Social Media Tip: Know What Business You Are In

Do you know what business you are really in? If you don't, it may be difficult to have an effective social media outreach strategy.

As I asked as an example in my post "What Is Strategic Marketing and How Is It Connected to Social Media?": Are you in the box manufacturing business or the business of supplying containers for different customers' needs?

Why is this distinction so important for effective social media outreach?

I gave a 10-minute presentation to my Beverly Hills Leads Club chapter based on the concepts in the above blog post. Afterwards I got an email from another member questioning whether his company's ideal customer was searching the web for the company's services.

The more I thought about what this person's company can do for businesses, the more I realized that he probably doesn't understand what business he is really in. In fact, if he realized what business he is really in, he would probably understand how to connect with potential ideal customers on the web.

And part of that connection would entail teaching potential ideal customers what his company can do for their businesses.

Basically it comes down to:

• First, understanding what benefits you offer your potential ideal customers.

• Second, figuring out how to educate via social media those ideal customers about how you can help them achieve their goals.

While this sounds simple, it isn't.

But once you commit to developing this marketing foundation, you will be on the path to using strategic social media outreach to get in front of and make connections with your ideal potential customers.

Warning: If your social media outreach efforts bring your potential ideal customers back to an old-fashioned website that is un-social media friendly, you need to eliminate this disconnect immediately before investing large amounts of time and effort in social media strategies.

If you need a website that is social media and search engine friendly, see our Miller Mosaic call-to-action website package now.



© 2011 Miller Mosaic LLC

Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter) has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the marketing consulting company Miller Mosaic, LLC.