Communication is an art form and, in this day and age, is a necessity in any business. While companies many years ago could succeed by pushing information and products onto prospects and customers, businesses today are finding that in order to keep their customers, they must learn to communicate with their customers. This means asking (and caring) about their customers’ wants and needs. The emergence of social media has provided an avenue through which companies can communicate with their customers and prospects.
If your company is not currently participating in social media networks, you should seriously consider it. Social media networks not only help you connect with others to share ideas, get customer feedback, and stay updated on industry news, but they also help you generate leads for your company. Accountants can benefit greatly from participating in social media. The following benefits will convince any accountant to take advantage of social media and its ability to improve the communication between companies and clients.
Build trust. Social media helps you establish and capitalize on the trust your company has worked to establish with your clients and partners. Use social media to maintain relationships with former colleagues and develop new relationships with potential clients. The more your clients hear from you, the more connected they will feel to your company.
Control your “brand” perception. Social media is all about making connections in your local area (and beyond). Connect with small business owners and learn how to further develop your company’s brand. Social media can help you control your company’s image by maintaining positive relationships with the companies and clients in your network.
Lower your marketing costs. When used properly, social media can lower the marketing costs of each new client over time. While the results may not be instantaneous, your marketing costs will be reduced as you continue to employ the use of social media.
Drive traffic to your website. Social media is one of the most guaranteed ways for building website traffic. Interact with your followers on a regular basis by posting questions and responding to posts from others. This will lead the recipients to visit your website to learn more about you and the services you provide.
Improve your search engine rankings. As Google continues to change the game on search engine marketing, a company’s use of social media is becoming more important than ever. Search engines now place a heavier emphasis on real-time, user-generated search results. Active participation in social media networks increases your chances of being ranked higher.