How can social media networks increase sales?

Everyone is talking about social media these days, but many people have told me they just don’t understand how things like Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, or blogging can build their business. Here is how I answer them:

Let's assume your goal is to generate either direct sales or leads for your sales force, and you want the internet to help you. So you create a website where prospects can find the detailed information needed to convince them your offering is the one they need.

But there are literally millions of websites out there—how do you increase the chance of prospects finding yours? Social media networks can act as advertising to help guide people to your website.

Twitter—gives you the ability to email VERY brief “tweets” (maximum 140 character email messages) to a group of people who have agreed to “follow” (receive messages from) you. Use tweets as “headlines” that make people want to come to your blog or website to read more.

Facebook—once you’ve created a personal profile, you are allowed to create a separate company profile. Just as people link to each other by becoming Facebook “friends,” people can become “friends” of your company; in effect creating a network of interested people to which you can email information! Linking your Facebook company profile to your website provides another way for internet searchers to “find” you.

Linked-In—increases the number of times your company name appears during internet searches. Each of your employees can be listed, and each employee’s listing can contain links to your company’s blog, Facebook page, and website.

Blogging—your website provides one way for internet searchers to find you, and you can use search engine optimization to increase the chances of that happening. But blogging provides many additional chances of a searcher being led to your website. By writing about topical subjects, bloggers (writing individually or as part of a corporate “team” of bloggers) can greatly increase the amount of internet content tied to your company, and hence increase the chances that an internet search will lead to your company.

For the business person, social media networks can be thought of as additional forms of advertising. But to be effective, social media require the same thing that good advertising does—content that is relevant and valuable.

Think about it. If you were at a party, would you waste time talking to someone who was boring, or who just repeated the same story over and over again? No. You would want to spend your time with someone who was interesting.

Well, the people who use social media networks are looking for interesting connections. And if you want to get people to “follow” you on Twitter, become your friend on Facebook, look you up on Linked-In, read your blog, and come to your website, then you have to provide content they find relevant and valuable, and do it in a witty, easily understood manner.