One of our vendors said something the other day that has really stuck with me- Social Media is all about getting it the way you want it…. Since then, I have spoken to a dozen people about their own usage of social media. Not surprisingly, everyone is different in the way they want it, regardless of age/sex/gender. Some are social media junkies, others are new to it and still a little weary of branching out. I personally spend more time on twitter, rarely visit Facebook, and occasionally dabble on LinkedIn. I browse generally later in the evening from my iPhone while my husband watches sports. An important note here- my iPhone is an accessory with me everywhere I go. It has become the key to communicating with me. Of all the social media outlets, Twitter for me, is the most interesting. It’s my new form of window-shopping. As a busy working mom of two young children, actually going to the store to browse leisurely rarely happens anymore. My favorite posts are those that contain a click thru with items I can view. Tweets such as- The Top 10 Skincare Products of 2011 or Find your Perfect Jean- are always sure to get me. I have never actually purchased anything while online twitter browsing but I have certainly gone to the store and bought an item I read about in a tweet. Getting it the way I want it extends to paying bills online. I also want to be able to research a company online, before deciding to do business with them. I am certainly not alone here. So what does all this mean? Everyone is different in their likes and how they want it. The needs of a 38-year-old working mom are going to be different than that of a 22-year-old single person. However, now, more than ever, is the time to tidy up your online presence. A poor online presence can hurt a sale before the business owner has any idea that customer was “in the funnel”. A company with out of date information appears lazy to me. If the site has a contact us button and it takes 2 days to get a reply, major red flag. Ask yourself, are you where your customers are? Are you accessible to your potential customers? Are you providing them with conveniences and service that make them want to come back for more? Be flexible in the ways you allow your customers to interact with you. Ask them questions and then be sure to pay attention to their responses. You don’t have to be the most ‘social’ one out there, just make sure you show up ready to play.

Author: Gayle Brown Viamark Wilmington