Questions about using social media networking to promote your business

If you are considering using social media networking to promote your business, you may have a lot of questions. This whole new world of marketing raises many issues that business owners may not have considered before. Part of your success with using social media networking to promote your business, will be determined by how much you know about it. This means that it is crucial to take the time to find the answer to any questions that you may have. Here are some common questions about using social media networking to promote your business-

- If I allow comments on my social media pages, how do I deal with the negative?This is one of the most common questions that business owners have when they are considering using social media networking. Many business owners fear having any negative content posted, because of the speed at which it can travel online and they are unsure as to how to deal with it. The reality is that while you may look at social media networking, for building good will, marketing your business, and promoting sales, there is the possibility that negativity can creep in. So the question becomes-"How do you deal with it?" The bottom line is that most likely you will have less then satisfied customers talking about you. This means that you either allow them to frame your presence online or you do it yourself. Because of the ease of being able to publish your opinion online, your dissatisfied customers may have already done so. However, if you position yourself online, then you can give them a forum that you control. Best of all you can respond to the negativity in a way that resolves it, and may even win the customer back. In addition, when you show that you are responding to questions, comments and concerns, you are showing all of your customers that you care about their opinion and want to make them happy. Finally, keep in mind that even negative feedback, can be of value to you. It allows you to see what could possibly need correcting with your product or service, in order to make it better, and broaden its appeal to your customers.
- Where should we place our social media networking?One of the most common mistakes that many business owners make is in their excitement to get started, they post on the first social media networking site that they come across. This is rarely useful or effective. You need to take the time to find out where your customers are on the web. If you are positioning your company on the internet, in a social media networking site that your customers never go to it is simply a waste of time and effort. Taking the time to do the right amount of market research is critical. You need to know where your customers go to find information, or share their preferences. Then you are much more likely to find the right social media networking site(s), for your business. There are several different ways that you can find the information that you need, to let you know where your customers are. Conversely, do not give into the temptation of placing your business on every social media site networking site, as this "shotgun" approach is rarely effective, as well.
- How often do I post on my social media networking pages?It is important, for business owners to understand that there is a fine balance between selling and marketing. If you constantly are pushing your products and services and not really marketing, your customers will soon grow tired of your constant badgering and begin blocking you. They will look at your social media efforts as spam and move on to someone else. You want to be consistent with your posting, but never aggressive or intrusive.