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What does the word social have to do with media? First of all, social media is not the same as traditional media. The term media refers to various means of communication traditionally associated with newspapers, magazines, and television or radio broadcasts. Social media sites have become the platform to combine a wide range of digital spaces into a single package.

Social media is a marketing tool designed to establish a presence and build relationships with your prospects in a timely and consistent manner. Social media has opened the door to social media marketing (what I also refer to as interactive media marketing), which is the method of using social media to draw traffic to your business. Rather than pushing your message into the prospective customer’s space (as traditional marketing does), social media marketing focuses on relationship development and attracting your target market to learn more about you.

Social media allows people to develop personal relationships with others around the world as needs to have the same mentality as “attending a cocktail party or social gathering.”  How would you talk to others in this environment?  Would you self promote or listen and build relationships?

First, social media can be a tool to see how to fit into the lives of targeted customers. Search both yourself and your company name and see if people are talking about you. Are they mentioning you in passing? It allows companies to get ahead of an angry blog, social media site, or e-mail and handle customer service issues. That little bit of communication can build a rapport online for others to see. It allows people to build personal relationships that may have nothing to do with a company, but that little bit of empathic communication can lead to more business referrals.

Social media opens the door for communication with almost anyone. You can reach out to complete strangers, can get advice, or even share your advice online. These conversations are often stored digitally and made available over time for others to read or participate in. Each of us has probably given or received advice but it may be forgotten after a week or so. Now you can connect with others online and save this information indefinitely. This switch to social media marketing allows us to communicate more effectively and efficiently.

Social media enables users to build relationships in an easier, faster manner. Social media can also be used to draw people to face-to-face events such as conferences and trade shows. Many conference attendees “tweet” or mini blog about the event during the presentation, creating   chatter and relationships that may be built upon long after the event is over. At EXHIB-IT! , we blog at shows and report how the show is going or deliver content that others may want to hear. You can upload a video, images at the show, or interview attendees and post the video and images online and blog about them.

Before you go into the social media environment and start blasting away with information about you, your business and promote a product or service, listen first.  Get involved in groups and community areas so you can hear what is being said and respond to build your confidence.

DJ Heckes, Author & CEO
EXHIB-IT! Tradeshow Marketing Experts
www.exhib-it.com
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.fullbrainmarketing.com