Special Publications

14 - Wednesday, October 22, 2014 - Womein In Business - Red Bluff Daily News Small business owners know how important it is to reach their existing customers and attract new ones. e Internet has made it easier than ever before for small businesses to do just that, but the days of relying on a Web site alone have largely fallen by the wayside. Social media is one of the foremost reasons many people now go online. While engaging in social media won't turn a failing business into a suc- cessful enterprise overnight, it can help business owners in a number of ways. Increase visibility In early 2012, the digital market- ing firm iCrossing estimated that Facebook would reach the 1 billion users plateau by August of that year. Twitter, another popular social media platform, has more than 100 million registered users. Simply put, social media is more popular than ever before, and its popularity is grow- ing by the day. Businesses can take advantage of this by joining social media and immediately increasing their visibility. And that visibility is constant, as social media sites don't close at 10 p.m. and social media allows businesses to reach customers far and wide. Promote products Social media can be used as a pro- motional tool. Blog about a product to help potential customers better understand the product, and cus- tomers won't feel as if they're being delivered a sales pitch. Business owners can easily produce how-to videos to explain the product, and any questions customers have can be simply sent via social media. Busi- ness owners won't have to spend as much time trying to convert them from potential customers into actual customers, and the informal nature of promoting a product via social media can make customers feel more comfortable about their decisions. Promote yourself ough it can sometimes feel like the days of the successful small business owner is a thing of the past, social media is making it easier for small business owners to promote themselves and entice customers along the way. Buying from large corporations tends to alienate con- sumers, and small business owners can use that to their advantage. Use social media to tell your story. When consumers know who is behind a product, they tend to trust the com- pany more and feel a more personal connection than they're likely to feel with a larger company or corpora- tion. Better serve customers Social media users enjoy using social media because it gives them a chance to share their thoughts on a variety of things, including the prod- ucts they buy. Small business owners can help their business by encourag- ing those who follow them on social media to share their thoughts about certain products or promotions. Employ social media to understand what customers like and dislike about certain products. is market research might once have cost small businesses a substantial amount of money, but now social media allows business owners to access this valu- able information at relatively no cost. Build a network Small business owners know that running a small business is not a one-man operation. Other small business owners and business con- sultants are valuable resources, and social media makes it easy to consult them for advice on how to turn a small business into a success. But a network of fellow profes- sionals isn't the only network social media can help you build. Satisfied customers who take to social media to speak positively about your prod- uct can help you build a network of satisfied customers. Word-of-mouth has long been a friend to small busi- ness owners, and now social media enables satisfied customers to share their experience with friends and family members who might one day become your next satisfied customer. How social media can help your business Gaumer's Jewelry Museum Lapidary 78 Belle Mill Road Red Bluff, CA 96080 530-527-6166 www.gaumers.com follow Gaumer's Jewelry, Museum, and Lapidary on Facebook Tonya Robinson, Sharla Gibson, Melanie Zelwick, Terry Gaumer and Jill Russell. Thank you to our women employees for creating a pleasant work environment and keeping things running smoothly. Your hard work is greatly appreciated. 8049 Hwy. 99E, Los Molinos • 384-1563

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