Do you use any Social Media for marketing and promoting to your customers?
-- Gifts and Dec, 2/1/2010 12:00:00 AM
Jennifer Hill
Blackstone’s of Beacon Hill
Boston, MA
I am currently using Facebook, Twitter and a blog. I have had my Blackstone’s Facebook page since last spring. I try to post on at least a weekly basis, including events pre and post, new products, and awards. We have 81 fans, some of which we have gained by promoting our page through Constant Contact emails. I have tried different promotions geared to our Facebook fans but no one has come in and said I read this on your Facebook. We have never done any Fan page promotion with a paid ad. Stores that have, have told me that they have seen increased foot traffic. We also use Twitter through my personal account. I still do not fully understand Twitter although I do link my Facebook communication with it. I created a blog this past fall but only had time to manage it through early December. When I do a Web search for our store, my Facebook fan page and blog appear within the first pages.
Heather O’Quinn
Dreamy
Encinitas, CA
Dreamy utilizes both Twitter and our blog: www.shopdreamy.blogspot.com. Our online analytics show that our blog brings in far more hits to our website, www.shopdreamy.com, than does Twitter. In addition to the benefit of driving traffic to the website, we have also found an amazing web of beautiful designers, young upcoming product developers and radically creative entrepreneurs through blogging. I often use my blog network to find new products and get a feel for trends in general. It’s a great place to take the temperature of the creative community! Plus its fun and it’s free!
Dana Luque
Florida Hospital Retail Division
Orlando, FL
At this time, we are not actively using any social media formats. Since most of our customers are employee-based, and since the hospital system has restrictions on such websites, it has not been a route that we have explored in any depth. However, we do use Constant Contact to announce new product lines, special promotions, etc. We have found this tool useful in marketing our storefronts. Basically, we selected Constant Contact since it is already an “approved” marketing tool that is used by our organization. We have approximately 5,000 customers on our email list and we send out a minimum of two per month. We promote new products, specials such as buy two, get one free, and special events like midnight madness sales, customer appreciation week, etc.
I think adding Social Media is a great way to get free advertising. I think it
is a must when starting a new business to attract buyers. I just started my
company DazzleCups www.dazzlecups.com and being that I am on a
budget for advertising, I find that networking is the greatest way for me
to get started. I will take any free advertising there is. I have a blog
www.dazzlecups.blogspot.com and I started posting at least once a week.
With wine events, craft, and southern california events that are related to
product or where I also have Facebook & Twitter.
Jennifer Wolfson - 2010-03-18 19:22:00 EDT
is a must when starting a new business to attract buyers. I just started my
company DazzleCups www.dazzlecups.com and being that I am on a
budget for advertising, I find that networking is the greatest way for me
to get started. I will take any free advertising there is. I have a blog
www.dazzlecups.blogspot.com and I started posting at least once a week.
With wine events, craft, and southern california events that are related to
product or where I also have Facebook & Twitter.
Having only launched our website for on-line purchases in March of 2009, The Elegant Setting is just now moving ahead into the world of social media communication. In January 2010, we launched our first e-newsletter, The Sideboard, via Mailchimp. It was e-mailed out to over 1,000 customers and even reached customers in 4 continents. The Sideboard includes party tips, buying guides for handling those hard-to-please gift recipients, contests and giveaways, and much more. We’ve also created a Facebook account where we intend to include tips, events, press releases and highlight additional sources that our fans would enjoy. Also developed this season was our blog – The Side-Dish. We plan on using this format as a more intimate way of communicating with customers and fans. Our intent is to keep it less “corporate” than our newsletter and Facebook page. Each media of course does link itself to the others. We’re excited to start seeing cross-over customers and fans.
Stephanie Finkelstein - 2010-03-09 07:47:00 EST
Absolutely! We use Twitter, Facebook and a blog. We gained more attention off those than our website. We have now taken our website down to reconstruct in such a way to make it more interactive. We have found that our customers - all over the country - love the interaction on the blog and Facebook. We met many of them through Twitter. As a former PR professional, I can honestly say this is a great resource for small, independent retailers wanting to be heard in all online retail hubbub!
Cynthia Sutton-Stolle - 2010-02-28 22:43:00 EST
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