We will go through the various platforms:
Linked In- A great place to present a professional resume and build a center of influence. This is great from recruits and recruiters alike, helping to find better matches. There is also a largely untapped wealth of knowledge out there on Linked In. Through groups and posts, people can get advise and glean wisdom and research from those in their field. It is a great way to be known in your circle.
Facebook- The social networking giant is a prime place to advertise. With Facebook's targeted ads that only charge you for the clicks that you get, it is an ideal way to put your brand or product in from of your target audience at a relatively low cost. It also provides an avenue for you to create an identity for your company, product, or service. Through your Facebook page, you can begin to tell about yourself in a way that sparks two way conversation. YouTube- Videos are memorable. They can be funny, heartfelt, serious, or crazy. Your company can make their own video to get their product or service in the minds of potential customers- the more memorable the better! You can also sponsor videos that are often watched by your target demographic. Creativity is key in this category.
Twitter- Tweets are a great way to share all of the great things about your company. You can link to the newest development your field or even back to your company's solution for a problem. The real trick is to have the benefit to the customer written very clearly in your tweet content. Acting like a hands off friend, giving advise and throwing out suggestions, is often better than direct messages to individual twitter accounts, which can frighten people.Blogging- Blogs are the best way to provide useful content to the potential customers that will come in contact with your company. By informing them of the potential pitfalls or telling them the 5 things to look for, you become the trusted teacher and a place of value. This is key to building an effective business presence in social media.
The Verdict- There is no longer any reason to make a true 'cold call.' Through the web, you should be making an impact on your market and letting your benefits be known to potential buyers. They should already have some idea of what you are about or what you are going to be talking to them about. With this now almost 'warm' call, you will be able to engage your listeners and impress on them the many ways that your product or service will improve their lives.
I agree Chris, social media is a growing trend and companies simply can't ignore its presence. The vast amount of social media networks that exist attributes to this expanding phenomenon. As a marketing major, I liked your reference to cold calling. Given the ability to get to know consumers, "cold calling" doesn't have to be so cold anymore.
ReplyDeleteI think with all the ways to network, cold calling could become less evident. People always have profiles on social media sites, so making connections is so much easier
ReplyDeleteWith today's technology, we should be able to accurately pinpoint those who are interested in a product from those who are not. I still don't understand the concept of telemarketers... never have, never will.
ReplyDeleteI like your comparison between "cold" and "warm" calls. I had never thought of it that way but it's true- before marketers would just call a list of people without really knowing who they were or their stance on their products. Now it's a 2 way conversation and establishes a more intimate relationship between consumers and marketers/companies. It's a better way for customer interaction and consumers definitely respond better than they do to telemarketers. I know that I get annoyed when we get telemarketing calls at home, but I don't mind throwing in my opinion about a product somewhere where the company will see it and act on it.
ReplyDeleteIt's crazy how far technology has come!