Anyone in business today is aware that social media is becoming more of a marketing option for businesses of all sizes. However, most businesses aren’t really aware of what to do to take advantage of the marketing and lead generating potential of these sites. This is where a social media consultant is an essential component of your marketing team.
The Disaster Scenarios
In one common scenario, a business simply avoids using social media at all because it is an unknown. A slightly more positive alternative is to have social media sites that are online and visible but not being properly utilized. In the worst case scenario there is a social media site that is being monitored and developed by an intern or a random staff member who may be posting or reposting information that is actually damaging to the company and the brand.
All of these scenarios can be addressed with the interaction of a social media consultant and the company marketing team. This professional will help to coordinate the social media platforms with your branding, advertising, and marketing campaigns, and also generate ways to grow your customer base and target audience.
The Signs
If you aren’t sure if you need a social media consultant to assist with your social media platforms and efforts, and you don’t see your company as one of the three disaster scenarios above, look for the following signs you aren’t maximizing your social media marketing potential.
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You don’t know what next – if you have a social media strategy that has had some degree of success but seems to be fading, a social media consultant can provide you with support in getting it back on track. Often these weaknesses or problems in the design of the program are a challenge to spot when you don’t know what to look for or what to do next.
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You don’t use analytics – one of the first things a top social media consultant will do is start using analytics, or actual measurable numbers and results, to track the effectiveness of your campaigns. This takes all the guesswork out of what is working and where you are getting the best ROI.
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No growth – when your LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or other platforms are stagnant and not growing, you are losing out on new customers and new opportunities.
By bringing in a social media consultant it is possible to get marketing campaigns in place, monitor and manage them, and activity engage your clients and new potential clients in ways that will show real results.
