Do you have a fanatical social media fan base? Why not?

Your social media marketing efforts must work for you. You must build a loyal and fanatical fan base that will spread the word and drive traffic so you can make the conversions you need to succeed and grow. Loyal customers are the foundation of every successful business effort. Your social media platforms are an excellent place to begin to build that loyal and fanatical base that will become the ripples on your bottom line pond.

• The first thing you need for your social media marketing to succeed is to engage. You must engage your audience with content they can use and with your dialogue. Pay attention to the comments you are getting and engage them quickly. Be chatty and friendly and try and discover why they are there; what they need from you. Social media is very much a “Look at me… I’m so pretty…” kind of place. Recognize and acknowledge your followers. Tell them how much they are appreciated. A little recognition and gratitude goes a heck of a long way.
• Be out there on a scheduled and regular basis. At least three times a week you need to be posting content. Otherwise, the initiative, and the interest in you, will be lost. If you don’t think you can handle this commitment from within the ranks, then you need to go out and hire an outside firm who specializes it. It is not a cost. Toilet paper is a cost. Building a fanatical and loyal social media fan base is an investment in your success.
• With regard to the engagement thing, you will likely get some negative comments and feedback from time to time. Never, ever, ignore them. To do so will be handing yourself the shovel to dig your deep hole from which you will never crawl out. Never lash out. Recognize their reality and gently try and navigate it successfully. Try and offer them an alternative; perhaps a one time only discount or special coupon? Resolve it as best as you can without ruffling things too much. Remember, someone who has a nice experience will tell at least three people. Those who have a less than stellar experience will tell at least seven people.
• Finally, your social media marketing can really gain a foothold when you offer continuing rewards for visiting. These include running contests, offering special discounts and making coupons available at your site. These strategies have proven extremely effective in driving traffic. So, isn’t it time you had a fanatical fan base?

-Written by Kevin Sawyer