Step 5: Connecting

Finally, your ongoing presence in the social universe connects personally with your growing audience. Pushing information outbound is the first step. This process creates what I referred to as Inbound Marketing attraction. Now that your prospects are contacting you, via these social channels and email, Facebook, Twitter, your blog comments and your email become the telephone of the 21^st century business. As an online marketer with all the digital tools at your fingertips, businesses must remember that they won’t stay in business long if they don’t answer their telephones.

Online marketing isn’t an excuse for personal contact. Online marketing can increase the number of people you reach exponentially, and the opposite is true. One person who has a disappointing experience with your company can tell thousands who are in their tribe with the push of a few buttons.

Online marketing creates a socially engaged community. You have the opportunity to tell your prospects more about your business than just prices and products. As prospects connect with you on this basis, they expect more from you, and through your social network, you can deliver the benefit that your tribe expects and deserves.

This infographic compares the amount of engagement that the three marketing methods create in their audience. While there are advantages to each, the community style marketing which happens through social media provides businesses with the lowest cost, and the highest level of engagement with their audience.

If you are looking for an expert to help you develop a social media strategy, contact Nicole Munoz at Start Ranking Now. Her experts will provide:

• Expertise with the online social media platforms.
• Strategic input on implementation.
• Skilled writers to help create content to start the process.
• Social media experts, who will broadcast, listen and market your site.