How to Effectively Use Social Media for Your Business

You probably have been told countless times that social media is not only a good idea, but also a necessity for your business. It’s true! In 2010, the Fortune Global 100 were just beginning to reach out to their customers on social networks. By 2011, businesses really started to engage with users via social media. In 2013, how can YOU utilize social media to get the word out about your business?

Become knowledgeable about the social media sphere by subscribing to the best social media blogs out there. By seeing how the pros do it, you’ll be able to narrow down what will work best for you and your clients. Once you’re armed with the knowledge, you can start the path towards building some great social media channels for your business. Mashable.com is a great place to start.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Social media, especially in the beginning, is all about trial and error. Find out what posts your clients like by analyzing the numbers. Facebook “Insights” is a great way to find out how engaged people are with each individual post. After a while, you’ll notice trends concerning what’s of interest and what doesn’t resonate. It’s not just about the posts, but also about the channels that you use. It’s possible that your clients are just not as active on one particular channel versus another.
A picture is worth a thousand words, perhaps even more so on social media. These days, attention spans are shrinking and it’s important to keep that in mind when coming up with content for your various social media channels. A picture that conveys the message you’re trying to put out there will be more effective when it shows up on people’s feeds. People are more drawn to a picture than a big block of text.
Be sure to listen to your clients and remain engaged with them. Social media will not work unless you remain up to date with content and posts, and you reply back to anyone who is engaged in your page. This allows you to build relationships and trust in a different and more effective way than you would through a website. Not to mention that it sets the tone of how current and prospective clients perceive your business. Ask them questions on related topics and encourage them to answer. This is also a great way to gain insight into your business. When you ask clients what they like most about your gym, such as “what’s their favorite class,” or “what is their preferred time to get a workout?” You can find the negative space in these answers and adjust accordingly. Clients will appreciate the fact that you care!
Plan it out. What is your overall marketing agenda? Be sure that your social media supports your current marketing campaign and strategy. Keep in mind that social media is just another marketing tool to get the word out there on your business. A cohesive marketing plan will lead to a cohesive social media plan. Come up with fun ideas and topics, and keep them consistent. Once you lay all of this out, you will begin to formulate a good social media framework. Don’t be afraid to go back and review what you’ve outlined and make changes as you go along.
Different platforms have different purposes. Facebook is an ideal platform for engaging people in contests. Pinterest is a great spot to share photos of your gym and link to different areas of your website. Twitter works well for sending out quick updates on classes or an opening in a training schedule. Find the right kind of message for each social media channel.

By starting with these quick steps, you’ll find that building your social media presence will be much easier to tackle. The key is to stick with it, and adjust accordingly when something isn’t working.

Carolina Atai is the Marketing Manager of the Club Management Software Provider EZFacility. She can be contacted at 516.336.6536, or by e-mail at catai@ezfacility.com.