as branding and a good reputation, is invaluable.

Your Social Media Strategy

Has the use of social media increased as a part of your business’s marketing strategy and, if so, how much? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. If your company is new to social media and needs help getting started, please contact us to get started.

                         

Carithers Flowers Case Study: Benefits of a Facebook Fan Page

In today’s business climate, it’s almost unheard of for a business to be without a website. Now, it’s even becoming increasingly common for a business’s Facebook fan page to be featured right next to that WWW address. If you’re wondering what specifically a Facebook fan page can do for your business, consider this brief case study about what can happen when flowers meet Facebook.

Carithers Flowers is an award-winning, family-owned florist that offers a beautiful variety of floral arrangements as well as seasonal and event-themed gift baskets. Voted Best Atlanta Florist, Carithers puts community and customer service first. Recently, Carithers premiered their custom Facebook fan page and has been experiencing some great results.

A Win-Win for Carithers and Customers

The custom Facebook fan page has not only yielded benefits for Carithers, but their customers have also recognized the value of having this two-way communications channel. Elements, such as interaction and immediacy, illustrate how those benefits create a circular effect in which everyone comes out on top.

In a blog entry posted earlier this year, Charles Carithers expressed pride in not only Carithers’ brick and mortar storefronts, but he also praised Carithers’ online presence. These Internet shopping experiences have been designed to have the same level of personal, high-quality customer service people have come to expect from Carithers. Facebook is a user-friendly and enjoyable platform in which customers can interact with the Carithers Flowers team and easily find exactly the arrangements or gift baskets they are looking to buy for just about any occasion.

The Fan Page Advantage

While the Carithers Facebook page has many aspects in common with the Carithers main website, including photos, videos, and information about current specials, the Facebook fan page also has something that can’t be found on that traditional website: an open forum for shared experiences on the fan page “wall.” The wall is quickly and easily updated with everything from unsolicited customer testimonials and current promotions to upcoming events within the community. The importance of customer testimonials cannot be overstated. A sincere positive comment from a satisfied customer can often make all the difference.

Additionally, customers can not only communicate with Carithers on the Facebook wall, but they can also communicate with one another. Fans of Carithers on Facebook receive the benefits of this community as well as the option to be instantly updated on the latest specials, events, and news from Carithers. This community offers customers increased accessibility to Carithers, which, in turn, results in increased traffic and business at Carithers’ website.

The Facebook fan page is also a convenient hub with links back to Carithers’ web page as well as to YouTube, Twitter, and specific tabs on the Facebook page, which are organized by holidays and events.

Taking a Page

Are you a business with a custom Facebook fan page? What have your experiences been? Please share your comments and stories with us in the comments section below, or feel free to contact us with any questions if you’ve been considering setting up a fan page but may need some help getting started.

                  

Webinars and Social Media

Seminars are the bread and butter of the academic and business environment. They are fantastic learning and sales tools, but they do also have some disadvantages. Attendees must often travel-- sometimes long distances--to be able to participate. Seminars can only be attended by a finite number of participants.

However, technology has changed all that with the advent of the webinar. And, not only are webinars making seminars more affordable and accessible than ever, they are also becoming a key ingredient in social media platforms and Internet Marketing strategies.

Benefits & Advantages

So, what exactly is a webinar? Don’t just think of it as simply a seminar given online. Webinars are extremely cost-effective because participants can join in from literally anywhere in the world, and there’s no limit to how many people can participate. Webinars are also an opportunity to connect with current clients and potential customers in a social and interactive way. It is also an ideal means of presenting engaging, quality content that goes way beyond the simple sales pitch.

An effective webinar not only creates a connection with clients, but it also reinforces branding. During a webinar, potential customers can be given a “behind the scenes” view of a particular product or service as well as engage in live Q&A sessions with business owners and/or product developers. Webinars can be a creative showcase for tutorials and product demonstrations as well as promotional events, contests, and testimonials.

Making the Connection

By their very nature, webinars are a form of social media and, as such, create a natural fit in a social media platform. Webinars can be presented on YouTube, your company’s website and blog, and on social networks. It’s important to have a copy of your webinar available for convenient viewing by those who weren’t able to participate live. It’s also a good idea to have a written transcript of the webinar available. Archives of previous webinars and transcripts can be a potential resource for customers and, as a result, serve as an asset for your business.

A blog is an especially valuable tool for webinar promotion and success. Denise Wakeman, a business blogger and online marketing advisor, suggests using your blog to not only promote your webinar, but it can also be used to conceptualize webinar topics in the first place. Ask your readers what’s important to them and what they’d like to see in a webinar. Find out their concerns and use your webinar to demonstrate how your product or service can provide solutions. Be sure to promote your webinar not only on your blog, but also gain publicity for it through every appropriate social media outlet available. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, can help quickly spread the word by giving potential customers easy access to your webinar through a link.

Your Experience

How have you used webinars and social media in your marketing strategy? Please share your experiences in the comments below. Or, if you have questions on how you can incorporate it in your strategy, we’ll be glad to show you how it can work for you.

           

                    

Custom Facebook Fan Pages – The How and Why of a Social Media Must

The importance of a custom Facebook fan page, as part of any business’s marketing strategy, is obvious. A creative and cleverly designed fan page can promote brand recognition and increase brand loyalty as well as ramp up sales by driving increased traffic to a business’s website. However, what might not be quite so obvious is the how and why of Facebook fan pages.

Feedback

A list of “20 Awesome Facebook Fan Pages” as posted on Inc.com consistently showed several key components that are – and should be -- a part of what makes a Facebook fan page a successful business tool. Again and again, useful customer feedback was listed as one of the most crucial elements of a Facebook fan page. Customer suggestions, requests, and comments often led to product improvements or even new products that in turn resulted in higher sales. Negative feedback was helpful as well, enabling businesses to immediately rectify a complaint and return to the status of excellent customer service.

Contact

Another important aspect of why and how custom Facebook fan pages are so effective is communication. On Facebook, communication between businesses a or business owner and a customer can be instantaneous. Responding as quickly and as personably as possible to individual customer comments goes a long way toward building a “one-on-one” relationship that fosters a sense of community and builds brand loyalty.

Community

Before a business opens, the Facebook fan page is the perfect opportunity to pique interest, build hype, and introduce products or services. Starting conversations within the fan page community helps customers understand the company’s tale and gives customers a chance to contribute their own stories. Posting promotions and information, leading up to the opening of a new business, helps build a passionate community that will continue to grow after that business opens.

Community is the heart and soul of social media. Customers are able to connect not only with a business, but they can also connect with one another – and do so in a comfortable environment. This type of connection can become truly meaningful for both the business and the customer. "We've gained insight, support, suggestions, inspiration, and friends from our Facebook page," said Susan Webster Adams, CEO and co-founder of Candles Off Main, a Maryland-based specialty retailer that features luxury candles and home fragrances.

Traffic

The ongoing communication on a Facebook fan page may start with something as simple as an unsolicited testimonial. However, a social media campaign is all about directing traffic to the main site, and that’s exactly what those testimonials do. The power of those testimonials combined with the rest of the advantages of the fan page make Facebook competitive with direct visits and Google as a referring site. That makes a Facebook fan page an invaluable asset to any business.

Getting Started

Whether you are still unsure of how or what to do or you just don’t feel like you have the time to commit to creating and managing a Facebook fan page, companies like Flyline Search Marketing can take care of it for you as a standalone service or as a larger, more comprehensive Internet Search Marketing strategy designed to get you attention and business through the various online channels available. Leave a comment below or contact us directly to learn more.