"It just isn't worth the time," or "It just won't work for my type of business," are two oft-quoted phrases that I hear with some regularity within the business groups I frequent.
The thing is, they're dead wrong.
Just to prove a point, I did a Google search for four business niches that operate largely offline. I chose four different business, as well as four different geographic areas (all at random) and I intend to show you (and them) how social media works for nearly all business models.
I picked these types of businesses because I can almost assure you that these are the types of businesses that used one of the two excuses above. I'm not saying they have, but offline businesses are the slowest adopters of social media because they aren't able to recognize the value of online browsers turning in to offline dollars.
It's time to change their mind.
Security Choice
First thoughts: A well designed website (Securitychoice.com) with a great call to action that looks like it could be a winner in the war of conversions.
The plan: Use Pinterest as a jumping off point to show cool installations as well as technology that most of us haven't thought about. Add a blog to the website with content focusing on answering common questions (found on Quora) about home security and gadgets/technology within the space that the average user might not know exists.
Carpet Sales
First thoughts: The website is barely functional (Carpetsales.com) and needs a complete overhaul with a better intro (to capture attention) and a call to action that leads people to an email form or phone number for more information or a sales quote.
The plan: A content marketing approach featuring celebrities, social media and blogging. Facebook is a likely ally in this battle. Carpet isn't the most exciting of topics. The challenge is making the content not necessarily exciting, but click inducing. The goal is to get them to the newly revamped Carpet Sales website in order to convert them from there.
What I would envision is the use of images in Facebook to point out celebrity carpets, rugs, flooring and anything relevant to the product offering. From there, you'll lead the reader to a blog post detailing how to get that look in their home. These types of posts are wildly popular and let's admit it; everyone wants a bit of celebrity luxury in their own home.
Les Jones Roofing
First thoughts: The website (Lesjonesroofing.com) is a bit dated, but it displays information in an easy to understand way, and has a great call to action in the top right corner that smacks people in the face right when they load the page.
The plan: Twitter is the best social media channel a service-oriented industry could hope to find. With its ability to monitor keywords and search for those having "roofing" related problems, Twitter seems like a no-brainer. Now, Les Jones Roofing is a local company operating in Minnesota, so they'll have to do a bit of geo-targeting, but with the advanced search feature, it's as easy as ever to target users by adding the locale in the "Near this place" section. Start searching and offering free estimates to those talking about roofing issues (leaks, storm damage, etc.).
Gardens of Babylon
First thoughts: Well designed website (Gardensofbabylon.com) with Twitter and Facebook icons in the header. Good start, but neither of these are ideal for a landscaping service. I'd also add a call to action in the header or the slider area that prompts users to email or phone for more information.
The plan: Landscaping is designed around visual appeal. Instagram and Pinterest are ideal for a company that does a lot of "hey look at this" work. I was also disappointed to see the lack of a blog on the website, as they're truly missing out on an opportunity to showcase their work. The plan with this sort of company would be to take a visual approach and start displaying their images on any site that allows it. Facebook is a good start, but it's not where people go to "find" a landscaper, although that could soon change as more and more users get into using Graph Search.
Pinterest allows others to pin the service, in boards for inspiration in their own yard, and these "pins" get passed around like wildfire. It's only a matter of time (and not much energy) to run into a local with a need. While waiting for the local to find you, you receive the benefit of incoming links, increase brand recognition, and some wonderful feedback on your landscape design.
This isn't meant to be an all-encompassing tutorial on how to use social media. Think of it as a bit of inspiration to bring offline businesses into the online world and reap the benefits that inbound marketing has to offer. Increasing your presence online isn't a mad grab to find friends and gain followers in all corners of the globe and this is exactly where most businesses lose the game before they even begin.
Think local, and use your work in order to sell your service. There's no better prediction of future opportunities than past performance. Use yours to reach a broader audience and enjoy the benefits that only social media can bring.