Use Social Media to Lead Your Business to The One(s)

There's a natural rhythm to any long-term romance. The first call-back (eeek!), the continuous acknowledgement of undeniable chemistry (scha-wing!), and then there's the introductions to friends and family (I hope they like me!). By the time you've reached this last step, it's a good sign the two of you are in it for the "long haul."

A well-planned inbound marketing strategy isn't all that different, and social media accounts are the keys to your prospects' hearts. If you've played your cards – or, er, your posts – right, social media interactions will lead directly to "The One(s)."

Put Your Social Media Accounts Out There

Nobody meets their soulmate while sitting around the house eating bon-bons and reading the latest Rand Fishkin blogs. You have to take action and put your social media accounts out there in the world. Don't just read about inbound marketing; start doing it.

There are 1,000,000,000 (that's one billion) Facebook users, and hundreds of millions of your potential customers use Twitter and Google Plus. You're bound to find some "one(s)" out there, but you have to be active. An inbound marketing strategy includes active accounts that are spruced up to show their most optimized faces.

Always Be Yourself

It's all well and good to be spruced up and optimized, but you still have to be yourself. If you aren't, qualified leads will un-qualify themselves when they realize you aren't as genuine as you originally seemed. Don't fall into the trap of mimicry.

Social media posts should always align with your company's brand. While it can be hard to see competitors soaring ahead of you in the rankings, directly imitating them isn't the answer. Instead, figure out what your very best features are and then continually work to enhance those, all the while drawing in more of the types of prospects that like you for who you really are.

A Little Flattery Never Hurt Anyone

Remember that your followers are people too, and who doesn't like a little flattery from time to time? Flattery comes in multiple forms, and your social media accounts are a fantastic outlet for spreading some good ol' fashioned sugar around.

• Acknowledgement. It's nice to be noticed, and the simple act of being noticed is a sign of flattery because it says, "Hey, somebody thinks I'm worthy of attention." Take a little time out to like some of your followers' Facebook posts or LinkeIn content that group members have shared.
  
  
• Copy-Cat. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While we admonish copying someone's marketing strategy, you can certainly retweet content fans have shared on their Twitter feeds or pin something from a prospect's Pinterest board onto you own.
  
  
• Be a good listener. Listening is another form of flattery because it tells people, "We think what you have to say is important." Get in on group and personal conversations. Respond personably to questions or post your own. The more you listen and respond appropriately, the more synergistic your social media accounts will be for your website.

Be Gracious When Introduced to Others

Once all that synergy begins to work, your new visitors, leads, and followers will want to show you off to others in their network. They'll share your posts, retweet your content, join your groups, or directly ask you to share content on their websites or social media accounts.

This rapidly growing network is all derived from a smart inbound marketing strategy that capitalizes on the exponential effects of using social media to its best advantage. From the new crowd flocking around, you are bound to find The One(s).