Post by rocket on Oct 12, 2013 8:29:34 GMT -6
10/11/2013, 9:22 pm
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Jaci Kohn, jacik@mywebtimes.com, 815-673-6372
Social media plays big role in local business
Social media marketing is a tool many businesses are starting to utilize. More and more proprietors are turning to social media to help promote their enterprises. The trend seems to be improving the revenue of small local businesses.
By using social media, businesses can communicate with clients and customers instantly and in real time. It also is a great way to network those running with similar businesses and share tips as well as strategy.
Jenny Maison owns a small business in downtown Ottawa. The Blue Beaker sells items such as handcrafted soap, tea, chocolate, yarn, unique gifts, greeting cards, handcrafted and fair trade goods.
She said as of right now her store uses social media for two reasons: because social media is so widely used and can be used at no cost to her or the business.
"We use Facebook, Twitter and our own website mostly, but also use more specialized websites such as Ravelry, which is a social knitting website," Maison said. "We use this both to promote our yarn, knitting and crochet supplies and also use it in the store to help customers find patterns to use with our selection of yarn.
"Social media not only helps us with our business, we also have real friends who we meet online, so it is of double benefit to us. We use it to promote classes, new products and make announcements about festivals and specials in our store."
Maison believes social media is a very important tool. Almost everyone, she noted, has their eyes focused on a phone or tablet — and with so many people being so connected all of the time social media has become vital for businesses.
"It's very helpful to let our customers know what is going on and to keep our store fresh in their mind so that when they need something, they remember we are here," she said.
Jennie Coons, owner of CNJ Style, a woman's clothing retailer, will be opening a brick-and-mortar store in La Salle on Saturday, Oct. 19, but before she sold merchandise through Facebook. She posted photos and prices on her page. Even though she is opening a physical store, Coons said she will continue to sell online.
"I will always continue to utilize social media sites, it's a great way to keep all of my customers informed of any sales that might be going on, as well as always showing them the new merchandise on my models as it arrives," she said. "I will also continue to use social media for sales. Sometimes a customer may see something posted that they want but are not able to make it into the store right away and also for customers that are not local."
Coons thinks it is important to use social media with her business and other businesses because it gives the customer a chance to always stay informed of anything going on, see all the new items as they come in as well as share things with their network of friends, which helps build the business.
"Sites such as Facebook connect you with so many people from all over that even as a small local boutique I can sell to customers nationwide," she said. "I do not think my business would have been anywhere near as successful as it is today had we just opened a physical store."
mywebtimes.com/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=483187
This is good ,but also a bad .
The good yes you can promote your business.
The bad all employers can keep tabs on their employees behavior away from work,such as an employee having a bad day and gets on their and vents out his frustrations say things he don't really mean ,but results in the employee being fired from his job.
