Robles is not alone.
From real estate agents and restaurants to car dealerships and shopping malls, businesses in Glendale and Burbank are increasingly buying into a nationwide trend toward using social media as a tool to expand their reach and connect with consumers who have more options than ever before.
While some business owners have experimented with Web-based services and given up on them, social networking tools like Twitter and Facebook are developing into valuable marketing frontiers, even for small businesses, said George Geis, professor of information technology and entrepreneurship at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
“The online sites have done quite well, so consequently, in a challenged economic time like we still are in, it’s important to recognize that you want to be where people are hanging out,” Geis said.
Businesses are using the service to promote their products and services, and keep their customers in the loop about discounts and special events, but the most effective social media marketers go far beyond that, said Amy Kramer, president of Counterintuity, a Burbank-based marketing consulting firm that advises clients to set up Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Having exchanges with online contacts is, in many cases, more important than simply blasting out advertisements in the form of Twitter posts, Kramer said.
“That’s the key that a lot of people miss is the relationship part,” she said. “People will tweet, ‘Oh, buy this. Oh, buy that,’ but what helps businesses the most is when they engage because it’s a very interactive medium.”
Kramer manages two Twitter accounts where she has exchanges with clients and friends.
