When I talk to franchisors about social media, I always get push-back. The following are the most typical responses:
• My kids have a Facebook page, but I don’t really understand it.
• My customers aren’t online.
• Yeah, sure it works for other franchises, but I have a B2B franchise.
• I don’t have time.
• I don’t get it and it’s just a fad.
To which my response is always, "That’s fine. Your competition is using it, and using it well. So if you’d like to stay in business, you’d better get on the bandwagon."
About 93 percent of Americans expect the companies they do business with to have a social media presence, according to www.mediabistro.com. That’s 93 percent. The trend is not about Twitter and Facebook and LinkedIn; the technology is changing rapidly, and what works now won’t work in a year. What the trend is all about is developing and fostering relationships with people: the people who buy from you and the people you buy from. Technology just allows you to do that more efficiently and on a larger scale.
But let’s start at the beginning:
What is social media?
Social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content. Think back a few months ago to flight 1549 heading to Charlotte, North Carolina. The plane was airborne no more than three minutes when a bird flew into one of the jet engines causing an emergency crash landing in New York’s Hudson River. Before camera crews and reporters arrived, people were tweeting about the tragedy from both a ferry on the river and the plane itself. Technology is changing before our eyes and it is essential to keep up.
What does it all mean?
Social media is about relationships—developing them with potential customers and fostering them with current customers. It’s about creating a referral network and connecting and engaging with friends, other businesses, customers and colleagues. A great place to start is by participating in what you already love to do—writing book reviews on Amazon, reviewing restaurants on Yelp or blogging about a family vacation for your friends and relatives.
Starting off safe is key if you’re not comfortable. If you are doubtful or nervous to involve your business at first, get involved on a personal level. Create a Facebook page, a LinkedIn profile, a Twitter handle, or even a YouTube video of your son or daughter’s first steps so your entire family doesn’t miss a second. Almost any task will seem more relevant if you enjoy it, and the numbers don’t lie:
From February 2008 to February 2009, the two largest age groups actively using Twitter were 25-34 and 45-54.
There are more than 200 million active users on Facebook. At least 100 million users log on every day, two-thirds are not in college, and the fastest-growing demographic is 35+ years old.
There are more than 39 million members of LinkedIn worldwide—almost half of those are outside of the United States. A new member joins about every second, and executives from all Fortune 500 companies are on LinkedIn.
Still think your customer isn’t online?
Generating new business
There are different ways to use social media: establishing thought leadership, recruiting talent, prospecting for new business and creating brand loyalty through engagement, just to name a few. But before you use it to generate leads, remember these key points:
• Target your market to follow the right people.
• Offer actionable advice.
• On Twitter, use the allotted 140 characters wisely.
• Spend only an hour a day on these sites.
• Track your results.
In order to be highly effective at social media, you’ll want to consider these seven habits:
• Be proactive—get and stay involved with your social media communities.
• What’s your mission? Build relationships with audiences, advocate for others, or develop new knowledge for content?
• Prioritize your social media time. Make it work for you, instead of letting it overwhelm you.
• Make your relationships mutually beneficial: Provide value to the people who choose to follow you.
• Listen, don’t just talk. At a networking event, you wouldn’t walk up to someone and just start talking about yourself. Listen first and find a way to contribute to the conversation.
• Synergy is the magic of social media. Take advantage of people’s willingness to collaborate and share ideas freely.
• Social media can help sharpen your mind. Participate with other minds to elevate everyone's thinking.
On the other hand, here’s what not to do when building and sustaining your brand through social media:
• Don’t be a salesperson—talk to your community as a person, not as though you’re selling something.
• Relax, build a relationship first, and don’t be anxious to pitch your idea during your first conversation.
• Don’t be afraid to offer information, knowledge and wisdom. You’re networking; people want to talk to you and hear what you have to offer.
• Have a tough skin. If people choose to not follow you or listen to your ideas, don’t take it personally.
Not just for kids anymore
As human beings we want to engage, communicate, and establish relationships, and social media allows that to happen.
Engaging in social media establishes your franchise as a thought leader and creates brand loyalty by connecting people to other people, rather than robots pitching "home-run sales lines." I always liken social media to an all-day networking event—you wouldn't show up and refuse to talk to anyone. The only difference is that you can use social media without brushing your teeth, and you can network every single day. So go out there and try it. I'd love to hear how it works for you.
Gini Dietrich is chief executive officer of Arment Dietrich Public Relations in Chicago. Gini can be reached at [email protected] or 312-787-7249.
