We’ve got some amazing partners, and learning more about each of them inspires our team and challenges how we at Social Media Week do what we do. Bringing on Small Business Sponsor, Constant Contact, has been no different. Through affordable and easy-to-use marketing tools, Constant Contact helps create and grow customer relationships. And now, they’re here to help strengthen and grow how we support small businesses in this area. Learn a bit more about them with us, as we talk with Lisa Sparks, Regional Development Director, Southern Florida for Constant Contact.
Q. What seem to be Miami’s emerging trends in marketing and how is Constant Contact helping small businesses and non-profits better handle and adapt to them?
The emerging trends that affect Miami are similar to the social media trends happening on a national and in some cases a global level. The rise of social media is driving businesses to ask how they can effectively use social media, email and event marketing tools together to more effectively connect with and engage their customers in more meaningful ways.
Lisa Sparks: From a more local perspective, the trends are to provide a hyper local marketing experience. As we establish ties with our regular customers and form partnerships with other local businesses, we’re able to present more targeted information and more compelling offers because we understand the specific interests and needs of our local communities.
While social media connects us globally, let’s not overlook the need and opportunity that presents itself by connecting locally and creating smaller and highly engaged communities both online and offline.
Constant Contact is enabling customers to reach their audience on the social media, email marketing and event marketing platforms and devices of their choice and further engage them to create longer-term customer relationships.
Q. What have you observed to be the biggest challenges facing small businesses in the digital space and what advice would you give them?
Lisa: The biggest challenge that I see facing Miami based small businesses in the digital age is how to effectively use social media to identify and reach their target audience. For many businesses with an infrequent customer base such as tourists, its important to have an online social presence so that other customers can write positive reviews and share their experiences with others online who may be planning a trip. For those businesses that cater to a regular base of local customers, the online presence is equally important. In both scenarios, it’s important to engage customers in every dimension and encourage them to share their positive experiences in both their online and offline conversations.
Q. What will Social Media Week attendees in Miami see from Constant Contact throughout the week?
Lisa: Miami attendees will see customized presentations that show a combination of tools and tips that are designed to strengthen their social media and email marketing skills to reach their target audiences, engage them, and build lifetime customer relationships.
Q: If you could pick one piece of advice to share with new businesses, what would it be?
Lisa: With regard to social media, my advice would be resist the temptation to use the tools as a mechanism for free advertising. You’ll build a stronger, more qualified group of followers and fans if you set out to engage in dialog as opposed to an approach that is solely sales oriented.
Q. How is email marketing changing and what is the biggest need for small businesses and organizations in this area?
Lisa: In this area, the biggest need for Miami based businesses is to balance the messages with information and offers. This way, you engage your audience to read and learn as well as be enticed to buy from you.
Q. In your experience, what techniques have been most effective in converging email marketing with social media tactics- and why is this important?
Lisa: I’ve found that simply adding sharing buttons in your email is highly effective because it allows your customers to share your messages with their community of friends and colleagues. It really can be that easy.
Be sure to register for Constant Contact’s panel & live webinar for insight into a myriad of proven strategies and techniques for growing your business through social media.
