Wholesalers and general merchandise vendors looking to improve customer service might want to consider the benefits social networking communities can have on their business. Social media communities are full of like-minded people who want to share, discuss, and learn more about industry issues. There can be common interests in the goods and services sold online, as well as many other topics such as returned goods, online fraud and promotions that work. Given the opportunity, wholesalers can capitalize on the ability to communicate with their current and prospective customers.
Networking is all about making connections with other people. It can help grow your customer base and can also provide feedback to help make important decisions. For instance: networking can help in finding qualified employees, building relationships with customers and other stakeholders, and increasing your online visibility. The advantages of networking have the potential to benefit sales, production, and profitability. With all of these positives, social networking can be the next step toward moving forward to grow your business.
In the business world, social networking involves using customer information to generate business. Wholesalers can use blogs, community sites or social media marketing tactics, depending on which best suits their needs for furthering their business goals. Carefully stating your goals can help decide what social channels will bring the best results.
For some wholesalers, the goal may be to sell more product, while others may want to add more distributors. In either case, a social network like Facebook might be good for setting up a company fan page. Accepting “friends” and accessing their friends can introduce more customers to your fan base, where you can explain why they might need what you sell. This can also be a good way to offer coupons and discounts. If a customer who is on your Facebook profile sees this opportunity to save money and tells others, there is a good chance your friend list will expand before you know it.
Blogging and micro-blogging on Twitter can also result in success for wholesalers. Communication is always the key to customer success. Clients want to be heard and they like to see results. The popular social networking sites can open the lines of communication in a non-threatening and expedient manner.
Many simple problems and misunderstandings can be taken care of via your company blog. Customers won’t have to waste time waiting on the phone; you can resolve problems by routing them to the necessary staff. Another benefit of a blog is that customers love to give feedback and become a part of the solution; so by opening the dialogue in your blog, suggestions can be offered from their point of view, creating a sense of community and providing valuable product information. In the end, everyone can benefit from the dialogue.
Building business relationships is very important if your company needs to connect with other businesses. LinkedIn is the place where you can make connections with other businesses you can trust. These connections can help you find business affiliates, collaborations and yield many other business opportunities. If you need hard-to-find personnel, you can post your request on LinkedIn and likely fill that opening. Using social networking to promote your visibility and nurture relationships can help you build a strong presence in your industry.
Last, but not least, marketing and advertising are one more way wholesalers and general merchandise vendors can use social networking sites. If used correctly, with your stated goal in mind, the possibilities for social networking to your advantage are endless. Being innovative with social networking can help put your wholesale business above the competition.