Small Business Social Media Marketing Strategies in the Retail Industry

Many small business owners lack social media marketing (SMM) strategies to generate sales growth. Small business owners are concerned with increasing sales growth to ensure sustainability. Grounded in Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore SMM strategies some small business owners in the women’s retail apparel industry use to generate growth in sales. The participants comprised 3 small business owners in the women’s retail apparel industry in South Carolina with successful experience using SMM strategies to generate sales growth. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, archival organizational documentation, and physical artifacts. Yin’s 5-step analysis process guided the data analysis. The following 3 themes emerged: social media platforms, the SMM impact, and customer relationship management. A key recommendation is for small business owners to use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram social media platforms to reach customers and receive immediate feedback. The implications for positive social change include the potential for business owners to increase their ability to implement SMM campaigns to generate sales growth. Higher sales may lead to more profit, which could be used to make donations to community-based social programs