Many small business owners understand that they should have a presence on social media, even if they don’t really understand why you have to be social.
The name itself could confuse them, or it could be they cannot see past the original purpose of social media. Questioning…..
- How does “social media” have anything to do with the world of business?
- Isn’t it something that people do in their spare time to keep in touch with their friends?
As a result, small business owners can completely overlook the potential advantages of social media. Especially the benefits in relation to 1) business growth, 2) audience building and 3) customer service.
Often the reason a small business doesn’t have a social presence is that the owners either
- don’t know where to start,
- don’t have the capacity or expertise among existing staff, or
- feel that they do not have the time to take the job on themselves.
The Bottomline
However, the bottom line is that social media has grown in importance significantly since the launch of Facebook and Twitter. Today, a huge portion of society has a presence on one or all of the platforms now available.
Due to the amount of time that people spend engaging with social media, the opportunity to “see and be seen” simply cannot be overlooked by the small business owner.
How A Virtual Assistant Can Help
This is where a virtual assistant trained on the various platforms can truly shine. They will understand how to carefully integrate the business’ message into social conversations. Doing this in a way that doesn’t alienate existing customers but creates awareness with potential new customers.
For example, many businesses use Twitter for customer service reasons. They understand that this particular social media platform is a continually developing and changing notice board. Somewhere customers go to quickly spread the word about their experience and relationship with the organisation.
A virtual assistant can set up and maintain a specific account. Providing advice or assistance to your clients should they have any questions or concerns. By doing this, in accordance with the business plan, other potential customers can see how your organisation handles its customer service. New customers see that the business cares about its interaction with customers. This ‘trust’ in the brand can tempt them to switch from their current provider
Social Media Grows Your Credibility
When the business maintains a presence online it seems more credible and relevant. When it contributes to a conversation with interesting and valuable information, this accelerates the level of trust in the business.
There’s a lot to be said for the phrase “out of sight and out of mind.” As people spend so much of their time in social media circles, if your business isn’t regularly in front of your customers, this can impact your whole marketing success.
The key to social media is consistency. However, social media campaigns must be ongoing and carefully planned from a strategic point of view. This is a perfect job to outsource rather than try to handle in-house. Social media platforms are constantly changing. Virtual Assistants are so engaged with these platforms they are best placed to keep up with these changes. A VA is able to make recommendations and implement updates for your organisation as necessary.
Find out how Bravapro can help your business HERE