Website, Social Media Essential To Growing Small Business

FARMINGTON — Using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube works the same in expanding a small business as adding gasoline to a fire.

“Content is fire. Social media is gasoline,” said Martha Londagin with Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center with University of Arkansas as she recently led a workshop called Five Social Media Strategies for Small Businesses. The two-hour workshop, sponsored by Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce, was held Feb. 20 at Farmington City Hall.

Content is the information that a small business puts out to tell others about itself. When this information is initially shared through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media, users retweet it or post it on their Facebook pages and from there it spreads exponentially, Londagin explained.

“Sharing it is the gas that gets it out to the world,” Londagin told about 12 people at the seminar.

Having a website for a small business is key, Londagin said.

“It’s like not having a telephone in 1975. People won’t think you are real if you don’t have a website.”

She said free websites are available but she recommends paying a small monthly fee to create a website on the World Wide Web or to go through a host.

Traditional marketing, such as direct mail, telemarketing, TV and print advertising, is used to go out and seek the market. Social media, on the other hand, is when people come looking for a business or product.

“The two feed off each other,” Londagin said.

Social media is important because it can bring customers to your website, Londagin said. Through Instagram, Facebook and others, customers will come to a small business website and order from the store online or come to the store, she said.

YouTube was the top social networking site last year, with Facebook coming in at a close second. Research shows, Londagin said, YouTube has 1 billion visitors a month and Facebook has more than 757 million active users daily.

Londagin gave several strategies for small businesses when using social media.

The first strategy is to re-energize your business, she said.

A second strategy is to find out about the customer base and reach it through different efforts. She said entertaining potential customers is very important for websites and social media, noting people go online to be entertained.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Londagin said. “It’s about being a part of the community. They just don’t want to see what you are selling everyday.”

To find out what customers want and like, a business owner must “research, research, research,” she said, noting similar businesses in other parts of the country have good ideas and she suggested using those ideas, instead of trying to come up with your own. If a business in California, for example, has something you like on its website, copy it, she said.

“God bless America. It’s called capitalization.”

Other strategies are to establish a social media presence, measure the marketing plan and manage time wisely.

Londagin gave several examples of northwest Arkansas small businesses that have been successful within just two years through social media and showed how these businesses are reaching customers through their websites

and social media.

People who attended the workshop said it gave them ideas for growing their businesses.

Katherine Xiong with Mandalay Asian Cuisine restaurant in Farmington said her business has a website and Facebook page but she does not have a lot of time to spend on social media.

“I’m going to try to separate myself from the kitchen and do a little more,” she said. “In Farmington, it is such a small place that it’s hard to keep the business going. That’s why I wanted to come today. I’d like to explore a little bit.”

Tommy Cornwell with Cornwell Insurance in Farmington said he attended the workshop to find out more about using social media.

“It gave me good places to start,” said Cornwell, who is a member of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is available to help existing small businesses and those who want to start a new business. The government- funded center offers services, which include free business counseling and marketing research and training and educational seminars for small fees.

To find out more information, go to sbtdc.uark.edu or call the center at 479-5755148.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Martha Londagin with Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center with University of Arkansas leads a workshop on social media and marketing plans at Farmington City Hall. The seminar was sponsored by Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce.