By Bethany Stephens, Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce

To ensure your business is thriving (not just surviving), your marketing must be aggressively at work even when you are not.  Rest assured your customers and potential customers have strong opinions about services and products, and you can participate in the conversation or allow it to carry on without you.

If you’re ready to meet your customers on their turf, you’re ready to embrace social media.  Here’s your action plan.

1.    Relax. All the tech jargon and constantly changing landscape of social media (or Web 2.0) may seem daunting, but if you can send an email and hold a conversation, you’ve got all the tools needed.  Most social media tools are intuitive and easy to navigate. Not every tool is for everybody. Take it one step at a time.

2.    Start small. Explore a handful of tools to start, preferably those effective for business rather than social communication.  LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs are appropriate for marketing. Facebook is predominantly social, but can be influential for non-profits and special events that appeal to individual interests, preferences and social circles.

3.     This is marketing – don’t forget your brand!  The world doesn’t care if you had oatmeal for breakfast.  Consider your desired outcome and craft your message accordingly, infused with subtle marketing.  If you’re networking to grow your product, advance your cause or share a message, you must retain focus.

4.     Be humble. Even though your goal may be to sell, just as in real life, a soft but well thought out message is more effective than a blatant pitch or self-serving commercial. The genius of social media is that in putting others first, you achieve your goal.  Mention your customers or thank them for their business – this communicates: a) others have chosen you, b) you have a growing customer base, and c) your company is worthy of consideration for future business.

5.     Manage your time. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the maintenance of social media.  Absolutely, it is time consuming.  However, every minute spent can positively affect customer buying decisions and opinions. Target your efforts! Social media is a platform to find your customers and connect.

If you’re strategic about social media, the results will be obvious.  Stop worrying about ROI – it’s there.  Leverage these phenomenal tools for the good of your business, and have fun.

Bethany Stephens is Executive Vice President of the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. An active proponent, she blogs and teaches a class on social networking for member businesses. Tweet Beth @bethanystephens, make a connection at www.LinkedIn.com/in/bethanystephens or read her blog at http://rogerslowellchamber.blogspot.com/.