On Wednesday, January 16th, our Chamber hosted it's monthly Chamber Chat in U.S. Bank's Community Room. The topic was how to use social media - Instagram in particular - to grow your business, hosted by Civic Council Chair Stephanie Ramsey who concedes she is a social media junkie and uses it more than her teenage kids do. She's so good in fact, she has started her own social media consulting business: Social Beeing - Make Your Business Buzz!

Here is an excerpt from the event:

Did you know that Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users and that 71% of US businesses use Instagram? By using social media, you can put your business literally in the hands of your customers. Unlike print advertising, you get the opportunity to interact with your customers and create a personal relationship, and brand loyalty, sometimes before they ever make a purchase! This is particularly significant since 30% of Instagram users have purchased a product that they discovered on IG!

 

Here are some tips for getting the maximum out of your Instagram presence:

 

• If you already have an account, make sure it is a business account so you can get analytics on your followers.
• Don’t mix business and personal accounts together. Your customers, although they may enjoy your vacation pics, are following you for relevant content to your business.
• Set your strategy. Look at your competitors and see what is works for them, more importantly, what isn’t working.
• Build your content. There are lots of apps out there that you can use for free. Check out Canva, Ripl, Spark Post.
• Look into a branded hashtag to help with user-generated content. For example, Mazda uses #zoomzoom and their brand enthusiasts post photos with this hashtag. It spreads the love.
• Have a call to action in your posts. Shop this style. Make an appointment. Come in and see.
• Engage your users. This is really important to building that relationship. Repost user-generated content about your brand. Comment back. Respond quickly. Instagram users like the personal connection with companies and brands.
• Connect with other influencers. Follow industry leaders and look for collaboration opportunities.
• Give the people what they want! This could be expertise, a discount, contest, etc. An occasional perk of being your follower and inviting their friends to follow you will help win hearts and minds.

 

Social media is an easy and inexpensive way to have a direct connection with your customers. Have fun and enjoy the journey with your fans!

 

Steph Ramsey

Social Beeing – Make Your Business Buzz!