Everyone knows how vast and wide the internet has become in terms of opportunities for businesses of all sizes to not only grow but explode on social media. And make no mistake, these opportunities are flourishing by the day as technology rapidly advances. This is one of the main reasons why I am so passionate about what I do! There is always something new for me to learn with each being a unique opportunity for profound effects on one's business and is often times the missing catalyst needed for success!

We are no longer in an era where just having an online presence is going to cut it. As I stated in a previous blog post, [social media] marketing is a blend of art and science, or creativity and analytics. A tailored, targeted strategy is going to be what gets you the most bang for your buck in terms of ROI. From video, to content marketing, community building, and podcasting to new platforms like IGTV, tech innovators are constantly looking for ways to fill in the gaps with new features and capabilities. And marketers can't wait to test them out!

The downside to all of this is that if you are a business owner with limited time and energy, it can become challenging to know what to focus on first, especially if you are attempting to tackle marketing all by yourself - YIKES!

But have no fear! I will be sharing a few key tips with you that will be your rock-solid marketing foundation to rely on, so that your clients, customers and fans know what to expect and most importantly can differentiate you from your competition effortlessly, no matter what platform or feature you are using!

These are the foundational aspects of your business that will stand the test of time because it is rooted in genuine connection and fosters long-term relationships.

So in essence, applying these 3 following pieces to the foundation of your business would be the equivalent of cannon-balling into the social media pool where everyone else is also trying to make waves!

1. BRANDING

Branding is the first step in setting your business up for marketing success. Branding goes well beyond a nice logo and website. I am shocked at how many companies don't have anything besides these two.

Your brand is your companies identity - a combination of your personality, purpose or mission, core values, your message, the day to day culture. All of these things comprise a consumer's interaction and experience with your brand on a deeper level and will remind them why you are unique and different. So, Without identifying all of these components, you are leaving most of the consumer perception of your business up to chance and who wants to take that risk?

In my client consultations we lay the foundation by getting crystal clear on who your target customer base is and the experience you want them to have - soup to nuts. This piece is mandatory in order to determine the best strategy for reaching and engaging with them for the long-term.

In short, branding is the culmination of experiences, perception and interactions with your business both online and offline. It's up to you to guide your customers on that journey with branding as your first step.

2. BECOME A STORY-TELLER

In what they call the post-trust era, I think we can all agree that we are sick of being inundated with advertisements. We are seeing a major shift in the way consumers want to be marketed to. I for one, think we are on the verge of an exciting, new chapter. One where most people can't get away with gimmicks or scams or simply only caring about what they are selling, and not who they are selling to.

This speaks volumes to me, as authenticity, genuine connections and the customer relationship is at the forefront of my own brand values and ethics.

Storytelling has a unique ability to pull the curtain back and show your audience that you are human. That there are humans that work for your business.

The plague of perfectionism is like Groundhog Day on social media. If you have a neatly curated feed, repetitively sharing just enough information about your product/service and it's benefits will get you lost in a sea of monotonous content, shouting the same as everyone else, only in different words.

Successfully story-telling fascinates, inspires, educates, impacts and/or teaches their audience something.

3. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

I think we can all learn a lesson or two from Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos. At the end of the day, the customer experience can make or break your company. One of the first questions I aim to ask my clients is -

Do you know who your SUPER FANS are?

If you are left scratching your head, it's time to make this a priority. They say in the world of social media, in reference to those chasing "vanity metrics" [a false sense of success] it is more powerful to have 1,000 super engaged die-hard fans, then 10,000 fans that rarely or passively engage, and more importantly never buy from you. Find your super fans, or brand evangelists and make it a point to recognize them, give them superfan or elite status discounts, social sharing giveaways, put them at the forefront of a referral or affiliate program and most importantly groom them to be your influencers. Heck, you could throw a customer appreciation event if you are a local business. Beyond treating them special for being loyal super-fans, just think about the ripple effects that would have for social sharing and engagement, not to mention how you would stand out from your competitors! Your marketing dollars would go a lot further with this strategy then paying for an advertisement.

4. SOCIAL LISTENING

As my good friend Dr. Margaret Stewart puts it "Social listening promotes the changing equity of online conversations between organizations and consumers, where listening to messages has become as important as broadcasting them. This is a true reflection of the new media culture that is arriving, and demonstrates the power of social presence and its influence on customer relationship marketing and management. Social listening arrives as a response to listening during an era of technological determinism, and utilizing information discovered online in new and creative ways." - Dr. Margaret Stewart Ph.D. in Communications Media & Instruction Technology.

Social listening is the act of keeping a pulse on everything that is being said about your brand through monitoring mentions, re-tweets and hashtags etc. By listening, responding and engaging you are essentially joining the conversation and your audience will appreciate that you (or if I were managing your account) took the time to respond in a thoughtful manner.

A quick story, and one I love to share for frame of reference - I love all kinds of food, but I am a salad freak and I often eat these chopped salad mixes that I buy at the grocery store by the brand Taylor Farms. This is a brand employing all of the tips I shared in this post. You see, not only am I a marketer but I am most certainly also a consumer. I love to play both sides to be able to sharpen my skills. Long story short, I pposted my salad creations on my Instagram stories and feed, they listened, responded and engaged with me. Shortly thereafter I received a direct message asking for my address so they could ship me free coupons! So naturally, what do I do now? I share their product on my feed whenever I get the chance, because this is a prime example of true brand loyalty!

Not only does social listening give you the opportunity to gauge what is being said, but the ability to give your customers exactly what they are asking for, transforming into a memorable brand that they will be loyal to for years to come, because you took the time to listen, tell a story, showcase your brand identity and make it your mission to be dedicated to the customer experience!

Find additional info on: https://www.lindseytague.com