Social media marketing is an exciting and important tool to help small businesses reach new customers while improving relationships with their existing clients.
Previously, it was the new kid on the block.
Not anymore, the future of marketing is now and it looks very social.
The marketing tools of yesterday are still important but the principles of using them have changed.
Advertising, public relations and referrals are as important as ever.
What has changed thanks to giant Facebook, is the personal way advertising and public relations efforts are conducted to gain referrals.
The approaches that worked before can now drive customers away.
With Facebook social media marketing the key words are no longer product, price, placement and promotion.
The new rules dictate a different approach.
The key concepts are Content that educates your customers in a Context that is useful to them.
With Facebook social search, you have instant access to Customers looking for your product.
As they make Connection with your Content (product), they reach out, making more connections to their Community of friends, fans and followers.
This used to be called having products that sold themselves.
Now it's called Facebook social media marketing.
Facebook is a very powerful social media marketing tool, with features like Facebook advertising, Facebook events and the new ways of conducting promotions plus gaining Facebook fans, the social media equivalent of word of mouth referrals.
Big companies understand the power of Internet and social media marketing.
They know the benefit from being early on the playing field.
Eight hundred million potential customers is more than they can resist.
They also understand the Internet levels the playing field.
Small business can look as big and powerful as any other business.
They get the message and smart small business owners should too.
The saying, "Carpe diem, seize the day," has never been more appropriate.
The small businessperson should not be asking, "Is Facebook social media marketing something I could use for my business? The relevant question is rather, "How can I best use Facebook social media marketing to the benefit of my business?" Facebook is another tool to consider when you want to make a move that makes your business more competitive in the market place.
The decision is the same as at any time in the past.
Do you choose mass-marketing campaigns, attend far away trade conventions, hire more marketing personnel or an internet marketing company? Using Facebook social media marketing tools properly will guide you into a new market beyond your expectations.
If there are questions about Facebook as a market, consider the facts.
Facebook is the top social network with over 1 billion website visits per month.
The value of Facebook is such that if it were a sovereign nation it would be the fourth largest in the world.
Users of social networks make 900,000 posts per hour about topics they "like" to spread the word about worldwide.
No longer is there a new kid on the block.
Facebook social networking has redefined the way the world communicates.
Facebook social media marketing is the door your business needs to walk through to tap into that market.