Most of the time we focus on  “how to” implement PR, marketing and social media. But above all, it’s important to remember  “why”  we do them. In this post, guest blogger and social media expert Dana Larson provides five ways that technology marketing accelerates growth and success.

Dana Larson, OnePlace

We’ve all been there – some clients wants to use those cool “social media site things” as part of their marketing mix. And hey – they work! New technology marketing tools, including social media, can be incredibly effective for certain businesses in increasing their business success.  But there are still certain gaps between the marketing tools and the communication tools used between a business and their marketing practitioners, right? Wrong. Totally wrong.

Using the next generation of online tools that are out there can plug some of the gaps you may have in providing the kind of customer service that will create an experience that your competitors can’t match. Here are 5 ways this type of technology will garner great amounts of love from your clients.

1. Keep Them Connected

Increasing the amount of touchpoints between you and your clients will give them the warm, fuzzy feelings of being taken care of. When you’re available by phone, email, text message, Skype, Twitter, LinkedIn, forums and web meetings, you and your clients will build greater connections, and they will love having so many ways to contact you at their fingertips.

2. Give Them a Voice

It’s not a one-way street any longer. No matter how hard you try, your clients will always know more about their business and their products than you will. So, make sure to nurture the collaborative environment between your team and your clients. Give them access to a collaboration solution that allows their opinions to be heard, and work together to identify the messaging, the strategy and the tactics that will be deployed on their behalf.

3. Build a Community

Having a strong client community can help build relationships between your clients, and also help you increase the success of your business. Think about creating a client advisory board and hold web meetings, where clients sound off on your offerings and give their feedback for what you’ve been able to accomplish for them. Also, holding online conversations in a client-facing forum can facilitate additional conversation and ways to address their questions immediately. Your clients will enjoy being a part of your solution and feeling like they are making a difference.

4. Provide Instant Updates

As you’re getting work done, let your clients know about it! They’ll love seeing activity instantly. Share online documents with them alerting them to your activity, and post messages and weekly status updates in your business collaboration solution. This way, your clients are kept in the loop as to your activity, and can also provide instant feedback if needed.

5. Increase Their Reach

Not only do these technological advances increase your connectivity and collaboration with your clients, but they will also increase your client’s reach. And I’m not talking about their marketing reach – which of course can also be impacted – but instead talking about their reach with other business partners of yours. Distance is no hinderance with an internet connection, social media tools and web conferencing for collaborating to build client reach and increase connections with those who can benefit their business.

When new technology is utilized to enhance the relationships between you and your clients, everyone benefits. And your clients will love the new ways they connect with you, your work and your team.

Dana Larson, OnePlace Marketing Manager, represents the best of a new generation of communicators adept at engaging across all media, from traditional to social. A sweet but somewhat snarky gal whose career in marketing has easily transcended from big agency to agile small business, Dana blogs regularly about business, collaboration and productivity solutions. You can reach Dana at dana dot larson at oneplacehome dot com.