Making your way in the [digital] world today, takes everything you’ve got.
The Cheers bar was about socializing. The digital world is, still, about socializing. Many businesses are learning, quickly, that to be successful in the IRL (In Real Life) world, focusing a lot of energy and social competence in the digital world is required. This does not mean strictly selling products or services online, but selling the company.
Amazon mastered the online sales back when, and it’s called e-Commerce (electronic commerce). Today’s digital sales is called Social Commerce. This style of commerce envelopes the social media efforts of those who work for your company, support your company, or merely LOVE your company.
[Interrupted by email from Time Warner asking to "chat" about my services. Their effort to court me into a social commerce relationship]
Social Commerce takes many forms and consistent EFFORT. Engaging with your customers and fans is imperative to building relationships, and in the end, Social Commerce. If you want me to buy your stuff, I’ve got to like you.
It’s definitely New School, but it’s coming and you cannot ignore it. So, get on the bus. I’d recommend adopting rather than adapting.
These are three, simple ways to get started at building your businesses Social Commerce.
Blogging. Assuming your business already has a website, add a business blog that is updated to engage your visitor in your knowledge and keep your business in their mental filing cabinet. Updating regularly means, to me, 2 -3 times a week, although I know many recommend daily. Me, I don’t have the time to write write write. So, when I do write, I try to make it thoughtful and helpful to my visitors. I’m trying to teach them something that may help them in their own business efforts.
Twitter account. I used to have one for business and one for personal use. I’ve since melded them into one, because I feel I can really dominate helping others as well as entertaining them with my kooky observations and retweets. A twitter account can really boost the personality of your business or organization. You can connect with others in your field to share ideas and progress, and this attracts even more people to your website/blog. You can find me at @corizzo.
Facebook. A Facebook Page can do wonders in bringing in people who can benefit from your blog, products and services, as well as create stronger or new supporters of what your business does. However, it does not help people find your business outside of the networks on Facebook who already know about you. Be careful not to rely on Facebook as your business website. It is a FUNNEL to your website, not it’s replacement.Having a website makes your business FINDABLE in the real world (IRL) and that’s it’s purpose. Facebook is a wonderful place for promotions within your network (and it’s little fingers out), and a place to really socialize with your Fans (those people who LIKE your business page).
Social Commerce is the result of these, and many other social applications such as FourSquare, Posterous, Kaboodle, GetGlue, BuddyPress to build a loyal following to your business. A network of consumers who support your products and services based on the relationship you build and the trust you’ve created with THEIR network.
The first step is to commit to having your business build it’s Social Commerce by actively joining and participating in the easiest of these: Blogging, Twitter and Facebook. Understand that people are looking to trust your business, so give them reason to.