Is Your Social Plan Social Enough?

Moving into 2014 social media is going to play an even bigger role in any company's marketing efforts if they want to successfully connect with customers and convert more potential consumers into return business.

If your company has taken some publicity hits over the past year then it is even more important to get on top of your social plan in order to get the best results when it comes to creating your business brand the way you want customers to perceive it.

Here are five keys to creating or improving your company's image using social media in 2014.

Get Out There

First things first.

If you haven't created a profile for yourself on the major social media outlets then now is the time. This means Facebook profile, Twitter account, LinkedIn profile, potentially Instagram, and even a company blog. These are all things that will help your customers connect with your business in a positive way and help them develop a loyalty towards your brand.

If you have already created profiles on these platforms but have yet to really dive in and begin to use them to interact with customers then now is a the perfect opportunity for that as well.

Customers are not able to interact with your company if you don't give them the opportunity by taking the first step.

Reach Out to New Customers

Creating a system that will reach out to new customers is a great way to help insure that they will continue to bring their business to your company in the future.

When customers feel that a company values their business they are much more likely to return.

This can be done through an e-mail list, or a place where they can introduce themselves as new customers and become part of a community centered around your business.

Create Engaging Content

Customers are looking for companies that show a little style in their marketing campaigns. Everyone is looking for entertainment as interesting things to share with others.

If your company is the source of such products then customers will be sure to share with others which can become free publicity and word of mouth recommendations. These have been shown to be particularly effective in converting customers from one business to another.

By having your customers telling others about the interesting content that you put out, you will be able to capitalize on this form of marketing.

Be Open and Honest

If your company has taken some hits in the publicity world and has a bit of a tarnish on your reputation one of the best ways to begin the healing process is to be transparent with the media and with customers.

Customers want to be able to feel like they can trust the companies that they are dealing with on a daily basis and those that are open about their flaws and how they are going about addressing them have been shown to gain the trust of their customers in spite of their shortcomings.

No company is perfect, so having customers that understand that will be much more willing to remain loyal to your brand in the long run.

Reach Your Target Audience

Each business has a different target audience and each target audience has a preference when it comes to social media.

By doing the market research necessary to reach your target consumer you will be able to convert more people into the sales that you are aiming for. This may mean working on different media platforms if your customers prefer one to the other.

Companies that are very visual in nature may see the best results when using a social media platform such as Instagram or Tumblr.

These would be more likely to have people who appreciate the product compared to Twitter or another social media network.