“The Power of Social Media”

(l:r) Master of Ceremonies Ibi Sofillas of My Realty Team with speakers Art Dwight of One Decision, LLC and Monica Spilman of 270net Technologies at the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce’s 7th Annual “Grow Your Business” Seminar & Expo held on March 5th.
(photo compliments of Laura Rowles, GGCC Director of Marketing & Events)

Both Dwight and Spilman said that sales and digital marketing are “not one size fits all.” Each client is not the same, and as business owners, we must tailor our sales and marketing efforts to fit each one’s unique needs and establish those relationships.

Dwight went on to say, “The secret to selling is to focus on what you’re going to give your customer, not what you’re going to get from them.”

True sales focus on the business of helping people. Using digital marketing to brand our businesses and share valuable, helpful information are among the ways we can help our customers.

When one hears the words “digital marketing,” we often think “social media.” Spilman’s presentation taught attendees that digital marketing extends beyond social media to include search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, email marketing, online reputation management and content marketing.

Many effective tools are available to a business owner to expand the potential of his/her company, and social media is one tool that has greatly increased in popularity. Social media is no longer limited to chatting and sharing photos with friends and family. It is used more and more to advertise and promote products and services.

Social media offers thousands of benefits to businesses. It can be used to share information about your products and services, to run your promotions, to build your brand by establishing yourself as an industry leader and to “focus on what you’re going to give to the customer.”

Spilman said that a business should not feel obligated or pressured to engage in a variety of digital marketing avenues. A business should “only commit to the extent you have time to follow through,” and pick one of the many digital marketing platforms “that works best for you,” she added.

As a business owner, you can use the power of social media to build relationships with your existing and potential customers and to increase awareness of your brand. Social media platforms present immediate interactivity between companies and their clients, a new and valuable mechanism for business growth. The key is to first identify your target audience and then choose the best platform to reach them.

Employing social media may be just what your business needs to rise to new heights. Social media provides channels to directly reach stakeholders in ways that were not possible only a few years ago. Existing and potential clients who are interested in your company’s products and services are eager to hear your news and to engage with you. Remember Jerry Maguire’s “show me the money?” Social media is “show them the value” (and then, with a little luck, social media will prove its value by increasing your profits).

The GGCC is committed to your business success, and we want to build a relationship with you! Please like us on our social media platforms and see how we leverage social media to benefit the organization and its members. The GGCC has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr, and its office doors are open to you and your business.

We look forward to seeing you on our SOCIAL NETWORK soon!

For more information contact Laura Rowles, Director of Events & Marketing, at 301.840.1400 ext. 14 – or email lrowles@ggchamber.org

About Laura Rowles

Laura authors the blog Your Success is Our Business on MyMCMedia. Laura is the Director of Events & Marketing for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce - a member-based organization of businesses that have joined together for the purpose of promoting the civic, commercial and industrial progress in our communities. The area's economic well-being is a result of the caliber of work that is done by the Chamber. The Chamber has a major impact on business, income and future growth of the area. My position at the Chamber - Director of Events & Marketing - affords me the opportunity to plan quality events for our Members and market the Chamber is a variety of avenues. At the GGCC, we typically have around 30 events each year including: breakfasts, lunches, after-five's, ribbon cuttings and special events. The consensus is we have high quality events with good energy. In 2012, we had over 2,040 people visit our events. Most our events are free to Members so securing sponsorships for all events. Additionally, I am responsible for planning networking, overseeing the budget and marketing of all events in order to make them successful. Lastly, I coordinate all marketing and communication efforts of the GGCC including weekly email blasts, its quarterly newsletter, all social media platforms, media relations and community outreach.

View all posts by Laura Rowles