| Companies are continuously launching marketing | | | | regularly tweet their latest offers. Anyone wanting to |
| campaigns in an effort to promote their brand and | | | | keep up with these can simply follow Sainsbury's on |
| boost their sales. Some of these are highly successful | | | | Twitter. This gives a much bigger potential customer |
| - Carlsberg's slogan and advertising of 'probably the | | | | base and allows for sales to increase, whilst also |
| best lager in the world' generates excellent brand | | | | creating brand awareness. Furthermore, people can |
| awareness and reputation. This then contributes to | | | | respond to these tweets, which provides a forum for |
| increased sales and ultimately increased profits. | | | | customer interaction and thus customer insight. Your |
| However, many of these companies have large | | | | business can emulate this, tweeting your promotions |
| marketing and advertising budgets. What if your | | | | provides free advertising. If this is done creatively, it |
| company can not afford these marketing initiatives? | | | | really can boost sales and get your company noticed. |
| This is where Social media marketing comes in. Most | | | | Social media marketing works in a similar way to other |
| social media marketing 'tools' are free to use and can | | | | forms of marketing; it is viral. A small company initially |
| provide the same amount of marketing exposure | | | | works on a word of mouth basis, people tell their |
| whether you are just starting out or are a giant | | | | friends. This type of marketing, especially Twitter and |
| conglomerate. This article explains how you can use | | | | Facebook, work with the 'friend' concept. People can |
| social media marketing to increase sales at a relatively | | | | give you positive reviews, recommend your product |
| low cost. | | | | and tweet about your company. This whole social |
| Firstly, let's just dispel the myth that social media | | | | community allows your company's name and brand to |
| marketing does not lead to a direct increase in sales. | | | | be viewed by a significant amount of people. |
| Here are some examples to prove this: Sony | | | | Continuous use of social media over time creates |
| announced in February that through Twitter they had | | | | brand awareness and thus helps to increase sales. |
| earned an extra £1million in sales, Dell announced in | | | | One of our clients, PeachorLemon, a car review |
| June last year that their presence on Twitter | | | | website, gained over one hundred followers on Twitter |
| accounted for $3 million dollars increase in sales. You | | | | within a week. This is a hundred more people who |
| might argue that these are two big companies and | | | | know about promotions and offers, may tell their |
| they already have a brand reputation. However, other | | | | friends, visit the website or use other social media |
| smaller companies have also experienced increased | | | | outlets to mention PeachorLemon. All this creates |
| sales through this form of marketing. John Fluevog | | | | brand awareness and over time increased use of the |
| Boots & Shoes Ltd, a small shoe making company in | | | | website, thus increasing its value. |
| Canada, reported a 40% increase in sales in 2009, the | | | | The effect social media can have on brand |
| same year it started social media marketing, this was | | | | awareness is critical in the future of small businesses |
| not by chance. | | | | marketing strategy. Brand awareness is only one way |
| So how can social media marketing contribute to | | | | in which sales are increased, there are many other |
| increased sales for your company? Social media tools | | | | important contributing factors. However, as this article |
| allow you access to millions of people. A television | | | | has demonstrated, creating brand awareness through |
| advert will reach the people watching at that time and | | | | this new exiting variation of marketing can have a |
| allows for no interaction with the consumer. One tweet | | | | huge impact on your business and revenues. |
| can reach millions of people. Sainsbury's for example | | | | |