Once upon a time big brands had a built-in advantage. Because their huge marketing departments and budgets allowed them to dominate advertising space, corporate brands and big-box retailers were going to do to smaller local brands what major pro sports leagues did to their one-time competitors: put them under and absorb their customers. Then along came social media and the corporate steamroller found a road block.
Now, small brands can get their products and services in front of millions of customers through their own organic (spelled FREE) content marketing efforts. For just the cost of some creativity and the technical knowledge to hit the “post” button, mom and pop businesses can now go toe to toe with guys in the fancy suits.
Now, these opportunities are there for the big brands, too. After all, who doesn’t like free? But there’s something about the small business owner that makes social media a much more effective space to reach and engage customers.
Big brands pay big bucks to polished professional marketers to develop their message. The result is often very entertaining and effective. We all like their Super Bowl ads, don’t we? The unveilingof the creative efforts of big brands like Pepsi, Coke, Apple and Doritos has become almost as big as the game itself!
But at the end of the day, the message the big brand sends to the consumer is all too often, “buy our stuff.” Not because it’s good, not because it’s practical or economical. Just because it’s stuff. Cool stuff.
The small business owner, on the other hand, offers a very different message, one that connects on a deeper level with the customer. The entrepreneurial small business owner often has a much more compelling story to tell than the big brand. Their product is connected to communities and families, not just a logo and a corporate hashtag. The small business owner has the ability to capitalize on the personal dynamic found on social media, where broadcasting is of limited value and connection is king.
Even with our high-tech remote culture today, customers still value value over anything else. Social media gives small businesses the opportunity to showcase that value.
Here are three value propositions that can help the small business gain leverage in the social media space when competing against their corporate competitors:
Is it local? Price, quality and service being equal, most customers prefer giving business to local brands. Even trendy chain restaurants recognize this and have started featuring locally produced foods and craft beers. Their customers are literally eating it up! It’s the “farmers market” principle. Consumers would much prefer to give their business to their local neighbors than see their money go to some conglomerate located in another city or state. Small businesses often boast higher quality products, so if they can compete on price AND accentuate the local benefits of doing business with them on social media, they’ve got huge leg up in sales.
Is it eco-friendly? Today’s consumers, particularly millennials, are much more concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases. Small businesses, who typically occupy far less real estate and produce far less waste than big brands, have the opportunity to highlight this aspect of their brand, too.
Is your company value driven? Some big brands, like Lowes and Budweiser, have done a really good job lately tailoring a value-centered message to their products. This is in direct response to the competitive ground they were ceding to smaller brands. Just like with the “kinship” of a local brand, small businesses that have stories and values that connect with their customers are likely to strike a chord with them. “Just do it” and “Live Mas” are catchy slogans that reflect the corporate vision of Nike and Taco Bell. They also capture a philosophy of life shared by a large section of their target demographic. They don’t capture the depth and loyalty of consumers, however, like “serving the community since 1920” or “locally owned, family operated.” Even though Chick-fil-a is a corporate brand, a huge part of their success over their fast food competitors is their dedication to being closed on Sundays. Sure they sacrifice the revenue of people eating out on Sundays, but those who value the reason behind that decision flock there to eat on Monday through Saturday.
But even with these low-cost advantages, too many small businesses fail to capitalize on the power of social media. They might not understand the power that’s at their disposal, they might be fearful of the technology, or maybe they’re just too busy doing good work. Whatever the reason, small business owners are doing themselves and their customers a great disservice by not using these channels.
Here are four things small businesses can do to get started using social media to market their products and services:
1. Identify your niche. What’s your company’s unique story? What’s in your background that makes you stand apart from the bigger brands or even your smaller competitors? Is it something about your company, or even something about the customers you want to serve? Find out that differentiating factor and tailor your campaigns around it.
2. Choose the right channel. Not all social channels are created equal. Each lets you tell a different kind of story, use different kinds of media and/or appeal to different audiences. Don’t try to tell the younger audience on Snapchat about your company’s multi-generational heritage in your community. It won’t resonate. Likewise, don’t try to capture a complex story about your company’s values in Twitter’s 140 character limit. Share a blog post on Facebook or a video on YouTube instead.
3. Adapt your message. Chances are, you’re not wanting to just lock in on one demographic or one channel though. Be creative and adapt your message, using the right media and the right messaging to reach your target audience.
4. Post and engage with consistency. Maybe you’ve got enough good stories to share to post every day. If you don’t once a week or so is good, too. Whatever you choose, be consistent. Build and audience that starts to expect and look forward to your content. And be even more consistent with your engagement. Don’t let customer comments sit unnoticed for weeks. Respond as soon as you’re able. You’re building a relationship with this kind of marketing and the communication flows both ways.
This can seem pretty daunting for a lot of small business owners. That’s because it is! That doesn’t lessen its importance though. If you need help establishing a social media presence for your small business or nonprofit, contact Knuckleball Digital. We’re the small business dedicated to helping other small businesses thrive in today’s digital marketplace. We’ll apply our big brand experience to your small brand so you can compete.