The moment you launch your startup, your main goal is to attract as many clients as possible. And most entrepreneurs and business owners know that social media marketing is at times a great way of doing this. Still, sometimes it’s a flop.
Why is that? Because marketers and entrepreneurs alike need to understand that social media platforms and social media marketing are no longer an optional marketing strategy but rather a priority. Social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn are nowadays key parts of brand awareness, content sharing and customer acquisition tips and strategies for companies.
This is extremely common for startups that have small budgets. Still, in spite of its importance, quite a low number of startups and new enterprises are able to grasp how to fully capitalize on social media’s potential.
In the past, word-of-mouth marketing was the best way in which startups were able to achieve success while working on a small and limited budget. However, nowadays, given the fast-paced development of the internet and the online environment, it has taken the place of word-of-mouth marketing. Thankfully, social media marketing allows small companies to reach millions of potential clients with the click of a button.
Startup companies like Distractify and Airbnb have proved that creating and implementing a solid social media strategy is one of the best tools a company can use. By creating a relevant and effective social media presence, your brand is able to gain awareness, attract new clients, recruit new talent and even receive feedback that can offer your enterprise a competitive edge.
Related: How Small Companies Should Use Social Media to Promote Their Business
Every small business owner and entrepreneur has two main and limited resources: time and money. As a small business owner, ideally, your goal is to reach critical mass before you spend all your money. Critical mass can be described as the point or stage at which your enterprise is able to sustain on its own, relying on the cash flow it generates. Simply put, critical mass is achieved when a company no longer depends on loans, savings, credit card debts or any other external sources of capital. Yes, companies may still require outside capital in order to register a fast growth and to expand. However, when your company reaches critical mass, you can finally take a breath because you know that your business is able to survive without outside capital.
In my opinion, social media shouldn’t be the focal point of your startup’s strategy to get the word out about your company. Face-to-face meetings with contacts are far more effective than Twitter mentions or Facebook likes or shares. While people seem to believe that one-on-one meetings have lost some of their glamour and power, the fact of the matter is that this is the best way to deal with potential clients.
Furthermore, direct contact is even more important if you plan to register initial success through local sales. You’ll probably be able to find more customers by attending industry gatherings, networking events and even trade shows instead of connecting on LinkedIn, Twitter or any other social media platform or social media campaign.
Related: 5 Strategies For Growing Your Company Via Social Media
If you remember the saying from the Spider-Man comics, when Uncle Ben tells Peter that “With great power comes great responsibility”, the same can be said about social media. Its platforms are quite powerful tools which should always be used wisely. Thus, you shouldn’t rely solely on it in order to achieve business success.
