National Clothesline

The use of technology to improve business has grown exponentially in the past ten years. The invention of the smartphone and the iPod have all instigated a rapid change in the way businesses communicate with their clients.

The key to keeping up with the technological advancements is to embrace them. Social media websites are the newest and easiest form of advertising that is around today.

About six years ago social media didn’t even exist. There was no such thing as Yelp or Facebook or Twitter.

Now we have a public venue that is completely ingratiated in social media. From online advertisements to doctor’s offices, everyone is posting on social media sites. Why? Because this next generation of buyers and sellers relies on social networking to not only keep in touch with friends, but also to keep up with the businesses and services they use.

Facebook initially began as a website where people from various colleges or high schools could reunite with one another and keep in contact.

Now, Facebook is also a valued resource among businesses, both locally and globally owned.

The way Facebook is set up one can go on various pages and “like” what is posted on their wall. Many companies have begun giving incentives for “liking” a page.

For example, if a drycleaner creates a Facebook page, then that drycleaner could offer 20 percent off that person’s next visit or a pair of pants cleaned free just for “liking” the cleaner.

The incentives are limitless and Facebook is a free and easy means of connection between business owner and customer.

Another advantage of the Facebook social media site is its accessibility. Facebook makes it easy for businesses to track local and out-of-state customers.

Each person who “likes” a business’s page already has a page of their own set up. This way the next time that customer visits your drycleaner, you can recognize them, and develop a connection which not only makes that customer want to come back, but also encourages others to try out your service as well.

Facebook also allows for customer-to-owner interactions without being overly intrusive. A drycleaner can post new information about things that are going on in the store, or special promotions. This way the information pops up on the customer’s wall, but it was not sent so directly that the customer feels bombarded.

Twitter is another social media venue that has taken the world by storm. Twitter allows people to follow other people or businesses that they find intriguing.

Most businesses have used Twitter as a way to post new information and special promotions to their customers. This way they know that each individual customer is getting the information instantly, directly, and the benefits to being a follower are very specific.

The wonderful thing about Twitter is that each individual or business can post things, but with a limited number of characters. This means that everything must be made short and sweet. This allows businesses to put promotions out there, and not have to go into precise and inane details about it. It could be as simple as, “20 percent off for every customer that mentions this Tweet all day!” Each of your followers receives the message directly, and the promotion is clear.

Yelp is another valuable research angled specifically at businesses. It allows customers to post about your drycleaner and recommend it to others. Yelp is a way for customers to communicate with other people in the vicinity and figure out which service or business is the best and why. Each individual can sign up and post about your drycleaner, giving both you as the owner advice on how to improve your business, and other potential customers access to your drycleaner.

One of the most important websites for social media is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a forum that is specifically designed to help businesses connect with one another, and connect with the public. LinkedIn is a way for your drycleaner to connect with other local businesses and find out what’s working for them and what isn’t. It also helps to promote community connections and to find out what would help boost your drycleaners sales in your specific neighborhood or service area. Promoting business connections and developing future ideas are as important to your drycleaner as opening the front door to your plant is.

The key to using these social media outlets is picking the forms that work right for you. Some social media sights are designed specifically for people under the age of 21, such as MySpace, or for restaurants and culinary colleges. It is best to stay away from these websites and focus instead on the social media that will benefit you most.

For drycleaners, the four that I have mentioned in this article, with the use of blogs and testimonials, should prove very effective in utilizing social media to your advantage.

Social media is still a very new concept. The kinks haven’t all been worked out, but for a lot of businesses getting on board seems like more of a hassle than it is worth. I can tell you from personal experience it is worth it. It is free, easy to use, and introduces your customers to a new way of communicating with your business.

There is one snag though. If you are using social media to advance your business, you have to keep up with it. Keep up with your social media, and your customers will keep up with you.