Social Media, Networking, and COVID-19
BY WAYNE R. KARLINS, PRESIDENT and Founder of REED SOCIAL MEDIA
During this crazy time in the world, many of us are trying to find the silver lining to our scenario. There are not many positive things that come from the need to quarantine and of course nothing good coming from COVID-19. Seeing schools, Restaurants, Bars, Church’s, Synagogues, Retail stores, and more closing is not a comforting feeling to us all. Let’s try to take this time to stay connected, be with family, and take care of our community the best we can. Our economy is already affected, and we have not seen the end of it yet. Businesses are worried and have a good reason to be.
What Can We Do?
So why am I writing this blog? Well, needless to say - many people are being encouraged/mandated to work from home during this time, and most companies were not prepared for this! Many are concerned about connectivity, staying in contact with employees and of course, staying relevant and in front of your clients.
Things you should be keeping in mind, would, of course, be heavily utilizing social media to stay connected. Take this time to check in on your most loyal customer base, see how they are doing and send some words of encouragement. Remind people that you are thinking about them and care for their well-being. You need to maintain the emotional connection you have with your customers, without seeing them face to face. If you have the bandwidth, I would even encourage some video calls if you have the time to do so.
This also might be a great time to makeover your LinkedIn and Facebook pages. If you are not already, start putting out content that can relate to you and your clients. Find good content or better than that, write original content. However, do not overshare. (One of the things we have been doing for years, is makeovers of your social media site. Let us know if you need our help!).
Now if you’re a small business and have not been a regular on your social media site, do not start out by posting every day. Start out once or twice a week. If you are a regular, continue to be in contact with all your clients and friends. Add an extra day to what you had already been doing.
Remember, social media sites like LinkedIn and Facebook are like networking on steroids and right now is the only place you can still network, now that all the networking events are canceled.
Do all the things that will make you more visible than others. Send out those happy birthdays, congratulations, and happy anniversaries. When they respond, respond back to them with a personal note. Write reviews on Facebook fan pages and recommendations on LinkedIn. Set a goal of doing one a week.
Check out more of the groups and fan pages you belong to and spend extra time in them being more visible by doing things such as asking and answering questions. Become the go-to person; the thought leader.
It is very important that you fact check everything you post about COVID-19. As a thought leader on social media, you do not want to spread misinformation. I have seen a lot of rumors and false claims of things that cure or protect against COVID-19 from people with good intentions.
We believe social media has always been an essential part of all businesses. Right now, it has become more important than ever. This is not the time to abandon your social media or other marketing. Social media has become the best avenue you have to continue networking and to be in contact with your friends, family, and clients.
Check out our website to learn more about how we can help you manage your pages at www.reedsocialmedia.com
Other Services: Ghost blogging, editing your blogs, writing content for your newsletters or website so you keep your own SEO (Search Engine Optimization) on top. Also, creating, managing, or updating websites, and Google AdWords. Looking to advertise on the radio or TV? We can help!
Do you have questions or comments for me? Feel free to email me at info@reedsocialmedia.com for questions or advice on social media or leave us a message and alike on our website under this blog.
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