Five Tips For Marketing Startups Using Social Media

If you are using Twitter and Facebook, then you are in the social media game. But there is more to leveraging the power of social media than merely communicating on these two networks. While social media on its own isn’t a slam dunk in terms of an effective and well-balanced marketing strategy, it does offer an excellent way to get creative with that strategy. 

Many businesses are incorporating social media into their consumer outreach campaigns and seeing amazing results. Yet, it is the most creative uses of social media that reap the most benefits. 

Here are five awesome ways you can step out of the box and make the most of your social media campaign: 

1) Offer virtual gifts

You’ve seen Facebook users give virtual hugs, virtual flowers or other intangible tokens of appreciation; why not use the concept to boost your sales? It worked for Cold Stone Creamery. The ice cream franchise was one of the first to roll out the virtual eGift Social Marketplace program by First Data. 

The app allowed Facebook users to buy gift certificates directly from the Cold Stone Creamery fan page and essentially buy one of their friends ice cream by sending them the virtual gift through Facebook or email. The friend could then redeem the gift by visiting an offline Cold Stone Creamery and presenting a printout of the provided code or flashing it from a mobile device. The viral part happens when an announcement of the eGift appears in the recipients Facebook feed for other friends to see. 

This concept can work with a variety of businesses. If you stretch your creativity you can find lots of ways a virtual gift can benefit your business and boost sales.

2) Use video

Growing your Facebook following or just giving a bit of personality to your site video is where it’s at. For Facebook you can create an alternative landing tab with an embedded video by you that explains what potential fans can expect when they “Like” your page.

Additionally, you can also embed a useful or interesting video on your page, something others will be inclined to re-post on their own pages. When you embed a video, Facebook will include a white watermark hotlink to the top of your video that links back to your page, so when others re-post your video, everyone will know where it originated. It’s a great way to help your videos go viral.

3) Use Skype to create useful content to give away on your website

People like free stuff, but often it’s time consuming to develop content to give away. Skype has some built-in functions that you may have tried during calls, like the ability to share documents or a computer screen. But have you ever thought about recording that call and using that information as a learning tool for others? 

How about giving out free training over Skype? Offer 15-minute session with a bit of advice and record the call to provide to the potential client afterward. It will serve as a reminder of the information you provided in the call, but also keep you top of mind when they return to the recording to review the information. When you email the recording to the potential client, remind them of your full services if they should want to follow up with you later. 

4) Get vertical

You may already have a blog that talks about your industry and what you do. Blogs are fantastic for driving people to your website when people find your posts informative. Those posts should help your potential customers address a problem to which they are seeking a solution. That wins their loyalty and eventually their business. 

Take the blog concept a step further and start a vertical blog or two. A vertical is a blog that is related to your industry but niche specific. For example, if you are a website designer and you run a blog about web design, consider starting a blog on blog design. It’s a similar field, but you’ll get visitors who are looking for blog design and not necessarily website design. In essence, you are bringing in potential customers through the back door. 

5) Use forums to engage a community.

Right now there could be thousands of potential customers wanting the services you provide. In fact, they are asking questions that you can likely answer. But most business owners pass up the opportunity to engage these potential customers. Don’t neglect this prime opportunity to get involved and show your expertise. 

Chances are there are forums in your industry. Don’t just push your services, but. get active in these forums and genuinely participate. Interacting with others and being helpful is the best way to establish yourself as an expert.

With so many social media networks out there, don’t just take them at face value. Think outside the box and use them creatively to help you and your company stand out in the social media crowd.

Do you have great startup marketing tips to share? Let me know below or tweet at me @misstrendchaser