Social Media Plan
Introduction
The furniture business is always on the boom as long as there are still changes and new buildings and homes being constructed. Gibson’s furniture is a small scale company that has deals with the manufacture and sale of furniture. The business has a small shop in Miami, which only holds a few items because the business operates mostly in order. People with new houses, offices, and institutions are the main clients. The furniture business is highly competitive. The company has no established platforms where it markets its products. However, the company is looking into the idea of opening a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and a Pinterest account to market business products. Using four channels will enhance the maximum advertising of the products and a broad customer reach. Gibson specializes in several types of furniture. Some of them include tables, seats, dressers, stools, beds, and desks made with clients’ specifications. Employing the use of social media in marketing of furniture products will help enhance sales a great deal.
Social media goals
Gibson’s furniture has several competitors in Miami. Despite having a large clientele, every company aims at having the upper hand when it comes to the competition. Introducing a social media marketing strategy will give the company a competitive advantage (Saravanakumar & SuganthaLakshmi, 2012)). Through social media, the company aims to increase its clientele from all over the country. Using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts, the company will be able to reach its clients directly for business transactions. As a result, the business will not only have clients in Miami but from all over the country. Incorporating social media in Gibson’s is estimated to increase sales by 20-30 percent. Due to advanced technology, many clients tend to search for products online before visiting shops to make purchases. Therefore in case, the client finds a business online offering the same services, they will tend to prefer buying the commodities from that site. Gibson will, therefore, capture clients’ attention online through their posted samples and services.
Another advantage of social media is allowing online transactions. Gibson’s company will not be limited to a particular geographical area. Clients from all over the world will start inquiries about the products. As a result, the business should be ready to ship these products and receive payments through other means apart from cash. Therefore the company aims to grow beyond boundary levels and transact their business online. This measure will ensure the company competes globally and not only in one area. Using social media will provide the company has a direct link to their customers (Felix, 2017). Therefore, advertising products will be more accessible and will create a bigger audience. The business will also be able to communicate with their customers, receive feedback, and respond to their customers. In case of any changes, new designs, or updates, the business will reach out to their clients with ease. Direct customer and business interaction will result in an improved relationship and trust between the two. As a result, the business is likely to increases its long term base clientele.
Business expansion is an expensive process in terms of time and cost. Using social media will do away with all these costs because the business will use much less to expand. Social media will provide Gibson with an easy way to grow faster and at less cost. Social media does away with physical barriers to growing the business. Some of these barriers include; business premises, salespeople, and complicated legal measures. Instead, the industry will only require storage space, employees dealing with manufacturing of the products, and an official website. Therefore, the use of social media will boost sales and save the business a lot in terms of cost of production. Through this, the company will be able to offer discounts and delivery services to its clients countrywide.
An analysis of the market comparable businesses/nonprofits/brands
Looking at the market today, most of the furniture businesses are carrying out their transactions online. Other companies such as Amazon, Target, and World Market are also dealing with the sale of furniture worldwide. An overview of these companies’ sales evidence that online marketing has many advantages. The companies are getting huge incomes from furniture sales. The demand is also high and keeps on increasing every day due to increased developments. As a result, the business could take a lesson or twos from the existing online companies. The market has created websites that showcase their products to target clients from all over the globe. Most of them have popups on their sites, which are customer care areas where they help clients with the information they need and also address any new concerns. The companies have their social media linked to their website, and clients are responded to within minutes within the inquiry. The clients are also given the company’s contact details for more natural communication purposes. These sites have clients from all over the world responding, making new orders, and enquiring about new designs and products. International clients are available, as well (Zarrella, 2009). From the analysis, the market for furniture is insatiable; however, peoples need to make extra efforts to reach clients. Therefore joining social media would improve the business significantly.
However, from several sites, clients lack trust and blame businesses for not fulfilling their promise. Some of the commons complaints are; delay in delivery, low-quality products, and falling short of their advertisement- the product delivered is poorly designed compared to what the company advertises. However, companies such as Amazon and target are multinational companies that have guaranteed quality, the massive base of clientele, and has excellent customer relations. As a result, the clients seem satisfied with their products and make a lot of purchases through online means. To them, the first impression of the client is essential. They offer promotions and discounts to their loyal clients. They also have many and creative means of keeping their clients’ relationships in good terms. Any issue is addressed immediately and have favorable return policies and considerations for their clients.
On their social media accounts, Target, Amazon, and World Market have described what they offer. They explain each item and state their prices and offers. The companies also have stated their policies and conditions for operations. The clients can go through them and decide whether to accept the terms or not. The companies even list their charges, physical location, and all the details a client could need. They also contain their official pages and warn people of fraud. Another factor seen on these two social media sites is authenticity. Amazon’s social media can be described as authentic and professional. In all social media platforms, their interactions with clients are professional (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). This is despite the feedback- whether they are insults, positive or negative feedback. In the eyes of the client, professionalism earns the business points and trust. Amazon is also authentic in terms of clientele feedbacks and communication. Therefore, the clients are law updated with the latest designs, models, restocked furniture, out of stock products. Such consistency has earned the company trust from clients, recommendations, and trust from their clients.
The three companies, Amazon, Target, and World Market, operate globally and therefore use the most commonly understood language- English to communicate with their clients. However, to ensure that no one is left out, below their posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, there is a translation option to other languages depending on the client’s device. This is an essential strategy that ensures no clients are left out due to language barriers (Zarrella, 2009). It has also helped in ensuring everyone feels included. Social media marketing depends on first impressions and effective communication between the seller and the buyer. As a result, the business needs to put into consideration clients from different places, different languages, currencies, and understanding.
Advertising
When using social media, advertising is necessary to ensure clients get to see your advertised products. This helps market the products even more to potential clients from all over the globe. Therefore as Gibson’s company enters the social media market, it needs to consider advertising its products on several sites. Social media helps penetrate the market, but to reach potential clients, the business has to promote to ensure clients are aware of their products, operations, offers, and designs (Felix, 2017). The more the advertisements, the more the chances one has to reach and appeal to potential clients. Before starting work on social media, the business will need to consider the right platforms to use to promote the business.
- Some of the considerations are potential clients.
The business needs to consider the sites which most of their clients use to ensure they reach. Some of these sites include furniture pages, below and between primary accessed pages, television and radio ads, among others.
- Multiple advertising channels.
A business with multiple advertising channels is likely to appeal to many clients compared to a company using one site only. This is because different people use different sites to search for items such as Google, Pinterest, Instagram, among others. Therefore considering using several sites ensures potential clients from those sites get to see the ad and consider purchasing their item from the company. Since the furniture company is very new to social media, the more the channels used, the more the clients are notified.
- Clarity and conciseness
An ad with a lot of details is more appealing. Since people browse through these pages facts, a long ad is likely to be skipped (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Thus a shorter ad with precise details is recommended. The ad should also be catchy enough to get the attention of the reader.
Since the business is still small, advertising is critical. The advertisement needs to be detailed. Some of the essential information is business location, products, operations, and time- hours of operation per day. Other details include prices, official sites, and contacts of the company. Some of the most suitable places to advertise these products include TV and radio stations. The main reason for this medium is the target audience reached. Almost all households have TVs and radios (Zarrella, 2009). As a result, using this medium will ensure a number of them get the information. Also, the company gets a chance to explain the details related to their firm and products. As a start discounting is encouraged to attract customers. Using local papers and magazines is also another suitable method of advertising furniture. Local newspapers and magazines have a broad reach to potential clients’ countrywide. Therefore clients are likely to get the ad hence increasing awareness. Using newspapers and magazines gives the company a chance to showcase their products through images and explanations. Papers are not limited in terms of space and time. As a result, clients can read the ad and reread at their own time and pace. Therefore, the company would get a higher chance of catching potential clients’ eyes.
Another useful mode of advertisement suitable for this type of business is using social media. One method is using influential people as a marketer of the products. This method enhances followers and others to consider buying the furniture through the person. Another approach is opening ‘Google my Business’ and edit about the business. This method ensures that clients can locate the company using google maps. Other potential clients can also see the company and what offers when looking for a place to get their furniture within Miami. Another method is using the link approach. To create brand awareness, search engines use links to go through websites, and if the products posted are of quality, they are then ranked and included as results of searches. Therefore links should be created with a lot of caution. That is, there is a need to ensure the names used to have furniture related terms as keywords. For established clients, personalized ads and information should be individualized. This would be accomplished by asking for their email addresses and inform them immediately of updates, changes in operations, delivery plans, any offers, and discounts as well. Following this protocol will ensure clients feel appreciated and valued (Saravanakumar & SuganthaLakshmi, 2012). This method will also enhance better relations with clients.
Target Audience
In this line of business, I would be targeting families, businesses, and institutions. Family’s needs furniture at home. Despite many houses being furnished, people keep adjusting with trends in the market, age, income levels, and also generally to beautify their homes. As a result, they are continually searching the market for something better. Thus ensuring the business gives them precisely what they are looking for is essential (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Families look mainly at the beauty, quality, and price of the commodity. Thus I would ensure Gibson’s guarantees them the products they are looking for.
Every day, new businesses are being created through innovation and creativity. Setting up businesses requires finding premises and furnishing it with the necessary equipment before operations commence. Therefore ensuring people in business and potential business people are aware of what Gibson’s has to offer is essential. I would provide my business products, and offers get to them. Another advantage of this group is they offer tenders or long term clients once trust is established.
The other target group is various institutions in different sectors. Some of these institutions include schools, churches, and public facilities, such as halls, among others. Most of these are based on tenders, while others are contact based. However, to be considered eligible to deliver the required products, the business has to be valid for its operations. One of the measures would be by use of social media. Social media will help ensure the company is correct for its services, professionalism through their engagement with clients on social media platforms.
All the target audience for the company is adults ranging from 18 years to 80 years old. Therefore the best approach is through the use of television and radio advertisements. The advertisement should be inclusive of all genders, cultures, different nationalities all over the world, and the different languages (Zarrella, 2009). Therefore, the advertisements should be personalized as much as possible. That is, ads should be created to fit the locality in terms of language, purpose, target, and products targeted to be sold in the area.
I would also ensure I use the created social media platforms that are twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to showcase the products, their description, and prices. I would also use various procedures such as relevant keywords, hashtags, and links to help spread the information on social media. Using; keywords, links, and hashtags helps the target audience come across the products quickly and, as a result, increase awareness. Some of the keywords I would use include furniture, office, homes, makeover, Gibson’s furniture, and quality. These will give the business a chance to showcase the products. Clients come across them as they search for any of these words in their either Twitter, Pinterest, Google, Instagram, or even Facebook.
Existing clients are also significant since they act as brand ambassadors in their ways. This includes their own social media posts on the furniture item. Others recommend friends and family to purchase the item as well, and they come back for more. Therefore maintain connections with them is essential (Erdoğmuş & Cicek, 2012). As a result, I would consider giving clients who help market the products or refer other clients to the business. In the process, I would create better relations and encourage new ones to stay.
Informing existing clients on new products recommending other products that would suit what the client previously purchased is another measure of retaining clients. Ensuring clients feel like a part of the business is essential in customer relations and makes them feel valued and important. For example, if a new design of dining tables is in the market, Gibson could recommend an existing client who bought a set of chairs that would go well with the table. Another way to maintain to ensure their needs are adhered to and treat them with the utmost respect. I would ensure the employees have respect for existing clients and relate well with them. Also, I would ensure their specific needs, such as design, time, color, and material of choice as the client requires. This measure will ensure long term clients are guaranteed of business quality and enjoy the services offered at Gibson’s.
I would also reward long term clients with discounts, gifts, and other enticing offers for continued loyalty. I would ensure the clients understand that long term customers are appreciated. As a result, they are likely to encourage others to stick to Gibson’s. Other measures to entice existing clients include, issuing thank you notes, responding to their calls, comments, and texts as fast as possible, I would keep my promises to them and ensure their needs are attended to without delays.
Social Media Plan on Posts
I would ensure all the posts on either twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest business accounts are only business-related. I would also ensure I respond to clients’ inquiries, comments, and concerns in an efficient, professional manner. I would also use the four sites to ensure I update the clients on new products, restocked furniture, and fresh designs from Gibson’s Furniture Company. In the profile, I would include a link to the official site, types of furniture, sample pictures, location, contact, and business email. This information will ensure enhanced communication between the clients and the business personnel.
Applicable Theories
One theory I would consider using is information manipulation theory. The information manipulation theory involves intentionally breaking one of the four conversational maxims. They are; quantity, quality, relation, and manner. Quantity relates to ensuring the information is complete, quality ensures the information is accurate, relation ensures it is related to the relevant issue at hand, and manner ensures it is expressed in a manner that is easily understandable. That is, I would consider breaking one of the conversational maxims. I would break the relation maxim such that I can use a trending keyword that is not in any way related to the business. I would also advertise in social media groups and other places not associated with the furniture business.
The other theory I would consider is the social influence theory. The theory states that people are influenced strongly by others, depending on their relationship with the person. This includes peers, authorities, famous people, and well-known brands. In this theory, I would apply the use of famous or authorities who market the item (Lee, 2014). They give testimonies on using the product before and, as a result, influence others to try it out. The two theories would push the product knowledge in the market, ensuring there is maximum marketing of the product.
Conclusion
For Gibson’s furniture, social media marketing seems to open up endless opportunities for the business. Social media will give the company a chance to have an advantage over its competitors. Also, the market can expand without any limitations. Gibson’s furniture business is planning to use Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram to create business profiles that will enhance better interactions with their clients. The company considers opening a website and advertise its business to clients through several social media channels. That is, TVs and radio stations, celebrities, google, and link creation means to ensure there is a broad reach of the products. The business also considers using manipulation theories, and social influence theories to boost its marketing techniques. Testimonies from influential people and advertising in other sites, even those unrelated to furniture products, will result in increased fame and knowledge of the product. I believe these measures will help the furniture business penetrate the market and reach their clients with much ease.
References
Zarrella, D. (2009). The social media marketing book. ” O’Reilly Media, Inc.”
https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=chd3yfExXMEC&oi=fnd&pg=PR4&dq=Social+media+marketing&ots=u7Q2oZD0V4&sig=jAzi0gYPsxlNirwrNDPe54zdy_I
Tuten, T. L., & Solomon, M. R. (2017). Social media marketing. Sage.
Saravanakumar, M., & SuganthaLakshmi, T. (2012). Social media marketing. Life Science Journal, 9(4), 4444-4451.
http://www.academia.edu/download/56132802/Social_Media_Marketing1.pdf
Felix, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., & Hinsch, C. (2017). Elements of strategic social media marketing: A holistic framework. Journal of Business Research, 70, 118-126.
Erdoğmuş, İ. E. & Cicek, M. (2012). The impact of social media marketing on brand loyalty. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, 1353-1360.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042812045818
Lee, K. (2014). How to Win Friends and Influence Your Audience: 10 Theories to Know For Greater Persuasion. Retrieved January 16, 2017.