Often, social media isn't all that social. In fact, while Facebookers and Tweeters interact online, those interactions don't usually connect to the outside world.
The same holds true for businesses using Social Media to connect with customers. And the interaction can be boring and generic. One local company,
Global Business Solutions in Newport, is using social media in a different to raise company awareness and engage potential clients in a fresh way.
GBS is an IT consulting, support and managed services firm that since 1994 has worked with small- to medium-sized businesses and municipalities. The company was founded by President Gaby Batshoun and CEO Nael Mabjish and employs about two dozen people. This year it was awarded the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Small Business Success Award for Professional Services.
The company is one of many across Greater Cincinnati tapping into social networking sites to generate buzz. Starting in late October, the company began a quirky, four-week contest on
Facebook. Each day for the first three weeks, GBS posted a photo of the company mascot - an inflatable globe - somewhere in Cincinnati. People who "like" the Facebook page guess where the photo was taken; the first person who answers correctly wins a Flip camera that week. It's the first time the company has used its Facebook page this way.
"The city has such a large social media footprint, and we're able to connect to a lot of our clients that way. We wanted to use this space to reward the people who have already been communicating with us there, and draw some more attention to our company," said Joe Robb, GBS Head of Marketing.
Since beginning the contest the company's Facebook followers have grown from 99 to 156. The page has been up about seven months.
"For us it's not really about the numbers," Robb said. "It's about getting to know people. Plus it's fun. This kind of work isn't really thought of as fun, but people who work here are fun and they enjoy what they do."
The contest wraps up this week (Nov. 19) with a big prize, an iPad. To win this prize, however, the winner has to get off the computer and into Cincinnati.
This week GBS is posting pictures at four different locations, one picture per day through Thursday. On Friday, the globe will be left somewhere in Cincinnati. The first person to upload a picture or video of him/herself with the globe, who also correctly guesses the locations of the pictures from earlier in the week will win the iPad.
Think you know Cincinnati? You can go for the iPad at Global Business Solutions
Facebook page.
Writer: Feoshia Henderson
Source: Joe Robb, GBS Head of Marketing
You can follow Feoshia on twitter
@feoshiawrites
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