How can I incorporate social media into my small business marketing effort?

[Luis]

Social Media can be a great way to generate traffic to your business. But just like email became flooded with spam, social media sites can develop the same problems.

Social media sites are not about pitching your wares. Its about connecting with groups of people who have similar interests, are looking for useful information,being a fly on the wall, and keeping up on the latest events.

That being said The less you "Sell" and the more you inform the more money you will make. You haven't detailed what your business is, but what ever it is I would become ( or find someone who is) an expert in the field of what you do, to create valuable content (articles, videos, how-to's, top 12 mistakes, exposes, behind the scenes etc) that are big attractors for your market.

For example if you sell Shoes, be not just an "expert" about shoes but also be an expert on feet, and joints, nerves, pressure points, back pain etc. and create content about those topics and how they relate to shoes.

"How to relieve the 7 pressure points on your feet that cause those nagging migraines you have everyday."
"Trying to get rid of those last 5lbs? You might be wearing the wrong shoes. Take this quick test to find out now"

Explain to people that you are always finding new and interesting shoes and that you update twitter a lot and that's the place to get the latest on what you are up to.

Ethically bribing people with your content in exchange for them following you on twitter is an option, but making sure you actually provide them with interesting, funny, quirky, actionable knowledge and experiences is what social media is all about.

The content you make, create a buying criteria and if the people viewing your content agree with your buying criteria they will also accept who you are and what you are selling.

Also make sure you invest maybe 20 min a day finding interesting stuff in your field but not specifically about you that your followers and friends would be interested in. figure for every 8 or 9 posts about other interesting things you find, you then post one about something you are doing.

Hope that helps you out.