Celebrating Small Business Week: How to Use Social Media to Support Your Small Business

Celebrating Small Business Week: How to Use Social Media to Support Your Small Business

One of my favorite weeks of the year is here — National Small Business Week!

It’s the perfect time to celebrate the contributions of small businesses to our economy and communities. As a small business owner, I know that marketing your business is critical for success, and social media marketing can be a powerful tool in your arsenal.

Social media is an ideal marketing channel for small businesses and, when done properly, social media marketing can make your business successful, whether you’re in the launch phase or a growth phase.

Here are some tips on how to use social media to support your small business:

1. Define your target audience: Before you start creating content, you need to know who you’re targeting. Defining your target audience by considering factors such as age, gender, interests, and location will help you create content that resonates with them.

2. Choose the right platforms: Not all social media platforms are created equal, and you don’t have to be in “all the places.” Pick the platform where your target audience spends time and focus your energy there.

3. Create a content strategy: Develop a content strategy that aligns with your business goals and target audience. Create content that is relevant, engaging, and visually appealing. You can also use social media to share industry news, behind-the-scenes looks at your business, and special promotions.

4. Engage with your audience: Social media is a dialogue, not a monologue. Encourage your followers to engage with your content by asking questions, responding to comments, and running contests. Engaging with your audience can help build brand loyalty and create a sense of community.

5. Monitor your metrics: To ensure your social media efforts are paying off, track your metrics, such as likes, shares, comments, and followers. Use this information to optimize your strategy and makes changes as necessary. Remember: if you’re not measuring, you’re not marketing!

To wrap up, I want to share this quote from Amy Jo Martin, Founder of Digital Royalty: “Social media is the ultimate equalizer. It gives a voice and a platform to anyone willing to engage.” With that in mind, go forth and engage and watch your business grow!

Cheers!

~ Melanie

Rolesville shopping May 2015

Rolesville shopping May 2015

Shop Local Rolesville had a very successful event on Saturday, May 16, 2015. Sixteen local businesses participated in our 2nd quarter event.

Melanie Diehl, local business woman and one of the event organizers, shopped all day and shares her adventure.

“My first stop was the Rolesville Farmers Market. Even though the market wasn’t an official participant, it doesn’t get much more local than this. I met local farmers and business owners who offered samples and business cards. One of my favorite purchases at the market: snickerdoodle cookies from Michele Bobe of Scrumdelicious.

“I tried to visit every business who participated in the event and take pictures of my purchases. I really enjoyed visiting with the business owners, and look forward to shopping with them again in the future. It was a truly enjoyable experience, and I encourage everyone to support our local business community!”

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and join our mailing list for regular updates, and join us for our 3rd quarter event on Saturday, August 15th!

Diehl shares her day with pictures:

Shop Local Shop Small Shop Rolesville

Shop Local Shop Small Shop Rolesville

Shop Local. Shop Small. Shop Rolesville NC

Our History


In October 2014, local business owner Melanie Diehl, Your Social Media Gal, decided to work with business owners in the Rolesville NC area to promote them on Small Business Saturday. Diehl applied for and was approved as a Neighborhood Champion through the American Express Small Business Saturday website. Being a neighborhood champion gave her the tools and marketing materials necessary to provide to the local business community and help them promote their goods and services. Armed with flyers, reusable shopping bags and balloons, Diehl set out to educate these local business owners about how to participate in Small Business Saturday and “get in on the spending action taking place during this holiday shopping weekend.”




Diehl partnered with the local weekly newspaper, The Rolesville Weekly, and the participating business owners advertised their specials to help spread awareness of this first event to take place in Rolesville.




Neighborhood Champion Melanie Diehl (l)
with a shopper from Ohio (c) and her
sister (r) on Small Business Saturday


On the cold morning of Saturday, November 29, 2014, Diehl and two friends set up shop on Main Street, in front of the local coffee shop, The Coffee Lodge, and passed out shopping bags, shopping lists and other Shop Small branded products to the shoppers, in hopes of sending them on to the business owners. 

Several shoppers visited ALL 10 participating businesses and took “selfies” while there, and those businesses got even more exposure when the pictures were uploaded to social media sites and tagged #ShopRolesville.

Some of the participating business owners were so excited about this opportunity to promote the Rolesville business community they decided to make this a quarterly event, not just an annual event. So, a handful of business leaders started meeting in January of 2015 and launched Shop Local Rolesville, All Year!


Watch for Shop Rolesville 2015 events in February, May, August, and of course, the Big Day, November 28!

For more details on participating in the Shop Rolesville events, contact Melanie Diehl, Your Social Media Gal at 919.395.1366 or email melanie@melaniediehl.com

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