The Zen of Social Media Marketing
Online Marketing Basics
“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.” – John Rohn
What is Online Marketing?
Online Marketing is the Art and Science of leveraging the internet to get your message across so that you can move people to action. The goal of marketing has always been the same – to get people to take action.
So, if online marketing is the act of leveraging the internet in general to get your message across, Social Media Marketing is the act of leveraging specifically social media platforms (places where people connect and communicate. . . i.e. Facebook, Twitter. . . ) to promote a product or a service to increase sales.
According to Shama Hyder Kabani, in her book “The zen of social media marketing”, successful online marketing can be broken down into three distinct components. She likes to use the acronym “ACT” to describe the process.
A is for Attract – you have to draw attention to your website. Stand out.
C is for Convert – this means transforming a stranger into a consumer or client. This is something that could take some time. The more expensive the product, the longer it may take. There is an old marketing adage that a customer must come in contact with your product 7 times before they will make a purchase. Seven times! It is a good adage to keep in mind. . . keep your marketing new and exciting to keep them coming back!
T is for Transform – when you take past and present success and turn it into an attraction for more customers. You have created a name for yourself!
What does it take to attract a customer to your website? Get an idea out there that someone likes! Share photos, ideas, blogs, tweets. . . several mediums of advertising that will peak someone’s interest. . . they click on one of your many options, it takes them back to your website. . . they are ATTRACTED.
You’ve attracted them. . . now you need to convert them to your customer. Do you have a newsletter on your website that they can sign up for. . . something that will help you keep in constant contact with them. Maybe an ebook they can download for free that will give you their contact information. . . giving them reminders to revisit your site can eventually lead to a sale. . . You have CONVERTED them!
With your success in converting “strangers” into customers . . . and by keeping up your customer service. . . Word of mouth or “shared” ideas from Facebook, re-pins from Pintrest, one building on another. . . you will have created magnetic forces of attraction! TRANSFORMATION!
Through the ACT process, you can assure yourself you will never be short of customers. Simple, yet effective!
Now, what do you need to attract prospects online? Shama came up with this acronym as well. . . A great BOD!
Brand ~ Outcome ~ Differentiator
BRAND – Can you sum up your brand in one word? What would it be?
OUTCOME – What is the outcome you help clients achieve? Sum it up in one sentence. Are you a “one-stop-shop”? What do you want your customers to ultimately come to you for? What is the goal of your company? That goal is your outcome.
DIFFERENTIATOR – What is one thing that makes you stand out and different from your competitors?
Contact stern and we will work on the BOD of your businessstern is a social media marketing agency located in Aurora Colorado