Page 80 - Security Today, May 2017

ONLINE PRESENCE
USING SOCIAL MEDIA
Searching for more leads and new opportunities
hirty-seven percent of people in the United States bought one or more smart devices in 2015, and many of the people in this large consumer market are tech savvy – so how do you tap into them? Having a broad online presence with positive messaging can help take your
business to the next level. But, you may ask, “How do I get started?”
BUILD AN EFFECTIVE WEBSITE
No matter how extensive your social media plan is, it won’t matter if you don’t have a website to direct traffic towards. MONI Smart Se- curity provides its authorized dealers with a WIX template free of charge to help them get started. Read their blog post, “How to Show- case Security Products on an Effective Website,” for more informa- tion on building your online foundation.
GETTING STARTED ONLINE
Once your website is up and running, there are three top mediums you should target.
Join social networks. Social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, give your business a voice and personality that resonates with consumers. Share photos, customer stories and anything else that will personalize your organization. This is also a great forum for customer communication and interaction, so make sure to remain active and responsive.
As great as social media is for marketing, it’s not successful if you don’t use it effectively. This includes a content calendar to guide your conversations, regular updates, and community interaction. While there’s no single method that applies across every business on when and what to post, it is agreed that you should target your customers when they are most likely to pay attention to your posts.
For beginners, there are three social channels you should start with. Facebook and Twitter get equal or more traffic on the weekends, while LinkedIn tends to be utilized more during business hours.
Here’s a suggested timeline businesses should strive to emulate.
• Facebook – 2 times per day, every day of the week
• Twitter – 2 times per day, every day of the week
• LinkedIn – once per day, Monday through Friday
Scheduling the time of day for your posts is equally important. The
average life cycle of a tweet is 18 minutes, so it is most beneficial to send it out while your audience is online and engaged. If you want to achieve maximum value from your tweets, spread them out evenly between noon and 11 p.m. Your peak response will be between 2 to 5 p.m.
Start a blog. Blogging increases your website traffic and drives consumers organically to your site, creating credibility and recogni- tion. Below are some content ideas to get you started.
Comparisons. Think about when you go to make a purchase – you compare different brands of the same product. Often, it’s the
same when exploring new services.
• Compare differences between panel types, package levels and
other choices customers have.
• Compare your company services to other local and national com-
panies. What makes you stand out?
Tell them what’s best. Customers enjoy seeing what the newest trends and products are. When making a buying decision, consumers want to pick the best solution for them and will seek several opinions before making a purchase. Make your blog a go-to for news and in- formation on industry changes.
• What are the best solutions for keeping your family safe? • Here are the 50 best practices for a secure home.
Break news. Be on top of your game and beat your competitors to the punch as the voice of your industry. Posting about real-time breaking news can have an enormous impact on the level of engage- ment people have with your blog. It can also influence customers to consider you an industry leader and a credible, trustworthy source of information.
• Burglary alerts for your location
• Notices on updates to laws and regulations
Be human. Engage with your audience. Be their friend. Make it personal. Tell the community about activities and events that you and your company are participating in, and include photos and personal experiences to help create a connection.
Ask questions. Create conversation and find out what your target audience is thinking to better serve them.
Typical bloggers post 2 to 3 times per week. This doesn’t over- whelm your audience but keeps them engaged in your blog. To make things easier, plan out blog ideas in advance so you’re always pre- pared. Try blogging within a schedule – a content calendar will help to get you used to the idea of writing as you build a routine. Start slowly and ramp it up when you’re ready. Try starting with one blog post a week. Most importantly, have fun with it!
ASK FOR REVIEWS
Reviews are the lifeblood of many dealers’ businesses. Take advantage of this medium by setting up and completing your online profiles on sites such as Yahoo.com, Google, and Angie’s List.
Next, ask customers that have positive experiences to write you a review online and direct them to the sites that are most important to your business. Make it easy by posting a link in an email or on your website. You can also put this information on business cards and have your techs ask for reviews if the customer has a positive experience.
No matter what you choose to do, be genuine, consistent, and en- gaging with your content and you will make an impact.
Lindsay Lougee is the senior communications specialist at MONI Smart Security.
By Lindsay Lougee
DS14
0517 | DEALER STRATEGIES