In PART I of 7 Benefits of Social Media for Business Brand Building, we discussed how Branding, Thought Leadership and Online Brand Management were powerful tools for almost any business. Today we will take a look at how social media benefits us through Innovation, Research, World-Class Customer Service and Business Leads for social media success:
4. Innovation: We are in a fast paced society. To keep up with the speed of doing business, it is important that brands stay current with the latest trends in technology, communication and interaction. Social media is fast outpacing the yellow pages for finding information about people and businesses. If you are not using social media you are quickly falling behind. There are so many changes taking place across social media platforms. Your brand has an awesome opportunity to use free resources provided across platforms to create, connect and collaborate with others. Social media provides us an opportunity to connect with other brands, employers, job seekers, the media, co-workers, family and friends.
5. Research: Social media makes is easy for you to research, track and analyze your competitors. Social media is open to all and it allows you an opportunity to listen in on what competitors are saying, doing and what clients want. Use it to research other businesses, curate content to share with your audience. You can even develop joint venture opportunities and business partnerships by the research you do on social media.
6. World-Class Customer Service: When you have experienced a wonderful customer service interaction with a brand, how does it make you feel? Like shouting it from the rooftop…right? Well with social media, that is exactly what people are doing. Shouting out their experience by way of providing feedback on your website, blog or directly on social media platforms. Close the loop for services you offer by remembering customer service is a vital component of the customer experience. As a brand, it is your responsibility to respond in a timely helpful way to resolve any issues that may arise. Customers may reach out to provide a testimonial or to share a concern that needs to be addressed. Social media gives customers and clients the opportunity to reach out directly with the brands they follow and support. It is always a great practice to respond to all customers providing any type of feedback whether good or bad. For example, you can thank a person for referring you business or for mentioning your brand. This interaction and customer service goes a long way with your brand community and shows them that providing great customer service is important to you.
7. Business Leads: Ultimately, social media leads to business. It is a catalyst for lead generation, seeking testimonials and other great professional connections. If you learn how to read the minds of your clients then you can easily capitalize on the social conversations and reap the rewards. For example, just by monitoring your social media platforms, you can discover what clients need or what frustrates them. You can then develop a product or service to address their needs. You can monitor sites such as Twitter and even sites like Amazon to see what people are saying. By monitoring the conversations and all the buzz, you can set yourself up for success in interacting with potential customers. It is all about making Savvy Connections!
How have you used social media to provide customer service? Share with me below. Looking forward to hearing from you!
I am constantly amazed at the incredible benefits of social media! Thanks for sharing your wisdom and expertise! Great article and LOVE your header!
denny
http://www.MissingSecretToParenting.com
Thanks Denny! Yes, there are so many benefits that can helps propels businesses and brands. Thank you so much for your comments Denny!
Oh, Sarah, I love your new site! I can see why you are so excited! This is a great article filled with many tips! Love "Innovation" – we must keep up by using social media ! I agree! " Social media provides us an opportunity to connect with other brands, employers, job seekers, the media, co-workers, family and friends. "
Thanks Alexandra! I love innovation too…it keeps us on our toes. Thank you for your comments. Have a blessed day!
Great article!. Thank you for sharing your expertise about social media, Dr. Sarah.
P.S. I also do love your header. :)
Lorii Abela recently posted..How to be Attractive to Men
Thanks Lorri! I am glad you enjoyed the article and do stop by again soon.
Great post Sarah! I love the fact that social media gives us the opportunity to really provide world class customer service to our customers. Social media allows us to hear from them instantly, whether it be good or bad and to serve them in such a way that will keep them a customer for life! Thanks for sharing!
Jen, you make an excellent point! Yes, it allows us to hear feedback in real time. What better way to serve others? Thank you for your comments!
Sarah! This is an awesome site and wow what a great article!!! I'm so impressed with what you are doing with your business! Very well done and I agree I have used social media to build a business since before it was called social media! Watching the rest of the world catch on is interesting to me! It's such a fun business to be in. You are Rocking it SocialSavvySarah!
Thank you so much Liz! You have a wonderful jump ahead of the curve with your prior experience in connecting with others. Isn’t it great to be ahead of the curve? Liz, you ROCK!
truth is, I think I'm experiencing some fall-out from all the social media hype – not only do I work on computers all day, I sit on rear end and my eyes are bothering me!! Now add hours more of social media as connection – I'm still at the computer, sitting on my rear and eyes bothering me! yikes!!!! What do you think?
Patricia, you make a very good point and that is something I have also wondered about and have learned to manage. You know when I think about it…at a traditional job all I do is sit around all day long doing work for someone else on a computer on my rear with my eyes bothering me so I figure why not do it for myself and at least I have the flexibility to take a break whenever I feel like it or start the day later and work on my own terms. I work in 1-2 hour blocks. Having a system in place is important. It is easy to get lost in social media but a schedule and building time in for yourself is key…i.e. a massage at the spa or lunch with a friend.:-) Be sure to be good to yourself and treat yourself for a job well done. Thank you so much for your comments!
This is awesome! Your site looks amazing! I am so excited to be along in your journey!
Thanks Liz! I am so fortunate to have you along this journey with me! Thanks for your comments.
Sarah, first of all, I think the new look of your site is very professional and polished, so you!! Second of all, I am grateful for the advances that social media has taken so that we can stay in touch with clients, family and friends. I agree with you that these innovations are important to stay current with. Great post!
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Thanks Sherie, I appreciate your comments. I am continually amazed at the doors social media has opened in my professional career. It makes me wonder how did we ever live without it?
Great post, Sarah! I'm completely blown away by your expansive knowledge in the area of social media and what it means for brands in today's climate! Thank you for so candidly sharing your expertise with us!
Thank you Theresa, it is a wonderful opportunity to level the playing field regardless of a company’s size or an individual’s career aspirations. Thank you so much for your comments and please stop by again soon.
Love your site Sarah. Great information here in easy-to-understand verbiage. I love what you said about "it's all about making savvy connections" Social Media is awesome… what an amazing place to create a business, and even more so, relationships with those we want to do business with!
Thanks Sue! It is amazing at how many opportunities social media opens up to those willing to explore. Thank you for your comments.
Awesome new look ! Great job Sarah:) I agree, customer service is key
Thanks Anita! Yes, customer service is what keeps customers coming back and keeps them connected. Have a great day!
Great list and a perfect build onto the previous blog. Congrats on the new site, Sarah! I know you are on your way to successes beyond your wildest imagination.
Lorrie, thank you so much! I am glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for stopping by!
Once I stopped staring at your beautiful header, I went ahead and read your amazing post
Social media is amazing. Yesterday I was interacting with a follower on Twitter about where he could go on vacation to a resort that is family friendly. The resort I recommending obviously researches their name on Twitter because they thanked me for the recommendation, mentioned my follower and they are following me on Twitter. How about that! 
Wow..these pictures are amglinazy irresistible to look at..it makes the pictures more beautiful and sweet to look at.The way the shots look, this is a work of art..one look of it and it catches all your attention.
I do not use it for Customer Service. I do see it done often, and I have asked for customer service via Twitter before.
When I read about the benefits of social media I am still impressed and amazed. I have not benefited from these yet, but there is always hope!!!
First off, I want to say congratulations on your new site and look! It's wonderful to see you expanding into an area that you love and can help others succeed as well! Great article and wonderful tips too!
Social Media is huge and the benefits are amazing. If you have a business that is NOT online, you are going to be left behind big time! Thanks, enjoyed this. x0x
You are so right Sara when you share that social media is innovative and replaced outdated methods of research, communication and more. If a business doesn't learn to overcome and adapt in the economy and world they are setting themselves up for sure failure. By the way, love your new look.
Sarah, your site is looking fantastic! I love social media-not only for business, but I love that it has made our world much smaller. People that I would never have met, I am able to connect with through social media. Love it!!
Loved this series Sarah. This could be the blueprint for selling clients on why social media marketing is non-negotiable! Thanks
LOVE your new site and header, I think I've told you that more than a few times already..lol.
Social media or old-style marketing, one thing never goes out of style: serving your customer is the first priority for businesses. I always ask, how can I serve the maximum amount of people with my offers? How can I make my gifts accessible by more and more people? As Ram Dass, said…"How can I help?"
Absolutely Rhonda…serving the customer is the goal! I appreciate your comments!
I am still learning a lot about social media but I am loving it! I love having the opportunity to reach so many people that I would otherwise not gotten to know. Great customer service is so important!
Sue, it is so fascinating! I agree that it really gives us a reach and the ability to interact with others. Thank you for your comments.
Posted on I’ve been absent for a while, but now I reemmber why I used to love this site. Thanks , I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your web site?
Thanks for stopping by…the goal is to post blogs twice a week.
Great post! I think innovation and research are definitely two big factors that make using social media a game changer.
Thank you Stacy for your comments. Please stop by again soon!
So much work, SM. Don't mean to sound so drab but by the time I learn it they up and change something. I have to manage my time better for starters. Otherwise I like SM, and can certainly see it's value!
Yes, it is a lot to keep up with isn’t it? I think we all struggle with the time management aspect of it all. That is why setting up systems is so important for example scheduling and if you don’t have the time you can outsource at some point. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!
Ah, Gorgeous website Sarah! I'm totally loving the layout and design! To answer your question, social media provides me with the opportunity to connect with my audience and clients. I guess you can say it gives them a more in depth look into my personality while also giving them the accessibility that a normal person on the street wouldn't have.
Social media is indeed an incredible tool. Yes, as some have noted, it can be a bit exhausting but then, what format isn't in the world of business. At the end of the da, I enjoy building my busines through social media! Great post, Sarah!
Great collection of social media benefits Sarah, thanks. I think my favorite is the opportunities for great customer service that social media provides. I love hearing stories about how people tweet something from the plane, and an airline rep shows up to solve the issue minutes later. Personally, I like being visible to my clients and easy to reach in so many different ways.
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This is helpful to know. I have someone managing my social media but I would like to learn more about what all goes into it. Thanks Sarah these were great Tips