There’s something charming about small businesses. Whether it’s a Mom and Pop shop tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood, or a street vendor in a bustling metropolis, they recognize their regulars and often know their names. Social media can help your company get even closer to your customers, attract new ones, and grow your small business into a big business. In light of quickly changing technology, businesses of all sizes have had to adapt their marketing strategies. You’ve seen the success larger companies have had by getting involved in social media – those same principles can be applied to smaller businesses too. No matter the size, location, or industry of your small business, here are some ideas for how you can use social to get a big break.

1. Small Business
There’s something charming about small businesses.
Whether it’s a Mom & Pop shop tucked away in a quiet
neighbourhood, or a street vendor in a bustling metropolis,
they recognize their regulars and often know their names.
Social media can help your company get even a small business, so you want to make people
closer to your customers, attract new ones, and feel special so they’ll keep coming back. Repeat
grow your small business into a big business. customers have a huge impact of long-term sales,
so it’s no surprise connecting with customers is the
There are lots of reasons why people shop small. top reason small businesses leverage social media.
Customers can often discover unique, hard to It allows you to have direct conversations with your
find items they wouldn’t be able to find in a box customers, just like you would in store, to build
store. The welcoming environment creates a more better relationships with them.
intimate and personalized shopping experience.
And, let’s face it; small businesses are the Relish Gourmet Burgers grew out of the idea that
backbone of local economy. $68 of every $100 customers want to be treated like friends. They
spent at a locally owned business goes right back wanted to be able to “relish” their customers
into the community, so when people support small and personalize the dining experience. Instead
businesses, they feel good. of getting a number when you place your order,
they ask you your name. They applied the same
People already want your small business to welcoming technique through Twitter and
succeed. But they can’t help you succeed if they Facebook and experimented with social to get their
don’t know you exist. In light of quickly changing recipe just right. Since opening the doors of their
technology, businesses of all sizes have had to first location in January 2010, they now have five
adapt their marketing strategies. You’ve seen the locations with another three set to open in 2012.
success larger companies have had by getting
involved in social media – those same principles
can be applied to smaller businesses too. No Attract New Customers
matter the size, location, or industry of your small
business, here are some ideas for how you can use Finding new customers can be a challenge for
social to get a big break. small business owners. How do you get your
company name out there to bring in a steady
stream of business so you can remain successful?
Engage with Your Regulars Social media enables you to gain more exposure
through word-of-mouth advertising. 75% of people
Building a tight-knit community is arguably even don’t accept advertisements as truth, although
more important for small businesses than larger 90% of people believe brand recommendations
enterprises that can coast on greater brand from friends. Social allows you to get the word out
awareness. Each and every customer counts for about your business and share customer referrals
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2. SMALL BUSINESS
with a larger audience, helping you increase your Share Content that Encourages
customer base.
Conversation
Social media is a natural fit for Curtis Kimball’s
Social media can help your small business stand out,
small business. His Creme Brulee Cart started
but don’t use it to aggressively plug your products
with a single torch and tiny push cart in a back
or services. Instead, try creating and sharing
alley of San Francisco, but he was able to drum
interesting content that speaks to your audience
up excitement about his business through Twitter.
and encourages conversation. Content creation can
He tweeted the location of the cart in real-time,
establish you as a thought leader in your field so
shared featured menu items and retweeted posts
people will turn to your business—no matter how
from people praising his delicious crème brule.
small—for answers. Customer participation in this
In doing so, he collected over 22,000 followers
process makes people feel included and valued, too.
and many new customers based on people’s
recommendations. Other food carts, like Kogi BBQ
One small business that hits the nail on the head is
and Marination Mobile, have seen similar success
Martell Home Builders. This small company grew to
by leveraging social media.
be the number one home builder in Atlantic Canada
through its use of social media. They understand
Thank Your Fans that someone’s home is where their heart is, so
they encourage people to play active roles in the
home building process through social. The company
The people who frequent your store recognize real
regularly post photos of customers’ houses being
human beings are behind the business. You can
built in what’s called a “99-day construction
further humanize your brand by taking the time
countdown” to keep people updated on the status
to thank those who support you. Use social to
of their house at all times. This eases the customer’s
give people what they can’t get anywhere else –
mind, builds trust and excitement, and allows them
exclusive offers and discounts that rewards
to share the experience with family and friends.
faithful customers.
Martell Home Builders also frequently updates its
A great example of this is The Marsh Cafe. They
blog with interesting articles, trade show booth
treated people’s Foursquare check-ins at their cafe
interviews with experts on home building, and
as a kind of loyalty card. They received mainstream
recommended reading about design and decorating.
news coverage for their innovative social campaign
Site visitors have the option to subscribe to the blog’s
“Foursquare mayor drinks for free”. The promotion
RSS feed, or get updates sent directly to their inbox.
caused so much increased business, the cafe
They also have links on their site to the company
had to hire extra staff and extend their hours of
Twitter (almost 12,500 followers), Facebook and
operation to keep up.
YouTube pages where they share other great content.
Moreover, they promote other small businesses,
showcasing “hidden treasures” in the city.
Interested in learning about how Salesforce Radian6 can help your small to
mid-size business strengthen your community and generate more revenue?
Contact us today to learn more about getting started with Salesforce Radian6, visit our website at
www.radian6.com, or contact our sales team via email sales@radian6.com or telephone 1 888 672 3426.
Copyright ©2012 Radian6