Social Media: Your Gateway For Better Business

By Sami Raja

Even as a generation of individuals who are ‘online’ 24×7, how many of us realize the impact of social media on our day-to-day life? We are living in a time where we receive the daily news from Twitter, socio-political insights from Facebook, live feeds from Instagram and business insights from LinkedIn.

We are constantly conversing with people around the world through Whatsapp or Facebook or continuously ‘scrolling’ through feeds that fill our head with things we find relevant.

Since it’s established that social media channels are our windows to view the world better, doesn’t it make sense for business owners and sales and marketing professionals to use these channels as a gateway to for better business?

Large and famous corporates have established their online presence since the dawn of the internet. But how far have the small business owners come when it comes to finding their footing in the highly competitive and greatly transparent online world?

If you are a small business owner who is still to unlock the potential of social media for improving your sales and marketing strategies, this article would be helpful.

The Online Presence

There was a time not too long before when sales and marketing used to be based on cold-calling people. However, the present style of reaching out is through the internet.

When a client or a potential customer is looking for answers, the first thing they’d do is to Google their query. Google, or any search engine for that matter, will search scores of data available on the internet to find the answers in seconds.

This is why all businesses must ensure a solid online presence, which speaks about their company, products and services in brief and inviting them for more details. As a small business owner, or a sales and marketing professional, your individual online presence also matters. Any person or organisation looking for information on you will Google you as a start. Your online presence is the first thing that attracts more business.

Anything from solid references, websites, press releases or social media profiles can add to your online presence. If the results that come up in a search are accurate and positive, it will create a good impression with your prospects.

Start Social Media conversations

As a business owner, all your products and services must have a target audience, towards which your sales and marketing efforts are directed. Your prospective customers show similar traits but are all individuals with different needs.

Open a conversation with them to understand what they have in mind. Ask your target audience with specific and relevant questions. Build buyer profiles which will help you see things from a buyer’s perspective. Thinking like a buyer will help narrow down the offerings and how they must be marketed. Ask your online followers for inputs and feedback, which will help you refine your offerings.

By effectively using your online presence to start conversations, you can utilize the insight for improving your sales.

Embracing Changes For Good

Establishing an online presence is tough. The social media platforms showcase n-number of potential products and services from your competitors as well. This is why it is crucial to have a unique online identity.

Do things differently for better visibility. As people have a tendency to gravitate towards seemingly newer and different things in the market, showcasing something different from others will improve your online presence.

Now, as a small business owner or a sales and marketing professional, there are several ways to stay unique. The first step to making a difference is to expand your insights. Do not stick to your own industry while doing the research.

Learn what works for the top contenders in other industries. Is there a new marketing tactic that’s being successfully used in a different industry that might just work for you too? Can you use this new insight to rebrand your online presence?

Be mindful of these three key ingredients to turn your social media channels into business gateways. Work on the online presence by starting new dialogues with your customers and peeking into other industries for useful insights which can help elevate your business to greater heights.

About The Author

Mr Sami Raja, Founder & CEO of Sami Raja Consultancy is a market leader and visionary in the field of Business Consulting and Finance Management. As the head of a leading business consulting firm headquartered in Dubai and London Sami heads a team of business analysts, investment sales specialists, and marketing professionals. His areas of expertise include Investment sales, Business Marketing, Branding, Corporate structuring and strategizing, procurement and portfolio management.