When I first started thinking about taking this class I discussed this with our owner and her response was that Social Media was primarily for connecting with old friends and would not offer much value. But now having taken and finished the class I realize that there is a huge impact on how a business can communicate with both existing customers and potential new ones and increase our companies brand. Durable Casters has to get with the program and think outside the box. This class was our first step in evolving.
At the end of 2019 we had signed up for and planned on participating in at least 10 trade shows. The Covid pandemic caused all of these live events to be cancelled. Therefore, I had to develop a new strategy for reaching clients. The timing for me taking this class could not have been better. I now realize that the traditional ways of calling on customers has changed. And Durable Casters needs to adapt to keep up with the changing marketplace. We can still pass out and mail out catalogs but the biggest and best return will require a marketing strategy that uses Social Media.
By developing a Facebook page and signing up for Instagram I see the benefits. Several of my existing customers have reached out to me and complimented me and my company for trying to develop our brand online. There has been an impact. For example, one of our primary dealers in Orange County noticed my Facebook page and linked this with my Instagram post on our new Hi Temp Bakery Rack Wheels. We received an order based off this information.
I now understand that Social Media is not just about looking up old friends. Social Media has transformed us by allowing Durable to get in front of a target customer.
With the use and development of LinkedIn we now change the way we communicate with potential customers. I have been able to expand our online presence and the days of handing our catalogs and business cards are a thing of the past. We have danced around with this site for few years but now I understand how to use it.
I looked up some statistics and about half the world is on social media every day so its makes sense that we now incorporate this as part of a marketing strategy. I feel excited that I can convince our staff that we can build long term relationships with our customers. Once our clients become more aware of our brand I can utilize this to find new markets that we currently do not serve.
Durable does absolutely no business with the US Military and we plan on developing a strategy to penetrate this market segment. We know that buyers are online shopping and the next step is to profile a select group of casters that will be approved by the military.
Finally, for me personally, I will continue to learn about the various social platforms and explore ways to connect and stay relevant. I understand the evolution of social media and how it can help Durable Casters grow. The changes in technology are coming more rapidly everyday and for a guy that started out his career using a pager I have come along way.
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