Social Media Results in Business Growth

Although Social Media does many things to benefit a business, including engaging, inspiring and  motivating people by giving them a virtual voice and ownership in your business, it also will, if done correctly, result in new business.

In an earlier post, I shared numbers reflecting real growth in my business, which continues. In the past two months, new business has been added to L&G Business Solutions' client list solely due to this blog. (Both new clients are long-time readers who linked to our web site from bizsolutionsplus to get more information about our services.) Although I haven't completely and thoroughly analyzed the reasons why this blog is pushing new business into the 50 percent range of all new business, here are some things that we focus on, not purposely to grow business but in an effort to build relationships based on trust, credibility and respect.

1. Before launching bizsolutionsplus it became a strategy in our communications plan, with measurable goals, deliverables and tactics. Most important, strategy specifically identifies the readers with whom we want to have a conversation and share ideas.
2. I recently changed the focus of the content to be more centered on positive business stories and the principles behind Lead With Your Heart; however, the content continues to reflect what I believe my readers want and need based on their feedback and how often individual readers visit and what posts are most read.
3. A sincere effort is made to give readers a voice by encouraging comments and by including questions at the end of most posts. Furthermore, I respond to every comment with a personal e-mail and involve myself in conversations online with commenters. I also occasionally carry on conversations with readers via the telephone.
4. I try to read every blog in my Blogroll at least every two weeks, and some every week. And I often comment on those blogs. (However, my firms workload has benefited from this blog to such an extent that I am finding less time to read other's work, so I am finding new ways to ensure that I continue to read those blogs. So far, that means weekends and evenings.)
5. My ideas and thoughts also run on other blogs, two news sites and on Facebook, PlaxoPulse, MySpace and Amazon.com, giving readers who never heard of us a chance to discover us and learn whether they want to follow our ramblings.
6. I believe the primary reason for new business is that this blog is not used as a marketing or advertising tool to grow business but as a relationship-building tool (networking) that works to create trust and credibility with you. If in my writings, you find something you like or can use and believe that we can help you succeed, you call us, we don't call you. We have too much respect for you to use this space for marketing or advertising and for developing a distribution list for our direct mail campaigns.
7. bizsolutionsplus is first and foremost not about me, my firm, my ideas, or my ego. Instead, it is written for and about you. It is my primary attempt to share ideas that you can use, and when I do, this blog succeeds. It is always about you, not about me. Although I use personal experiences and often write in first person, it is hoped that each post contain something you can use in your business or your life. We don't always succeed but we do try.

Your Thoughts: As you think about the above, what are you feelings? Do you think a blog can grow new business, and do you think the process used above works? How can it be improved to meet your wants and needs? How can we make what we write (or share through podcasts or vlogs) more relevant to your lives? More usable and interesting to you?