Social Media is not just a passing fad – it is a step change in the way people do business.  To succeed online businesses now need to consider how they can best respond and interact with their customers and prospects.  This was unthinkable just a few years ago!

Customers looking for almost any service or product will no longer just accept the one-way monologue given to them by your website.  Instead they want to know how good you are and what other people think about you.  The primary buying influencer is no longer ‘Marketing Intelligence’ it is ‘Social Intelligence’.  Reviews written about your products and services by people who have bought from you are being used increasingly as the deciding factor in a prospective buyer’s decision.

Initially Social Media was very much geared to help ‘consumers’ however that has now changed and many businesses are using social networking channels to help them reach a buying decision.  So Social Media marketing is not just for B2C Businesses, it is also totally relevant for B2B businesses as well.

Given that more and more people are using social networks to research intended purchases it makes total sense for any UK business owner to make sure that their company is taking an active part in the social arena.  Companies that use Social Media Marketing as part of their total marketing strategy are likely to:

• Reduce the buying cycle time – customers will buy more readily if they trust you
• Research new product opportunities by using customer feedback to identify gaps in the market
• Build and retain their online brand and enhance their reputation.

If you think your business might be missing out by not being part of the Social Media revolution why not consider attending one of our half day Social Media For Business Workshops.  At least you will be able to make an informed decision as to whether Social media Marketing is right for you – or not.

If you would like more information about how Social Media can help your business win new customers please leave a comment below or visit WSI IMS – WSI Internet Marketing Services for UK Businesses.