Social media marketing: Making a case for small business
I referenced a post by Marc Meyer in my most recent one. In it, he links to Peter Kim's list of companies, most of them large, which use social media in some form.
While I respect Peter and appreciate the connection I have to him, my heart beats for how small business can utilize this medium and I'd like to share a couple of thoughts. (Keep in mind, I'm still nurturing them.)
Massive network of small towns
In the last post I said the Internet was like a massive network of "small towns" (i.e. niches). I hold that there is credulity to that notion and, thus, marketing need not be a scaling of some great monolithic wall, but a penetration of unfilled or partially-filled niches that make it up. (That's a reference to Dr. Ralph Wilson's wailing wall illustration.) The tools of social media are well-suited to this.
Will it play in Peoria?
While I applaud what companies like Dell, AT&T, Coca-Cola and JC Penney are doing, my question is, can *JD the custom sign maker, Gina the florist, Patty the jeweler or Ines the Realtor put these same tools to work?
Based on what I've seen from these and many others I'd say the answer is a resolute "yes!"
From bricks to clicks
Most of the companies on Peter's list have customers numbering into the multiplied thousands, millions or even billions. What about small businesses who serve a few hundred or few thousand customers at most?
Since many of these are brick-and-mortar businesses I see the Internet as an digital extension of the service they're already providing in person. For that reason, using tools like blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn make perfect sense. It's a way to strengthen the connections they already have with their customers and community in the "analog" world. In addition, it's a cost-effective channel through which they can market themselves and their services/products.
Social media marketing small business list
There may already be one (and if so, please let me know), but if not I want to start a list like Peter's, only dedicated to small businesses. Personally, I think we could come up with an index about a mile long.
Does social media marketing work? And can small business put it to good use as well or better than the F1000s? I believe so and the book I'm writing will be dedicated to making that case.
I'd love to hear what you have to say...and if you want to be the first to post an entry to the small business list, feel free. Just cite the company, what they're doing that social media-related and provide a link.
*I listed small businesses with whom I've worked or had some level of involvement. I know they've made social media marketing work and would suggest they are good examples to follow.
