Alan Gayle is a sales and marketing consultant specialising in the construction industry and working in the stone sector for more than a decade. In this column he offers advice on how to make an impact in the market. This time he suggests you put the plug in before you run the bath.
As we have more conversations about marketing, and potential clients tell us how they found us and how our competitors are performing, we’re getting a better idea of how people in the industry are getting on with social media. So now is a good time to revisit the whole subject of social media.
The way technology changes so quickly, an annual review is essential to make sure we’re taking developments into account.
Following my previous foray into this subject, some readers disagreed with my standpoint that it is not top priority and thought I was being a bit of a laggard. Perhaps I am.
Firstly I want to look at what social media is and what it isn’t.
Although I can’t find a definition I am happy with, most social media experts think it includes all the social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc), video, music and picture sharing websites (YouTube, MySpace and Flickr), wikis (Wikipedia) and blogging (which can be done through sites such as Blog and WordPress, but doesn’t have to be). In short, social media is almost anywhere there is potential for two-way online interaction, although I think including any website that allows visitors to leave comments is a bit too broad.
For me, the important aspect of social media is not the media part, but the social element.
Barclays Bank’s advertising on Facebook doesn’t mean it’s committed to social media any more than its sponsorship of the Premier League means it’s committed to football. What it’s committed to is profit maximisation and to achieve that it believes it needs constant exposure to its target market.
For Barclays, Facebook advertising fits the bill. If you sell directly to consumers and your target market uses social networking sites, it might make sense for you to take that route as well. But if you sell to other businesses in the construction industry, don’t expect more than a handful of the decision makers you want to reach to see your Facebook page or read your tweets.
Having said that, using free accounts with Flickr, YouTube or Pinterest to host your content and promote your products and services can make good business sense.
There are those who say regular use of social networking sites is an investment in building relationships and demonstrating your expert knowledge. I would agree. I would just question whether social media is the best use of your time and marketing budget.
Which brings me to my main point: What is the real objective of social media?
If it’s aligned with your marketing strategy, its primary purpose is probably to generate leads. Sometimes a prospect will call or email after seeing your social media output, although it’s more likely they will visit your website first.
So, having made all that effort to attract visitors, social media advocates have smoking websites geared up to convert visits to sales, right?
Not if my experience with new clients is anything to go by.
Developing a website structured to convert visitors into sales leads is far more important than your Twitter account and your Facebook page combined.
Spending your time and money on social media to increase your website traffic without first making sure your website can convert the maximum number of visitors into enquiries is pointless. It’s akin to running a bath without putting the plug in – no matter how fast the water gushes from the taps it all runs straight out the plughole.
So my advice is this: By all means get involved in social media but not at the expense of your website. Nor, for that matter, all your other marketing activities.
Add social media when your website, printed advertising, PR, literature, email marketing, case studies, proposals, tender submissions and corporate identity are all working efficiently, not before.