By Janna M Hall

Imagine that a major automobile manufacturer has decided to build a new model car. They’ve spent months in the field, conducting the proper research of the automobile industry’s strengths and weaknesses. They’ve uncovered every need of car buyers across the nation and found the voids that their competitors have failed to fill. They’re doing it all. After developing what their team calls “the car to outperform all cars,” they’re finally ready to launch.

There’s only one problem.

In the midst of installing all the bells, whistles, and gadgets that will make them a global force to be reckoned with, they forgot to include tires.

A car with no tires?!

No tires mean this magnificent creation can’t leave the lot. It can’t be test-driven, and it can’t grab the attention of passersby in parking lots around town. There’s no going from 0-60mph in record time, and no admirers will get to jot down the make and model before the car speeds off into the distance. All of the time spent developing the “car to outperform all cars” is for nothing.

This is your business without a digital marketing plan. It has all the workings of a great product, but its reach is limited. Using digital media—the Internet, social media, and display advertising—allows your local business to expand its reach. You’ll gain customers beyond your city’s limits, increasing both your awareness and––you guessed it!––revenue.

Too often, business owners view Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as something reserved for technology-obsessed millennials, with their selfies and funny videos. 

As a technology-obsessed millennial, I can confidently say: You couldn’t be more wrong.

It turns out, this generation isn’t wasting our days away tweeting on Twitter and “liking” posts on Facebook. No, we’re making big bucks—and making businesses even bigger bucks—using our social media prowess.

In this digital age, it’s not just about how well you run your company and serve your current customers; it’s also about raising awareness of who you are and what your company stands for. This can’t be done by printing your logo on pens and spending money on print ads alone. If you’re looking to expand, dominate, and develop a brand that reaches beyond your business’ front door, you’ve got to go digital.

Many cringe at the idea of hiring a digital marketing company. I have to pay someone to do what? How do I even know if it’s worth it? 

Again, I confidently say: It totally is.

Here’s why:

Digital Marketing is a full-time job, and you already have one.

Let’s face it—owning a business is infinitely harder than working for one. You work around the clock, and occupy multiple positions as you make sure your business succeeds. But the sign of a true leader is knowing that we can’t do it all. My digital marketing agency, JMH Initiatives, LLC, is growing its staff because I’ve accepted that I produce better work when I’m not stretched too thin.

And that “better work” has come in the form of increased engagement and exposure on Twitter. For example, in the first 28 days of taking over a new client account, they received a 121% increase in profile visits on Twitter. This same client, a publication that prints incredible content but distributes it to a smaller, local audience, now utilizes their social media channels to push their articles nationwide. In those same 28 days, they’ve increased their online exposure by a whopping 1300%, with 20.4k Twitter users viewing the tweets I’ve created using all that great content.

Before opening my agency in February of 2016, I spent years in New York City working for a company that initially didn’t see the value in Social Media Managers. Still, I worked diligently with my growing team. We created a solid strategy and developed partnerships with Nickelodeon, Dove, Google, and AT&T, increasing our revenue and gaining national recognition. Such digital marketing success would’ve never come if the company hadn’t invested in a full-time team to get the job done. Needless to say, everyone’s now rooting for the Social Media Team.

The bottom line?

Many business owners make social media an afterthought, posting just enough to say, “Hey! We still exist!” But the truth is that social media is so strategy-heavy—knowing when to post for the highest engagement, how to interact with your customer-base, and how to turn tweets into cold-hard cash. It takes time to tailor a marketing plan with your individual business objectives in mind, and I know first-hand how glorious the results can be.

Invest in your business. Understand that digital marketing introduces an entirely new audience to the brand you’ve worked so hard to build. When it comes to growing your business, if you’re not online, you’re nowhere at all.

JMH Initiatives, LLC, is currently taking on new clients in Richmond and the surrounding counties. Join the 40 million businesses currently rocking the Facebook scene, and the 70% of small businesses who market on Twitter. Let us develop exceptional digital strategies for your brand! Contact Janna M. Hall at jmhinitiativesllc@gmail.com for more information.

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