The following is a summary of my guest article on Steamfeed

When we look at how the Social Media revolution is changing all our lives, it can’t be only nail-salons, wedding planners, major brands and celebrities who benefit from the new channels to reach their audiences.
Social Media offers an incredible chance to communicate with our customers. Small businesses have a big advantage over large corporations because talking to their end customers is on the core of their business model.

But what if you have a business that is very ordinary - or even one that no one really wants to think about?

I had the pleasure of recording a Google+ Hangout with Scott last week and above I have split out the most important parts up for you.

Arab’s main benefit from being on Social Media is brand recognition.

Being on multiple networks meant that Scott ran out of the time to maintain an effective Social Media Presence. When he realized this, he hired the Social Media consultant Carly Alyssa Thorne to create content and service the online community.

Social Media has replaced much of the traditional advertising Arab used to use.

For a fraction of the cost of renting a billboard, Arab now reaches their audience more directly.

As with most established businesses, the most sales are generated by referrals from happy customers.

So, what would a pest control business post about?

Social Media is not a replacement for a non-fiction book - it’s more like a magazine or a TV station. We get information wrapped in entertainment.

What I like best about Arab’s Social Media presence is the amazing images posted on the channels. Mostly these are outstanding photos from the insect world and some are a bit scary!

There are 4 main things I learned from Scott’s testimony:

1. People want to deal with people they trust, not advertising machines
2. Not all content shared needs to be 100% serious and educational to be effective
3. Effective Social Media use increases brand recognition, and the savings on traditional marketing can be more important than short-term sales
4. Consistent Social Media management takes time and energy. Sometimes it is more efficient to adjust staffing or hire outside help

Read the full post on Steamfeed

photo credit: downatthezoo via photopin cc

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