Provide Value to Build a Community Around Your Business
Last week, a friend paid me a visit for the purpose of getting my opinion on how he might be able to use social media to help boost revenue in his restaurant business. He unfolded a menu and asked me if I could put it on “the Internet.”
The business in question does not have a website, it’s not using any of the free social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and the like), and it hasn’t yet claimed local listings on Google, Yahoo or Bing. When I told my friend that I could get his menu on the Internet for free — he acted as though I had just solved a world crisis.
His enthusiasm waned when I informed him that merely putting a menu on the internet would probably not result in more customers. You have to build a community around your business, I told him. And it takes some effort, because the only way to build a community is to provide the members of that community with something of value to them.
Value can be provided in countless ways. It may or may not be directly related to the product or service your business sells. I remember the first day I saw the Facebook page called 365 Things to Do in Dutchess, sponsored by the real estate firm Houlihan Lawrence. Brilliant, I thought, when I saw that page go from zero to more than 1,300 fans in a matter of a few months.
Led by Westchester’s Liz Nunan, the company’s Vice President of Global Development, Houlihan Lawrence is providing value to anyone with an interest in Dutchess County — but the company is not ramming a product or service down anyone’s throat. The page does, however, have a link to the company’s website, and you can bet that Houlihan Lawrence is ready to take action when any of their fans has a real estate need. And that Facebook page is just one small part of a comprehensive, well-managed social media strategy that includes regular content production on multiple platforms.
A small restaurant business with only one location certainly can’t match the resources of a huge real estate firm, but there are certainly things that any business can do to begin to build their own community — without spending a lot of money or investing an unmanageable amount of time.
My restaurant-owner friend — like so many small business owners — is so busy running the day to day operations of his business, that the thought of stopping to write a blog or produce videos for YouTube is something he cannot fathom. I advised him to stop for a moment and think about his objectives, and take on just a few easy tasks at a time to get things started. Some of the easiest things a business can do include the following:
- Register your local business with Google, Bing and Yahoo – Chances are, your business is already listed on these sites, but small businesses need to make sure that the information is correct, and that they have provided all the information they would like potential customers to know when the business pops up in search. The owner of a business can list the store hours, website address, types of credit cards accepted and specific products or services offered. There is no charge for this — why not take advantage of this opportunity to give potential customers as much information as possible?
- If you don’t already have one, get a website – It is now possible for anyone to create a basic website for free, using WordPress.com, Blogger.com or Typepad.com. Just because it’s free, however, doesn’t mean that you are now a professional designer. If you are not blessed with excellent design skills, you can use an existing theme that suits your business, or go for a self-hosted site (you can do this for a few dollars per month) and hire a designer. If you are just looking for a basic web presence, with the ability to post articles, photos, and videos, there are plenty of affordable options.
- Set up a Facebook Page – With 600 million people now using Facebook, businesses can’t afford to ignore this free opportunity to get exposure and build relationships. For small businesses, A Facebook page need not be labor intensive or complicated. A Facebook page provides prospective customers with a link to your website, your store hours, photos and written content describing the products and services you provide, and much more.
I would also recommend that business owners attend a basic class or seminar, particularly if they don’t have the time to research all the nuances of social media on their own. About two years ago, I attended a great social media primer given by Gerald Stern, principal of Westchester-based WOW Productions, LLC. The class was extremely helpful, and taught me several important things I still use today.
Taking a class provides the opportunity to become familiar with a broad array of social media possibilities, and may help you avoid some of the pitfalls that exist in social media. Beginning next week, I plan to start listing links to various social media classes and other learning opportunities throughout the Hudson Valley area.
Social Media Roundup — This week marked the first use of the hashtag #WestWed on Twitter. I believe Westchester still has plenty of potential for growth, and what better way to accomplish this than to promote our fellow social media users? If you’re on Twitter, you can promote other Westchester folks on Wednesdays by using the #WestWed tag, along with a reason why others should follow that person. The first week saw the tag used a couple of dozen times, and I’m looking forward to seeing it become more popular in coming months… Lately, I’ve been enjoying some quality face-to-face meetings with some of my online friends, and I must say I recommend this for everyone. It’s amazing what you can learn while meeting for coffee, or over a couple of plates of Indian food. Online networking is great, but it will never replace the benefits of actually sitting down and talking with someone… Speaking of networking, the Professional Women of Westchester put together a spectacular event last Monday at 42 The Restaurant in the Ritz Carlton in White Plains. The event brought together great people, great food and drink and an unbelievable view… As always, if you have a topic you’d like me to address, or if you have information you’d like me to share, you can reach me by email at Chris@WestchesterSocialMedia.com. I also encourage you to join our conversation on the Westchester Social Media Facebook page.
Chris S. Cornell is the Director of Social Media at Thompson & Bender — a Westchester-based PR, advertising and marketing firm. He manages several online communities, and consults, speaks and writes about social media. He is also the owner of Cornell Gallery, a custom framing business in Pleasantville.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.