16 Ways to Connect with Customers and Clients via Social Media

Pinterest just hit 100 million users. Instagram tops 300 million. Facebook boasts over 1 billion. If you think you don’t have an audience on social media you’re wrong. If you’ve been told that social media just won’t work for you – you’ve been told a lie.

You do and you can.

A couple months ago I gave a talk at a University of Georgia Small Business Development seminar about connecting to and with customers using social media. This is a frequent question that comes up when they consult with smaller businesses.

In my talk, I gave them 16 actionable ways they can connect, starting right now –

1. Use Twitter Lists.
2. Use Facebook Interest Lists.
3. Use Mention or Google Alerts.
4. Tag people and/or businesses in your social media posts.
5. Start the conversation.
6. Don’t fear the non-response or negative response.
7. Be in it for the long-term.
8. Don’t broadcast.
9. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
10. Support the businesses you are targeting.
11. RESPOND.
12. Share your warm & fuzzies.
13. Make use of white papers/webinars/free resources.
14. Use LinkedIn’s Advanced Search.
15. Look up local events and opportunities on MeetUp.
16. Advertise on Social Media.

Also included were 2 case studies – JetBlue Airways and Denny’s. Click below for the full presentation.

What other ways would you add?