LOS ANGELES — While social media might not be at the center of day-to-day operations for many dry cleaners, it pays to take advantage of every opportunity available to connect with customers and become more than just a name to them.
Patty Ross, a social media expert, brand manager and business marketing advisor at Golden State Marketing in Los Angeles, offered this advice during her presentation, “Social Media Marketing Strategies for Your Small Business,” a webinar recently hosted by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).
In Part 1 of this series, we explored some of the reasons why dry cleaners and other business owners shouldn’t ignore their social media game. Today, we’ll take a look at some common mistakes business owners make when it comes to engaging customers through social media platforms.
Top 10 Social Media Marketing Mistakes
Before exploring how best to use social media, Ross presented some common mistakes business owners make when using these platforms.
No plan in place. Where do you focus first? — “You have to have a plan,” Ross says. “You need to know who your customers are so you’ll know where to focus.”
Not being clear about the short-term AND long-term goals — “Your short-term goal is to get on social media if you're not already on it,” Ross says. “So, if you haven't gotten on it, get it going. Make sure it all looks good and have a plan in place to post. It takes time to build it and nurture it. It's not an overnight thing, so be prepared for that.”
Not being consistent — “It takes consistency across all of your marketing channels,” Ross says. “If you just post once in a blue moon, or when you remember to do it, it's not going to work and have the effect you want. The more you're out there, the more you're out there.”
Not measuring the right numbers — “We all like the vanity numbers,” Ross says. “How many followers do I have? We don't look under the hood to find out if there is any engagement or reach. It used to be about building followers. Everybody was trying to chase down followers, but if they're not interacting with your content, then what's the point?”
No idea where platforms your ideal customers hang out — “You have to know who your ideal customers are,” Ross says. “What are the demographics of your ideal customer? Not all platforms are appropriate for everybody in their business.”
Expecting too much, too soon — “If you're not clear about your short-term and long-term goals,” Ross says, “most likely, you'll probably be expecting too much in too short of a time.”
Being disappointed/giving up too early — “If you’re realistic about your goals,” Ross says, “you hopefully won’t give up too soon.”
Not having quality content in place (Images, video, etc.) — “Social media in marketing is all about content,” Ross says. “If you're doing a billboard, you know you need to have good quality images, so you’ll find a branding photographer.” She says that, while some “spur of the moment” shots work on social media, business owners need to think about this facet of their marketing. “You want to have good photos of your business, your products, your people, your location and whatever it is that tells your complete story. It all comes down to images.”
Trying to do it yourself when you don’t like social media — “You can't have your personal feelings about social media take over for your business,” Ross says. “So, if I don't like it, I wouldn't be the one doing it. I’d recommend finding somebody who likes doing social media — either hire them from within or outside the company. But if you're not the one who likes it and can embrace it, it probably will show in your social media.”
Thinking everybody can do social media — “I hear this all the time,” Ross says. “Your teenagers know how to post on social media, but should they be running your business’s social media? Would you say, ‘Hey, my daughter is great with people, so let’s make her the HR manager?’ They have to know how to engage your community. They also have to know when to post, not just what to post.”
Come back Tuesday for the conclusion of this series, where we’ll examine the most popular social platforms available and how best to use them to reach customers. For Part 1, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
