Using Social Media in Small Business Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies


We understand that businessmen and entrepreneurs work hard to earn profits and grow their businesses. In a world filled with challenges and competition, it is not surprising for these people to think about return of investment all the time. Small businesses and startups don’t necessarily earn the money that they want so they consider the idea of investing with people and deal with various social causes to attract investors and willing supporters. Social media for business has made the world smaller and globalised as the Internet brings people closer than ever. In fact, finding businesses for sale and franchise opportunities are much easier than ever before because you can always visit a specialised search portal to check out which business model fits your preferences.

Successful companies and organisations usually “pay back” their customers that made them successful thru programs like cancer research, scholarships, charities, and other cause-oriented projects. Though it involves a lot of money, small startups can always involve the community in their growth plans and it doesn’t have to cost money at all. Time and effort is what matters the most. With social media, small business owners can raise money to help people thru an online fundraising activity. Utilising social networking can do wonders in order to get the online community involve in such project. Apart from that, it will also raise the social profile of the company itself. Here are the five best strategies to implement corporate social responsibility thru social media:

Lead By Example

When it comes to implementing a corporate social responsibility program, it is important to think in a long-term basis because these projects take time to yield favourable results. As a business owner, it is important to engage with brand, provide feedback to users, and be like a Steve Jobs-like evangelist in the World Wide Web.

Earn and Listen

If you want to know the needs and preferences of the online community, make sure to determine the social issues that you need to address. It is an effective social media strategy for small business to learn and listen from your customers. Bear in mind that you need to know which communities that really need your help. Create Twitter hash tags in order to attract more people and share knowledge and information about an ongoing CSR initiative.

Build New Solutions

As they say, necessity is the mother of inventions. When it comes to encouraging people to help others, you have to utilise various social media options in order to reach the greatest number of Internet users. A successful way of making a viral promotion is initiating something like a “paying it forward” kind of a promotion. Build new ideas and solutions to make your CSR initiative a successful one.

Talk to People

How to use social media for small business? Through effective communication, you can get in touch with people and know what they want and need. Whether you chat, blog, or post status updates, fresh news and information will always keep your followers informed. Any meetings, press releases, and briefings should be shared through all online marketing channels.

Invest

Once you gain the benefits of implementing a CSR initiative, it’s time to invest on other projects in order to raise your portfolio in social advocacy and cause-oriented initiatives. Remember, doing good to others is always good to your business especially in so-called Socially Responsible Investments.

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