The attention from voucher-distribution, banner ads, and television ads turned to social media where there is an explosion in popularity, and marketers know well to get on and exploit it. You can hear the desperate screams of marketers, and publishers on Facebook,Twitter,tumblr, basically everywhere popular on the Internet.
I myself, starting my new web development business, am worrying about getting the word out behind the screens. One of the biggest qualities of the Internet, is that you can work your creativity in such a way, to attract customers, and there’s nothing limiting you from creating something that has never been heard of before, giving your clients an idea of what you are actually capable of.
So let’s go over a list of do’s and don’ts on promoting yourself via social media:
Do: Creative Banners
A very good way of attracting clients is to have well-structured, good colored, and descriptive banners. I myself created one slide on my own page, presenting the steps that I take in order to develop websites. Get a good designer to design your banners. Don’t be affraid to reject the ones you don’t like in a design contest. You should only get the best of the best for your company if you want to survive (especially online). Don’t be the smack of the hundreds of entrepreneurs before you, do something special!
Do: Subtle Marketing
You’ll attract attention without seeming desperate by just adding your website’s link in the comments you make, or in your profiles. Do a lot of online socializing. Give something back to the community, such as:
- New Articles about anything
- Tutorials
- Helping people online
- Giving out free things
All these things will skyrocket your success.
Enough Do’s already! Let’s talk about the very wrong things people do on social media.
Don’t: Spamming Profiles
Spamming actually is your biggest enemy on social media because, most users tend to dismiss it. A referral from a friend or client of yours will make much bigger of an impact, because there’s the trust factor in there. Get some recommendations, because these sure will turn into clients in a very short amount of time. I found this out the hard way years ago because i thought spamming profiles of other people will get me ahead, because these will result in clicks (What a bad way to think, right?), eh, this simply doesn’t work (as 1000 people done it before you, creating a negative sentiment around the whole action), so don’t go out of your way to spam people.
Don’t: Sound too “Market-ish”
People have a natural aversion to “fake” people. Even if your product is actually good as you might claim, concentrate on giving the user what he wants instead of using well-known cliche phrases in the trials of selling your product/s. Keep it funny, social, and make efforts to build a genuine connection with your clients.
One of the approaches i tried was to open me a facebook page with funny stuff, then advertise my business in between the funny pictures. It was awesome! Got me 7 clients at the same day.