As technology evolves, it is our duty to embrace and make the best out of it. As years progress, social media has gained popularity in the entire universe. Talk of Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube, just to mention but a few, the good thing with social media is its accessibility at any given time and on a daily basis by a great number of people. Many people’s lives have been changed by social media in one way or another – and the self-employed are not an exception. For a long time, social media has been used for fun but over time, people have explored other areas where it could be helpful, especially in business.
This having been said, here are a few how social media has changed the world of the self-employed:
Sharing Information
Information sharing is a crucial aspect to any person, whether employed or self-employed. Not only is social media an ideal for sharing share fun and marketing-related information, but these platforms also double up as places through which you can call out for help in the case of emergencies or even store crucial evidence (for instance, after an auto accident) that can help you out at a later date. Justin Kimball from Preszler Law, a law firm in Nova Scotia, says that the five most important types of evidence to collect after an auto accident are photos of the scene, police reports, vehicle debris, witness contact information, and medical records. Especially as a business person when you don’t have an employer or work colleagues to help you out in such cases, social media can be a great place to share that information and put it out for the world to see.
Marketing
In any venture, marketing is critically essential, and it plays a great role in the success of a business. And thanks to social media, self-employed people are able to market their products to a large number of people without undergoing a lot of charges. The platforms are pocket-friendly and easy quick to use for all sizes and kinds of businesses. Creating and sharing content is an important aspect of marketing on social media. Say, for example, you take a video using your phone and post it on platforms like YouTube and Facebook, the only thing that needs to be done is sending the video link to friends and clients via other social media platforms. That way, the message spreads fast to as many people as possible and your brand is advertised.
Building customer base
Prospective clients can easily be found on social media as people, especially millennials and the generation after, are using social media quite often. Companies and individuals are interacting with clients directly, informing them of the services and products that they are offering. Most people actually confess to knowing about a new product through various social platforms.
Furthermore, clients that you’ve interacted with in the past can be very helpful in improving your business. They may not necessarily be the ones you are dealing with business wise but they could recommend you to other people who might need your services or products. Keeping in touch with customers and staying engaged with them sends a message of assurance to the clients. It also allows you to let your clients and prospects know when you have special offers, sales, and discounts.
Cost reduction and profit maximization
Self-employed people can work from home (home office) depending on the kind of product or service they’re offering. Working from home cuts the cost of renting a place to operate a business. In most cases, rentals are important for they act as the physical address of a self-employed individual, where they can be easily traced by clients if need be. One would not be in need of employing many people, more so in the area of sales and marketing to accomplish a task. Profit, therefore, can be maximized as there are limited bills to be met, which is the main aim of an organization.
Product improvement
Clients share their opinions on your products and services. The feedback offered by clients helps in the improvement of services, which, in turn, improves the business. Positive criticism is important… otherwise, one can never grow or improve and remaining stagnant is not an option. Nobody is ever happy when they receive services that are not worth the resources sacrificed.
Social media platforms should not only be used to communicate with friends, but they should also be used to build businesses. Using social media can make one’s business exceptionally successful in a considerable period of time. A self-employed individual ought to determine those social media platforms that are beneficial and valuable to them instead of having a variety of them that are not manageable and are hence ineffective.