Social Marketing Strategies Used by Small Businesses
Leaders in the Fashion Retail Industry
Section 1: Foundation of the Study
The advancement of new technologies makes traditional methods of advertising
almost obsolete. Many small fashion retail business leaders use social media to endorse
their brand, products, and services (Allan & Ali, 2017). The use of social media
influences how business leaders interact with consumers and the public to increase sales.
The retail industry contributes an estimated $3.53 trillion annually to the U.S gross
domestic product (National Retail Federation, 2018). Small businesses account for almost
half of the United States economy (U.S Census Bureau, 2016). Small fashion retail
business leaders who do not have effective marketing strategies may lose existing and
potential customers if they cannot compete with other companies (Taneja & Toombs,
2014). Competitive advantage is maintained when small retail business leaders
implement technological strategies (Cheng & Liu, 2017). Social media marketing
strategies can help retail business leaders to increase overall sales and marketing (Galati,
et al., 2017). This study aimed to reveal effective social media marketing strategies used
by small business leaders in the fashion retail industry to increase revenue.
Background of the Problem
Telephone, the Internet, email, and social media are common ways for business
workers to communicate with consumers in the 21st century. The ability to communicate
with others has steadily evolved with social media platforms (Colleoni, 2013). Since
2018, 70% of Americans use social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest (Smith, 2017) to communicate and buy and sell products
and services. How consumers behave in an online environment profoundly affects how
organizational leaders strategize regarding their use of social media marketing (Tiago &
Verissimo, 2014). Business leaders need to create effective marketing strategies by using
social media platforms to share their goods, products, and services.
In traditional marketing, retail marketers send messages to consumers through
television advertisements and print. However, with social media sites, such as Facebook
and Instagram, retail marketers in the fashion industry must understand the importance of
two-way conversations with consumers in the virtual marketplace. Online shopping is
easy and convenient by allowing consumers to shop anytime, and anywhere, and
purchase any merchandise (Chiou & Pan, 2009).
Problem Statement
Online traffic is essential for all businesses with an online presence, including
brick-and-mortar stores (Herhold, 2018). Approximately 52% of small businesses post on
social media daily (Guta, 2018). Furthermore, only 48% of small business leaders
effectively use social media for marketing products (Guta, 2018). The general business
problem was the failure of retail leaders to capitalize on social media as a marketing
solution to improve the organization’s brand and increase revenue. The specific business
problem was that some business owners lack social media marketing strategies to
increase revenue in the fashion industry.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore social media
marketing strategies some business owners use to increase revenue in the fashion
industry. The target population was five small business leaders in the fashion retail
industry in Atlanta, Georgia, that have used social media marketing strategies for at least
one year to meet or exceed their revenue goals. The implications for positive social
change include the potential for small retail business owners in the fashion industry to
gain and retain customers, increase business revenue, and have a positive economic effect
on their community.
Nature of the Study
The method for this study was qualitative. The conventional methods used to
conduct scholarly research are quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods (Fuller,
2017). Researchers who use qualitative methods can increase the understanding of reallife
experiences (Zyphur & Pierides, 2017). Quantitative researchers focus on testing theories
to determine if a relationship exists between measurable variables (Morse, 2015), which
was not the focus of this study. Mixed-methods research includes collecting and
analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data (Hesse-Biber & Johnson, 2013). A
mixed-methods approach was not appropriate because I did not quantify variables and
test hypotheses.
A variety of qualitative research designs were considered for this study, including
ethnography, phenomenology, narrative, and case study. I selected a multiple case study
design. Researchers use the case study design to deduce and describe phenomena by
explaining the problem and the answers (Yin, 2018). The multiple case study design
involves using more than one case (or unit of analysis) to understand a phenomenon. A
multiple case study design enabled the investigation of an in-depth discernment of the
strategies small fashion retail business leaders apply to implement effective social media
marketing procedures. A multiple case study provided a more significant opportunity than
a single case study to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon by comparing
conditions across different organizations (Yin, 2018). A multiple case study design
allows researchers to explore real-life, bounded systems through the collection of detailed
data from multiple sources and identify specific themes or patterns to enable
understanding of a phenomenon.
Ethnography is a field-based study to understand social connections, behaviors,
and perceptions in detail (Yin, 2018). An ethnographic design focuses on the attributes of
a shared culture (Leedy & Ormrod, 2013), which was not the intent of this study. The
exploration of the meanings of participants’ lived experiences is the phenomenological
researcher (Yin, 2018). Since I did not intend to describe what participants perceived as
they experienced a phenomenon- I did not use a phenomenological design. Researchers
use the narrative research design for creating a story (Paulsen, 2017). The goal of this
study was not to create a story. A qualitative multiple case study was appropriate for
exploring the research topic.
Research Question
What are the social media marketing strategies some business owners use to
increase revenue in the fashion industry?
Interview Questions
Warm up question: What type of social media tools and communication channels
do you use for social media marketing?
1. What business strategies do you use to implement social media marketing
plans to increase revenue?
2. What expectations did you have when you created your strategy to use social
media marketing to increase revenue?
3. How was your perception of the ease of use of social marketing strategy
compare with the outcome?
4. How did your perception of the ease of use of social marketing compare with
the actual use of social media marketing?
5. How do you track progress, success, and engagement of your social media
marketing strategy to sell fashion brands and products?
6. What strategies do you use to establish and maintain relationships with your
target customers in-store and online?
7. What motivated you to start using an online marketing strategy?
8. How do you assess the efficacy of the social media marketing strategies you
used in the marketing plan?
9. How has your social media marketing changed since you began implementing
these social media marketing strategies?
10. What else can you tell me about the strategies you use in your social media
marketing to increase revenue?
Conceptual Framework
The study’s theoretical framework was the technology acceptance model (TAM)
by Davis (1989). Davis developed TAM to predict user acceptance of technologies
(Venkatesh, 2014). There are two constructs within this model: perceived usefulness (PU)
and perceived ease of use (PEOU) (Ashraf et al., 2014). PU believes that technology will
be useful in obtaining a goal and increasing overall job performance. PEOU is where one
believes that using technology would require little or no effort (Venkatesh, 2014). It is
essential to understand what factors contribute to or hinder the acceptance of social media
marketing strategies among small business owners. The TAM is a dynamic forecaster of
technology approval (Ashraf et al., 2014; Svendsen et al.,
2013) and fits for this study.
Operational Definitions
Boutique: A boutique is a small retail store specializing in clothing and
accessories (Chotekorakul & Nelson, 2012).
Brand trust: Brand trust is a quality acquired by customers when they receive
products and services that meet or exceed their expectations. Customers believe that they
can trust a brand because it is credible and dependable (Chang & Hsu, 2012).
Customer loyalty: A long-term relationship between customers and companies.
Customer loyalty is a product of brand trust; when customers trust a brand, they are likely
to return for future business (Taleghani et al., 2011).
Customer value: The view of benefits received by customers (Agnihotri et al.,
2017).
Electronic word-of-mouth: A discussion among consumers regarding products
and services in an online setting (Feng & Paptla, 2011).
Small business. A business with fewer than 500 employees (U.S. Small Business
Administration, 2016).
Social media: A web-based application built on conceptual and technical
foundations of Web that people use for the formation and interchange of user-generated
information (Malik et al., 2016).
Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations
Assumptions
Assumptions are facts assumed accurate and cannot be verified but relevant to the
study (Leedy et al., 2019). In qualitative research, assumptions are possibilities about
what counts as knowledge (Nayak, 2016). Thinking that participants would respond
honestly was the first assumption. Since confidentiality and participation were voluntary,
this assumption was likely met. The second assumption was that small business owners in
the fashion industry would openly share strategies for achieving successful social media
marketing by participating in interviews and providing documents and reports.
Limitations
Limitations are probable faults in an investigation that could affect the
interpretation of a study (Marshall & Rossman, 2016). A limitation was that social media
marketing was continually evolving, and participants may lack experience in current and
most effective strategies to increase revenue for the small business. Self- reporting may
be problematic because a person may not be able to give an accurate response because of
cognitive biases or poor memory (Yin, 2018). A self-report is any method that involves
asking a participant about their feelings, attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and so on. (citation
needed). Self-report studies have validity problems. Even if a participant was trying to be
honest, they may lack the introspective ability to provide an accurate response to a
question. Many people viewed themselves in a completely different light to how others
see them. Thus, since the data in the study come from self-report surveys, they were
subject to reference bias.
Another limitation was that this qualitative single case study’s results might not
apply to other workplaces, populations, and industries. This study’s focus was small retail
business owners in the fashion industry in Atlanta Georgia, who have successfully used
social media marketing.
Delimitations
Delimitations are limits set by the researcher (Yin, 2018). A demarcation exists
when participants do not have an equal chance to participate in a study (Jolley &
Mitchell, 2010). The geographical area of Atlanta, Georgia was a delimitation for this
study. I did not research small retail business leaders outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Also,
all participants were small retail business leaders in the fashion industry. Another
delimitation of this study was the small sample size of a minimum of five owners of small
retail businesses. I focused solely on small business leaders who had increased revenue
using social media marketing as the final delimitation. I did not address other issues that
small business leaders experienced in attempting to increase revenue.
Significance of the Study
Contribution to Business Practice
Small businesses fail at an advanced rate despite employing roughly 52% of
Americans, leading to loss of jobs and a lack of economic growth (U.S Census Bureau,
2016). There was limited information on the strategies that contribute to successful
marketing in the retail fashion industry. Small retail business owners in the fashion
industry can use social media marketing to influence a broader audience to help deliver
strong returns on investment (ROIs) for marketing efforts and maintain their employees.
Small business owners use social media to increase contact with consumers, which helps
develop rapport between customers and increases brand awareness (Harris et al., 2012).
Owners of small fashion retail businesses could learn from each other’s success
using a relatively inexpensive tool for marketing their products and learning customer
perspectives (Phillips & Knowles, 2012). By understanding the techniques small
business owners use to develop practical advertising approaches using social media,
marketers can integrate technology into business marketing practices and attain
profitability.
Implications for Social Change
Businesses can bring positive social change to the community by making financial
contributions and charitable donations and creating new employment opportunities. The
failure of small businesses leads to job and income loss. Loss of employment and income
threaten the economy and affects both communities and families (Doumpos et al., 2017).
The strategies shared may help to prevent business closure and increase job creation and
longevity.
A Review of the Professional and Academic Literature
The intent of a literature review is to analyze existing studies as they relate to the
research topic (Wakefield, 2015). In this literature review, I synthesized information from
various sources related to social media marketing in small businesses. These sources
included journals, seminal scholarly books, and reports. The review of the literature
consisted primarily of peer-reviewed articles. The literature review is a way for
researchers to acquire knowledge while setting a study (Onwuegbuzie & Weinbaum,
2017). This study’s research question was: What strategies do small retail leaders in the
fashion industry use to implement social media marketing plans to increase revenue?
Literature Search Strategy
I used the Walden University library research database and the search engines
provided. The following databases were explored: Business Source Complete,
ABI/INFORM Complete, ProQuest, SAGE Premier, and Thoreau Multi-Database Search.
The keywords used in searches, both individually and in combination, were as follows:
small business, social media, marketing, online marketing, traditional marketing,
marketing strategies, perceptions of social media, CRM, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
profitability, an online marketing tools, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).
Of the 290 sources used, 90% were peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles, and 117 of
the sources have publication dates from 2014-2020. Eighty sources are unique to the
review of academic and professional literature. In the literature review, I established a
basis for the conceptual framework, examined trends in the research, and investigated
underlying assumptions related to this study. The analysis of the literature is a means to
provide a deeper comprehension of the techniques used to improve social media
marketing within small retail businesses in the fashion industry. Within this literature
review are themes that include communication, word-of-mouth (WOM) and electronic
WOM, traditional marketing, consumer behavior, branding, social media marketing, and
improve business practices.
The literature search resulted in a wide variety of research, including literature
about marketing, social media, and small business marketing. An exploration of the
conceptual foundation of social media marketing can only provide a partial view of the
relevant interdisciplinary literature. Therefore, it led to a need for further discussion of
the topic. The Internet is the primary way businesses market their products and services
(Al-Hakin & Lu, 2017). The use of different social media platforms varies by generation,
socioeconomic class, and gender, with younger business owners more likely to embrace
social media than older business owners (Sargent, 2013).
Social media, as a marketing tool for businesses, can help create favorable
customer experiences, boost innovation, and enhance workforce efficiency. Company
leaders that do not take advantage of social media limit opportunities to expand their
marketing and advertisement (Trott, 2014). The study intended to explore strategies that
business owners in the fashion industry used to implement social media marketing plans
to increase revenue. Using social media helps organizational leaders generate revenue by
providing access to consumers who contribute to cross selling while helping to improve
the bottom line (Billington & Billington, 2012).
Conceptual Framework: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) Theory
The theory that informed this research was the technology acceptance model
(TAM) theory developed by Davis (1989). Davis developed TAM to forecast user
acceptance of technology (Lin, 2013). Davis (1989) claimed that the research developed
and validated the two specific variables, perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived easeof-
use (PEOU), as the fundamental determinants of user acceptance. PU is where one
believes that using technology would improve job performance, and PEOU, on the other
hand, believes that using technology would require little or no effort (Venkatesh, 2014).
Small business leaders experience challenges in adopting social media and deploying
various social media marketing strategies for communicating with consumers.
Rauniar et al. (2014) conducted a study regarding social media focusing on
Facebook using the TAM. The authors developed a revised social media TAM model to
include perceived usefulness (PU) and intention to use (IU), which resulted in the
adjusted model. The researchers revised the TAM model specifically for Facebook to
conduct their study. The revised model was consistent with prior results of the hypothesis
that relate to the original TAM model. Their study’s results were that the TAM model
constructs were consistent with the original TAM model with social media and Facebook.
Their study was limited to a small number of U.S. based university business students.
Further research should include other participants and other social media sites such as
Google, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Small businesses tend to fall behind larger firms in adopting social media
marketing (Taneja & Toombs, 2014). Thus, there is a lack of understanding of the factors
prohibiting social media acceptance among owners, and the TAM model is suitable to fill
this gap in the literature. The TAM posits that perceived usefulness is essential in
determining an individual’s acceptance and use of information technology (Yoon & Kim,
2007). Within the TAM, perceived value refers to how a system will improve one’s
performance and how a user believes they will be impacted by the change (Davis, 1989).
Perceived usefulness is the most potent construct of TAM (Davis, 1989). Users
need to believe that the system is useful and easy to use and navigate to accept the
system. It is essential for business owners to understand the factors that contribute to or
hinder social media marketing acceptance among small business leaders. Many factors
affect business leaders’ approval or rejection of social media marketing. Intrinsic and
extrinsic motivating factors significantly impact using social media marketing, even
higher than the perceived ease of use (Caniëls et al., 2015). Customer pressure to use
social media marketing is an example of this (Schaupp & Bélanger, 2014). These factors
suggest that the total available market (TAM), which includes market demand for a
product or service, might be an appropriate conceptual model to view the problem
identified in this study.
Carlos Martins Rodrigues Pinho and Soares (2011) used the TAM better
understand new technology adoption. The quantitative study was limited to 150
university students. The researchers applied a survey method of data collection. The
results of the study were consistent with the TAM in the adoption of social networks. Lin
(2013) conducted a study different from other researchers who used the TAM constructs.
Lin explored the relationship between TAM and usability testing. Researchers frequently
develop tests to determine how well technology users understand specific technology. Lin
performed the usability test on an eCampus learning system with a personal digital
assistant (PDA) mobile device. Lin did not find a relationship between the TAM’s
perceived usefulness and usability.
Researchers have investigated small business owners’ use of web-based
technologies using the TAM. For example, Mohabbattalab et al. (2014) examined the
factors that lead Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to move traditional services
to cloud computing (i.e., Internet-based) services. Their sample consisted of 410
Malaysian SMEs. They found that scalability, security, and flexibility were the most
critical factors influencing SMEs’ decision to adopt cloud computing (Mohabbattalab et
al., 2014).
Venkatesh and Goyal (2010) expanded the TAM with new variables uncovered
through exploratory research at a small law firm. Venkatesh and Goyal found that the
TAM was suitable for understanding the adoption of new technologies in the research
setting. However, this finding may not be generalizable to small businesses in the retail
clothing industry. Despite the limited research available, the TAM was an appropriate
theoretical framework for this research. Additionally, one of this study’s contributions
was to examine the suitability of the TAM to the research setting, adding to the available
literature on the TAM and social media use among small businesses.
As with other researchers, Pinho and Soares (2011) used TAM to better
understand new technology adoption. The quantitative study was limited to 150
university students. The researchers applied a survey method of data collection. The
results of the study were consistent with the TAM in the adoption of social networks. Lin
(2013) conducted a study different from other researchers who used the TAM constructs.
Lin explored the relationship between TAM and usability testing. Researchers frequently
develop tests to determine how well technology users understand specific technology
(Lin, 2013). Lin performed the usability test on an eCampus learning system with a
personal digital assistant (PDA) mobile device. Lin did not find a relationship between
the TAM’s perceived usefulness and usability.
Pentina et al. (2012) chose TAM as a theoretical framework to explore SMEs’
social network marketing technology adoption. TAM aims to predict behavioral
intentions. Since my study’s goal is to measure and predict small fashion retail business
actions to adopt Internet marketing, TAM is a feasible theory to use.
Contrasting Theories
Social Identity Theory
The social identity theory explains how an individual’s identity comes from his or
her environment (Barker, 2012; Tajfel & Turner, 1986). People have several characters
through their association with different groups socially (Barker, 2012). A group consists
of people that share comparable opinions or share a common goal. Within a social group,
an individual’s view of technology forms and sustains. Exploring consumers’ viewpoints
on links with companies as opposed to a focus on approaches that fascinated consumers
in the business is a part of the social identity theory.
Diffusion of Innovation Theory
Researchers use a diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory to explain how and why
different innovations and technologies spread, and the rate of their spread as well as
determine the price of escalation. The diffusion process involves the penetration of a new
idea (Dearing, 2009). DOI theory is appropriate to discover the tactics that small retail
business owners in the fashion industry adopt to achieve successful social media
marketing. With the new wave of technology, small business owners should decide
whether to use it (Mergel & Bretschneider, 2013). The positioning of the DOI theory in
marketing to users has been thriving since the 1970s (Al-Hakim & Lu, 2017).
Diffusion transpires in phases and progresses over time (Mergel & Bretschneider,
2013). There are three identified phases of the diffusion process. Experimentation and
intrapreneurship are in the first stage. During the early stage, individuals who act as
change agents will integrate social media into their business practices. This phase is
informal and steered by individuals, personal preferences, and prior experiences. The
second phase is establishing the order from chaos. During the second stage,
organizational leaders accept technology and establish principles founded by marketers to
use in the company (Mergel & Bretschneider, 2013). The researchers determined
institutionalization as the last stage. Throughout the last stage, organizational leaders will
implement a standardized procedure for using the new technology (Mergel &
Bretschneider, 2013). The DOI theory aids with examining motives of social media
usage and the impact on the economic performance of an organization.
Diffusion of innovation was a baseline theory for authors Al-Hakin and Lu
(2017). Based on the DOI theory, a researcher can discover prominent elements (Ainin, et
al., 2015) and the impact of social media platforms Facebook use on organizations. Ainin
et al. found that Facebook has a positive effect on organizational performance. Marketers
can implement Facebook in any small business for daily transactions that require essential
information technology expertise (Derham et al., 2011). Degerli et al. (2015) posited that
individuals are not always willing to adopt a new product or service. Peoples’ reluctance
to change could result in innovation being challenging (Raynard, 2017).
When organizational leaders recognize that technology is compatible, the leaders
are more likely to adopt the technology. The DOI theory helps small business leaders
implement changes that will improve the organization (Dearing, 2009). Implementing
technology such as social media within a small business would be ideal, as
computerbased technology effectively positions the target audience, and the business
leaders can share products in real-time (Derham et al., 2011). The way individuals relate
to technology is a result of their attitude toward technology. The user is more apt to use
technology when a user has a clear understanding of technology use (Hayes, 2012). The
DOI theory also serves as a valuable change model (Shinkevich et al., 2016). Researchers
use this theory to gain insights from aspects that influence the adoption of new
technologies in an organization (Ball et al., 2014).
The elements of the DOI concept may help explain the adoption and use of social
media (Lin, 2013). When small business leaders develop new products, diffusion is the
process of moving products through a market. The critical mass theory also relates to this
study. This theory states that if one person engages in a new phenomenon, everyone will
acquire it at some point in time (Lin, 2013). Critical mass theory serves as a framework to
explain that the users of an event such as social media can influence the frequent use of
the platform.
Gratification Theory
In 2020, people are looking for efficient and effective ways to gain and
disseminate information as well as to become informed. Social media platforms can
address those needs interactively and in real-time for users. I also considered other
theoretical constructs. Katz et al. (1974) proposed the use and gratification theory (UGT)
to explain how the media influences gratification. UGT explains how media can appeal to
people’s need to belong to and enhance self-esteem.
Social Media Marketing Strategy Theory
The social media marketing strategy theory, originated by Richardson et al.
(2016), is also relevant to this study. Small business marketers use social media
platforms, such as Instagram, Reddit, and Facebook, to influence people’s spending
habits. Researchers have used both the uses and gratifications theory to explain the
popularity of social networking and social media platforms. Digital technologies tend to
follow trends socially. Quan-Haase and Young (2010) identified essential trends of users
that reflect social habits and identified six motivating factors of social media platforms.
Small business marketers use social media platforms, such as Facebook and
Instagram, to solicit consumers’ involvement in online comments and posts to increase
brand awareness (Galati et al., 2017). Moreover, customers can be challenging to
influence and retain (Lou & Koh, 2017). Small business marketers must have strong
customer-brand relationships to improve overall marketing.
Relationship Marketing Theory
Berry presented the relationship marketing theory in the early 1980s (Berry,
2002). Leaders can use relationship marketing to maintain customer retention.
Relationship marketing is an approach to interactive marketing that helps in developing
interactions that include real-time customer communication for long term customer
relationships (Grönroos, 1994).
Social Exchange Theory
The social exchange theory is a benefit to business owners. Business leaders use
the social exchange theory to engage individuals with social media by rewarding the
individual through communication, cost avoidance, and maximization of benefits (Malik
et al., 2016). Cropanzano et al. (2017) noted that the social exchange theory incorporates
a sequence of connections between multiple parties. The exchange occurs when one party
repays the good or bad deeds of another party.
Evolution of Marketing
Marketing is a means to influence consumers to buy a product or service. The
concept of marketing has evolved. Marketing is a unique business function that goes
beyond selling and includes all areas of an organization with the customers’ point of view
as a guide (Drucker, 1954).
Social Media Marketing History
In 1969, the world was introduced to the Advanced Research Projects Agency
Network (ARPANET), which developed into the World Wide Web and the Internet. The
World Wide Web was created in 1993 by network specialists (Campbell-Kelly &
GarciaSwartz, 2013). Small business owners and business marketers have used the World
Wide Web to reach new customers since its creation. The Internet has vastly transformed
the way people communicate, as well as the way business, owners provide
communication
(Srivastava et al., 2016). The methods business owners use to communicate using the
Internet includes instant messenger, video chatting, and other web-based applications.
Atwong (2015) explained that small marketing business leaders enthusiastically gravitate
towards the development of Internet marketing to create tools such as websites to conduct
business, provide data on products and services, and digitally advertise. Kurtin (2016)
explained that marketers shifted from traditional marketing methods to search engine
marketing sites and social media marketing sites, including Facebook and Twitter.
Edmiston (2014) and Kucuk (2016) explained that a substantial Internet presence is
noteworthy for businesses as an important tool to increase consumer awareness, appeal to
prospective customers, and aid dialogue with the company’s core customers. Business
leaders and marketers can effectively integrate marketing strategies by using social media
to advertise beyond traditional methods.
Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms play an integral role in keeping users informed on current
news and offers an outlet for voicing concerns and sharing opinions (Go & You, 2016).
The most used social media platforms are Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and
YouTube. Erdur (2016) posited the online marketing of business leaders contributes to
the web economy. Drummond et al. (2018) noted the effect of social media tools range in
virtual platforms and provided resources to improve relationships with existing and
potential customers while developing business relationships. Social media is an
influential business tool with prospects and benefits for small and large businesses.
Facebook
Facebook is the world’s largest social network service (SNS) and became
accessible to consumers to use in 2004 (Smith et al., 2018). Users create individual
profiles on Facebook, post photos, and encourage others to become friends on fan pages.
Furthermore, 93.7% of businesses use and are active on Facebook. Formerly an internal
communication tool at Harvard University, Facebook developed into a means to connect
friends and family throughout the world (Facebook, 2018). Facebook includes a friends’
list, a wall, photos, videos, messages, chat, and the like feature (Nadkarni & Hofmann,
2012). Facebook users usually participate by writing on friend’s walls, making
comments, participating in discussions, exchanging information, and sharing feedback on
brands (Smith et al., 2018). These activities help to influence purchase behavior.
Facebook users often post updated information, share news, provide updates on
activities, and connect with friends (Alloway & Alloway, 2012). Facebook users also
develop social relationships, communicate, and interact with other users (Smith et al.,
2018). Facebook is the worlds’ most extensive social media site. Half of all Facebook
users frequently access the platform to communicate. Social media users often use
Facebook to establish and maintain social ties and connections (Wang et al., 2012).
Twitter
Twitter is a social media platform for users to communicate with other users
(Smith et al., 2018). Twitter is a cross between instant messaging and blogging that limits
users to sending short updates of no more than 140 characters. Twitter is a
microblogging site where users create, publish, tweet, read, and retweet messages to
followers (Smith et al., 2018). Since its creation in 2006, Twitter has reached more than
19 million users (Bradley, 2009). Twitter is a social media tool used to win the trust of
existing and potential customers (Todor, 2016). Twitter is a free social site that enables
users to stay connected in real-time.
Users send tweets on their profile page using up to 140 characters (Bradley,
2009); this increased in 2018 to 280 characters (Twitter, 2018). Business leaders in many
large organizations use Twitter to provide updates on products and services launched.
Users on Twitter use the social media platform to measure the dialogue of consumers
about their business and opponents (Schlinke & Crain, 2013). Small business owners can
use Twitter to market, to make policy, and to manage different campaigns (Yıldırım et al.,
2016). When customers discuss businesses on Twitter through tweets, they typically gain
more followers, as opposed to brands not mentioned on Twitter, which indicates that
Twitter as a social media tool attracts new followers and helps to increase credibility
through retweets (Wolny & Mueller, 2013).
YouTube
YouTube is a content community that became available for individuals to use in
2005 (Smith et al., 2018). YouTube is a platform for video sharing among users
(Alloway& Alloway, 2012). Users of YouTube can post, view, and link to other videos
on the site (Smith et al., 2012). YouTube users create individual profiles and can post
recent activities, comments, and favorite videos. Users often use YouTube, to transmit
information on things, such as music videos and live performances. Peer communications
online often influence consumers and transform online users into Internet shoppers
(Wang et al., 2012).
Retail marketers need to establish tell-a-friend functions on websites (Wang et al.,
2012). Online users generally create, develop, and share content on the Internet instead
of relying on content generated by site designers or managers (Fischer & Reuber, 2010).
Retail marketers need to maintain consumer brand awareness and perceptions in social
network services (Smith et al., 2012).
Blogs
Blogs are comparable to WOM and can help to increase the reputation of an
organization (Fan & Gordon, 2014). The leaders of some large organizations do not have
the means and resources to manage effectively blogs effectively because of a lack of clear
understanding of the benefits. Wang et al. (2015) commented that some media users
appear to be dependent on social media to gain information and news and to review
products and services. Consumers use blogs to learn, share, and express thoughts; blogs
are an information source for businesses to receive feedback (Wang et al., 2015).
Blogging helps to increase information from a human standpoint (Wu et al.,
2013). Toombs and Harlow (2014) encouraged small business leaders not to turn away
from blogs as this form of technology is significant for helping to grow online
communities. Small business marketers should use blogs to increase the company’s
awareness of goods and services and to gain customer feedback. Consumers to express
thoughts use Blogs and blogs serve as a medium for companies to get feedback (Wang et
al., 2015).
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social network launched in 2010 that has
gained immense popularity. By 2015, users had uploaded more than 40 billion photos to
the site (Instagram, 2018). Instagram can be a powerful and cost-effective way to grow a
small business. Using visual content to promote a business can be beneficial for a small
business. Consumers frequently turn to several social media platforms to conduct
searches and obtain information before making a purchase (Vollmer & Precourt, 2008).
Instagram can be an effective way for brands to connect visually with millions of users.
Communication
Effective communication involves sending information from one individual to
another, even if one party misinterprets it (Gallivan & Keil, 2003). People can share
information through both verbal and nonverbal communication, which may include
gestures. Consumer-generated communication (C2C) is an essential feature of social
media (Furlow, 2011). Many social media sites have discussion forums where users can
leave comments. This feature allows consumers to research sites during the pre-purchase
phase (Wang et al., 2012). Other mediums such as YouTube and blogs allow members to
comment on videos freely. Users of social media sites can leave messages that others can
see, and these messages may change a customer’s perception of a company and overall
purchase decision.
Traditional Marketing
Traditional marketing strategies small business owners use in the fashion retail
industry include fashion shows, flyers, newspapers, and magazine advertisements (Goi,
2014). Traditional marketing methods have declined since the use of social media has
increased. Lepkowska-White (2017) found that small business leaders want to use a
marketing strategy to increase consumers’ number, increase sales, and reduce costs.
Small business leaders have created applications through social media accessible on
portable smartphones or devices to connect and promote small businesses (Yadav, Joshi,
& Raman, 2015). With traditional marketing strategies, consumers are unable to provide
feedback in real-time.
Through social media, users maintain social exchange relationships by
communicating with other members online (Chen et al., 2015). When using traditional
marketing strategies, retailers find it challenging to reach and understand consumers
(Wang et al., 2012). Social media marketing is cost-effective, fast, and connects
consumers globally.
Social Media Marketing
Social media swayed the way leaders of organizations promote their merchandise
and services (Taneja & Toombs, 2014). Social media users can market new products
through Facebook and Instagram at no cost. Furthermore, while visiting social media
platforms, consumers can identify products and services that they are interested in and
can proceed to the merchants’ website for further details with just a click.
Using social media marketing gives small business leaders the autonomy to
respond in real-time to customers’ concerns. When paying attention to customer
criticism, business leaders must shift consumers (Kohli et al., 2015). Organizational
leaders can use social media to promote products and activities developed by the
organization. Social media marketing is an inexpensive way for marketers to reach a
broader market. According to researchers, social media is a relationship builder for
organizations and customers (Barger & Larecque, 2013). Small business leaders should
create brand awareness and build relationships to increase retention among new
customers.
Social media marketing is beneficial when small business leaders can want to
reach customers directly. Customers can then contact other customers, which creates
WOM. This interactive environment allows customers and small business leaders to
influence other customers (Alameddine, 2013). Customer’s tweets or positive comments
about products or services; may impact the decisions of other customers about purchases
in a positive manner.
Social media provides customers with instant access to information on products,
services, and businesses. Accessing and producing information using social media is not
expensive, and, as a result, both customers and organizations are using this technology
more. Small business leaders can gain competitive advantage by understanding customer
behavior (Almaddeine, 2013). Small business leaders review consumer profiles and
engage customers in ways that fit their needs once they understand practices.
Social media and traditional media are different in closeness, cost, and scope
(Katona & Sarvary, 2014). Unlike conventional marketing, social media involves
receiving feedback from the receiver (Nevin & Torres, 2012). Listening to consumer
feedback helps business leaders develop responses that can influence consumer
purchasing decisions and aid in new product development. A low-cost advertising option
for businesses of all sizes is social media (Kohli et al., 2015). Social media enables
business owners to increase their customer base, improve their marketing plans, obtain
feedback from customers and potential customers, and make their companies more
competitive (Allan & Ali, 2017). Also, satisfied customers can provide testimonials and
relevant consumer information to attract new customers (Ismail, 2017).
Social media marketing allows users to voice opinions about products or services,
whereas in traditional marketing, small business leaders provide buyers with information
about goods and services (Bruce & Solomon, 2013). Traditional advertising involves
online content usage by marketers to disseminate information to customers (Kwok & Yu,
2013). A conversation within social networks then occurs, allowing consumers to craft
unpaid online contributions, which usually comes in the form of an online post; this is
Word-of-Mouth (WOM) promotion (Kwok & Yu, 2013). Small businesses can leverage
consumer’s desire to network with people who have similar interests and fascinations by
creating communities with shared interests and values.
Word–of–Mouth (WOM) and Electronic Marketing
Social media in the retail industry influences the buying behaviors of consumers.
Word-of-Mouth (WOM) communication is an influential marketing tool (Dadzie et al.,
2017) that occurs when one individual tells another about an experience with an
organization (Kawakami et al., 2013). According to Curran et al. (2013), WOM occurs
when one consumer recommends a product or service to friends, family, or coworkers.
During the 1970s, marketing researchers introduced the marketers’ influence model,
where opinion leaders shared information with consumers via WOM (Curran et al.,
2013). Word-of-mouth marketing plays a crucial role in consumer behavior and attitudes
(Diffley et al., 2011). Consumers typically use WOM as a source of information to help
with making purchases online and in-store.
Small retail business owners should know that WOM affects consumer
decisionmaking processes (Heriyati & Siek, 2011). Business owners should provide
consumers with product-related information using social media, and understand and
engage online. In an online setting, WOM can be either positive or negative, and negative
WOM can affect a business brand, resulting in consumers choosing not to make
purchases from that company (Tuzovic, 2010).
WOM is a reliable way for small business leaders to market because of the
credibility customer feedback offers. When two or more people informally communicate
about a product or service, the information can be influential and can alter consumer
behavior (Del Río-Lanza et al., 2013). Organizational leaders should be aware of the
impact of WOM, including its overall impact on purchase behavior.
Electronic WOM has the potential of rapidly spreading information with the use
of the Internet. Positive electronic WOM can result in positive purchase behavior, thus
increasing sales and revenue for an organization (Colvin, 2013). In contrast, negative
comments can lead to decreased sales. As a result, business owners must develop
effective strategies to engage consumers quickly and effectively to recover from negative
feedback.
WOM is simply not limited to friends and family; instead, social media allows
WOM to spread among strangers. Facebook and Twitter are platforms for WOM, and
users can post comments and link businesses (Chen et al., 2012). Social media WOM
helps small business owners promote their business and send information in real-time to
many potential customers (Bruhn et al., 2012).
WOM is a beneficial and useful marketing tool. Those small business owners
should use to encourage happy and satisfied customers to post positive comments and
reviews. Such positive comments help to increase popularity and strengthening brands.
Negative comments will do the opposite. Controlling online comments is challenging for
small business owners to manage the comments customers may post on an online social
platform. Still, it is significant for these sites to have careful monitoring to maintain the
online reputation of the company.
WOM, as a marketing strategy is essential for marketers’ desired result
(Castronovo & Huang, 2012). WOM marketing can have both positive and negative
influences on businesses in the same environment. Building consumer trust is essential
because small business leaders can measure threats and ambiguity in online transactions
(Hajli, 2014).
Business leaders should create an environment that builds trust among consumers
in an online environment is essential (Hajli, 2014). When consumers perceive comments
and reviews as beneficial, it helps consumers make easy purchasing decisions. Electronic
WOM occurs when consumers voice their opinions on social media platforms. Positive
messages from consumers can influence positive purchase behavior that can help boost
sales (Colvin, 2013).
Role of Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing (SMM) is a means for small business marketers to expand
customer satisfaction and retention resulting in increased sales (Ismail, 2016). Traditional
marketing methods differ from those of social media marketing because of conventional
marketing, enhanced partnerships, and social media marketing results in post-like and
impressions (Colvin, 2013). Businesses with large marketing budgets are in a better
position to spend considerable resources on customer engagement strategies based on the
notion that is improving customer engagement rates lead to noteworthy increases in sales
and overall profit (Lim, 2018).
Customer relationships improve using social media by business leaders. Customer
relations are critical to organizational success. Small business owners become successful
when they use the most effective marketing methods to support product production and
customer service (Sherbaniuk, 2014).
Customer retention is an essential element of marketing. Marketers need to
develop a strategy that includes an atmosphere of emotional attachment to products and
the business (Venkatesan, 2017). Furthermore, if a customer enjoys using different social
media platforms, the customer is more likely to communicate with other online users by
WOM, which increases the potential for repeat business and new customers (Braojos et
al., 2017). Improving online customer engagement is a function used to ensure the
consumer trusts the company, the brand, and the process of buying a product online.
Social Media Use in Small Businesses
Social media refers to a collection of online services used to communicate and
share content (Crumpton, 2014). Social media tools assist in building networks, achieving
instant distribution of information, and encouraging trust and confidence within the
public.
Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogs are the highest four social media
platforms used by marketers (Gismondi, 2021). As social media use continues to
increase, the distinctive features of the technology and how this form of advertising
differs from traditional marketing communication channels is challenging for some
marketers in some organizations who seek to implement and deploy social media
strategies (Valos et al., 2015).
Business leaders use social media to communicate with audiences. Effective
social media use gives leaders in small businesses the capacity to reach audiences that
they would not usually access through traditional communication. Organizational leaders
use social media for many purposes. Social media technologies allow business leaders to
engage in two- way communication that is interactive to spread messages (Lillqvist &
Louhiala-Salminen, 2014). It also provides a means to expand brand awareness. Some
small business leaders use social media to communicate with the community, consumers,
and other stakeholders. However, some leaders may experience challenges in adopting
tools if they lack adequate social media strategies.
Small business leaders who do not understand social media fundamentals could
fail to attract or retain customers (Durkin et al., 2013). Having social media presence
online is beneficial for a small business; it helps leaders to stay competitive and survive
in an ever-changing digital business environment. The uses of social media tools are
slowly replacing traditional marketing (Henderson et al., 2015). Social media represents a
paradigm shift in communication, enabling communication at a much lower cost
(Charalabidis et al., 2014). Small businesses drive economic growth and create jobs in
the US economy, yet there is still little knowledge about social media marketing usage
(Broekemeir et al., 2015).
Social Media Marketing (SMM) Advantage
Defining the value gained through social media marketing is challenging (Hutter
et al., 2013). SMM creates value by sharing customer perception (Lacoste, 2016).
Customers make informed decisions before making a purchase, decision and share their
opinions on products and services. When customers value a product or service, they are
likely to remain. Loyalty is an essential component of small business leaders. Small
business leaders who grasp the significance of commitment can gain and maintain a
competitive advantage over other companies (Gismondi, 2021).
Valuable SMM strategies involve learning ways to contact different target
populations, use demographics, and use virtual stores (Ceric et al., 2016). Social media
marketing includes engagement from marketers, and a lack of commitment can lead to
challenges in implementing a successful online platform (Keegan & Rowley, 2017). As a
marketing tool, social media has many possibilities (Schwarzl & Grabowska, 2015).
Small businesses tend to be more individual and community-focused. Small business
leaders and workers are also able to connect with customers online through comments.
Small companies can foster connections with individuals on social media (Hajili, 2014),
and customers and potential customers will appreciate the level of service received from
timely responses. Some social media platforms, such as Facebook, have paid to advertise,
and marketers can use this medium to reach people within a specific demographic or
geographic location (Facebook, 2018). Social media users can craft an avenue to attract
new consumers, expand customer bases, build relationships, share compelling visuals,
and drive traffic to its website.
Managing Negative Comments Posted on Social Media
Negative comments posted on social media sites can hurt the bottom line for a
business. Consumer complaints are inevitable (Ang & Buttle, 2012), and consumers find
it essential for organizations to handle complaints reasonably and take responsibility for
the issue. Leaders must promptly handle customers’ complaints, provide some form of
resolution, and take responsibility for the problem (Gurău, 2012). Furthermore, Kähr et
al. (2016) explained the concept of consumer brand sabotage. Consumer brand sabotage
occurs when consumers deliberately display aggressive, hostile behavior to harm a brand.
Other forms of malicious consumer behavior can occur through negative WOM, customer
boycotts, and customer retaliation when marketers do not display positive attributes or
provide positive feedback representing the brand (Kähr et al., 2016).
Businesses use a software management system to read and respond to customer
complaints (Ang & Buttle 2012). Answering customer complaints promptly, allows
customers to learn more about a product or service, and to make an informed purchase
decision. Furthermore, accusations left unanswered can leave negative impressions on
customers. Marketers note that negative comments create an opportunity for service
recovery (Dekay, 2012). Negative comments have the potential to become positive
experiences if small fashion retail businesses use comments to prevent future
occurrences.
Marketing Strategy Issues
Small fashion business owners need strategies to support initiatives to help with
growth. Identifying trends with consumers through marketing initiatives will help with
cost savings and fulfill other goals that may help with organizational growth. To keep
abreast of trends and innovations, small business leaders must market new products to
keep customers engaged with new offerings (Singh et al., 2012). Small retail business
owners can attract new customers and retain existing by using flyers, advertising, and
brochures (Zheng, 2017). Sales training in organizations is critical in the marketing plan
(Janicic & Jankovic, 2014). One of the strategic marketing issues small businesses face
includes increased competition. Small businesses need to find ways to remain innovative
in a fast-paced environment. Bennett (2017) indicated that a primary barrier to social
media adoption was a lack of knowledge and understanding by management. Marketing
managers must learn how to explore, digest, and synthesize social media changes to
remain competitive (Micu, 2011).
Issues With Social Media Marketing
In the past, some small businesses were hesitant to use social media marketing.
Suppose small retail stores in the fashion industry are reluctant to take the necessary steps
to learn how to market using social media. In that case, the company could lose profits
and not gain new customers (Lee, 2012). Social media is vigorous in any business and an
approach that requires commitment and monitoring. Small business leaders should
determine the appropriateness and usefulness of social media at any given time (Bruce &
Solomon, 2013).
Some small business leaders are ill-equipped with the techniques needed to
succeed with social media marketing, particularly the means required to reach their
intended audiences (Durkin et al., 2013). Social media, if used effectively, can help
business owners connect with new customers (Hassan et al., 2015). Maintaining
relationships with clients can be challenging for companies new to using marketing
technologies (Durkin et al., 2013). Twenty-six percent of smaller enterprises understand
how to use social media marketing as a useful tool to influence potential clients and
increase sales (Taneja & Toombs, 2014).
Measuring ROI has been a challenge for marketers (Luke, 2013). Integrating
social media marketing seamlessly into marketing efforts for a small business can be
challenging for business leaders. The prospect of getting involved in networking with
peers has five conditions. First, small business leaders must clearly explain the learning
opportunities they lack and the different tools available for using social media (Taneja &
Toombs, 2014). Committing to networking is another step a business manager must take.
Also, establishing confidence and maintaining communication evolves.
Content creation is an area of social media marketing that some small business
owners take advantage of (Taneja & Toombs, 2014). It is essential to develop a strategy
and implement tactics to achieve the sales goal or any other goal set. Succeeding in social
media marketing requires quality content. For example, a small retail business owner in
the fashion industry may want to promote new dresses in stock. The creativity of the
person who handles the social media platforms should help find ways to display the
dresses and make that merchandise appealing to potential customers.
In addition to content creation, obtaining and retaining a following on social
media platforms can be challenging. Small business owners in the fashion retail industry
must learn how to optimize social network platforms and search engines content.
Optimization may involve posting content from one dashboard to several social network
applications. Mobile applications such as Hootsuite, social media management and
marketing platform, allow users to integrate social media accounts such as Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and manage messages and updates.
Some small business leaders deal with challenges in implementing effective social
media strategies, such as resources and workforce (Kacker & Perrigot, 2016). Small
business leaders hire employees with social media knowledge to understand (Bakeman &
Hanson, 2012). Interacting with customers is beneficial for small business leaders by
including social media marketing, and failure to do so will result in missed opportunities
(Oestreicher-Singer & Zalmanson, 2013).
Understanding the benefits of social media marketing may be initially
challenging, and some small retail business owners may fail to see the benefits (Felix et
al., 2016). Facebook and Twitter have unique functions and features that companies
should consider to take full advantage of results (Go & You, 2016). Social media users
must be flexible because of the immense number of social media tools available; a single
successful approach may not exist for all businesses.
Hiring employees to incorporate social media efforts into communication and
marketing plans is not a challenge for larger organizations due to the resources available
(Taneja & Toombs, 2014). In contrast, smaller organizations do not have easy access to
resources or do not have the resources and workforce needed to integrate effective
strategies for social media marketing (Kacker & Perrigot, 2016). It is most beneficial for
small business leaders to hire personnel with social network site experience (Bakeman &
Hanson, 2012). If leaders cannot, small business leaders face the education on business
curricula that involves social media marketing. Small business leaders must become
educated on social media to implement effective marketing campaigns.
There is limited control over the content that is shared by CEOs who use social
media to engage with their audience (Kohli et al., 2015); this may pose as a disadvantage
for business leaders who are unable to control content (Austin & Upton, 2016). Online
content submitted by social media users, can occasionally be misleading; as a result,
small business leaders must make themselves aware. When there are no control
mechanisms in place, it enables people to be misled. Blogs and microblogs do not have
control mechanisms (Tsikerdekis & Zeadally, 2014). Furthermore, social media posts are
not always reliable (Kugler, 2014). When a consumer posts undesirable information on a
company’s social media platform, it can be quite challenging to stop the spread of
harmful reactions (Austin & Upton, 2016).
Improved Business Practice
Social media platforms help businesses innovate their means of reaching (Durkin
et al., 2013). Marketers and small business owners must refine their marketing strategies,
and leaders who successfully use social media have noted the importance of having a
social media plan to engage customers (Coleman et al., 2013). Cohesion amongst
departments in an organization is essential in making social media marketing successful
(Eisenberg et al., 2015). Members of a sales team should understand how to connect with
customers through social media, whether through replying to comments, answering
questions, or meeting customers, such as creating new products. Understanding how to
influence customer connections with social media gives small business leaders an
advantage over preserving customers (Harris et al., 2012).
Social media helps bridge communication gaps between customers and business
leaders (Singh et al., 2012). Engaging with customers through social media allows
employees in a small business to respond to customers’ posts or questions in real-time.
New markets are met through social media platforms, which are similar to WOM
(Bakeman & Hanson, 2012). Small fashion retail business leaders who understand how to
influence consumers’ decision-making with social media have a better advantage of
gaining new customers (Harris et al., 2012). Conventional systematic techniques help
organizations inspect, gain insights from the information collected from Facebook,
Instagram, and YouTube (Fan & Gordon, 2014). Positive purchase decisions can be
attained through social media platforms, influencing consumers purchasing decisions
(Stephen & Galak, 2012). Purchase decisions remain defined by a customers’ emotional
experience (Chang et al., 2015).
Relationship Management
Marketers traditionally used the mass marketing approach to gain customers, but
marketers have turned to relationship management to retain customers, instead of
searching for new customers (Bauer & Grether, 2005). Engaging customers is vital to
help boost sales and increase brand awareness. Existing customers will potentially refer
other customers to an organization, which helps to boost sales. Small business leaders to
take heed to consumers’ needs, as they implement, and establish product strategies and
other marketing initiatives; the maintenance of customer interaction is essential (Obadia
et al., 2017).
Consumers communicate with organizations through social media, which enhances
their relationship with the organizations. Customers can ask questions through social
media and receive instant feedback, almost like calling a store to ask about a product.
Relationship building is the key to success (Colvin, 2013) even though social marketing
is a strategy to gain a competitive advantage for small businesses, both traditional and
social media marketing help build relationships with customers.
Small business leaders can use social media to develop deeper relationships with
their customers and build rapport. Relationship management aims to build customer
retention and foster mutually beneficial relationships (Rodriguez et al., 2012). Small
business leaders who can acquire new customers while retaining existing customers can
leverage relationships and maximize revenue. Essential constituents of relationship
marketing are an increase in revenue and competitive advantage for organizations
(Paliouras & Siakas, 2017).
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Small business marketers’ strategies and technologies to manage and analyze
customer interaction are critical components in customer relationship management
(CRM). Customer relationship management systems can help small business leaders learn
detailed information on customers’ buying preferences and concerns. Customer
relationship management helps businesses acquire their customers, retain customers, and
engage customers, improving overall customer service (Rosman & Stuhura, 2013).
Customer relationship management is critical to marketing as it helps build relationships
with existing customers and develops long-term commitment (Armstrong & Kotler,
2015).
Small business owners need suitable social media strategies for brand
management that balance revenue with long term presence (Gautum & Sharma, 2017).
Small retail marketers should use social networks to network and connect with customers.
A study on global organizations that used Internet tools such as websites, Facebook, and
Twitter to maintain relationships with the public revealed an everyday use for social
media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter (Wonsun, 2015). Social media has helped
develop a bond between customers and brands (Gautam & Sharma, 2017).
Conversations on social media feel more personal, and customers feel more engaged.
Social media has shifted the way small business leaders implement their CRM
practices (Felix et al., 2016). Social media marketing emerged as a dynamic marketing
channel allowing relationship building (Ananda et al., 2016). Social media marketing
incorporates social media to create exchange between consumers and businesses and
improves customer-brand interaction (Yazdanparast et al., 2016).
Social Media With the Fashion Retail Industry
Millions of people use social media sites every day to interact with others who
share similar interests. Reviews posted on social media websites significantly impact
consumers when making purchase decisions about clothing because people believe that
the information is trustworthy. Social media usage plays a vital role in the fashion
industry. It is a marketing tool allowing sellers to connect with their target markets
through mediums such as Facebook and Twitter (Ananda et al., 2016). The fashion
industry has adopted social media as a marketing platform to reach customers online and
to increase customer loyalty (Ananda et al., 2016). Small businesses can decide which
site to use and control the perception of the company on any website.
The use of social media helps entrepreneurs connect their customers with product
information and services. Despite these positive benefits, the virtual entity’s inherent
customer trust can be challenging (Augenti, 2007). A business can lose potential
customers in the traditional purchase path when moving closer to the purchasing stage.
Business owners should remove any unnecessary barriers to the online shopping
experience. With the development of technology and the Internet, online shopping has
become convenient. Brands are online, and people are starting fashion blogs every day.
Fashion is the second-largest and fastest-growing e-commerce category in the United
States.
Social Media Influence on Consumer Behavior
Social media marketing positively impacts consumer behavior (Mehra et al.,
2017). Social media marketing can also nurture a consumer base that can influence
purchase behavior more than brand information (Xie & Lee, 2015). Fulgoni (2015) found
that social media marketing is a marketing tool used to substitute traditional advertising
methods, particularly when a company or brand fails. Consumer behavior can be
influenced negatively by social media users. Social media marketing leads to adverse
effects on the purchase decisions of consumers. Notably, the spread of negative press and
word of mouth complaints causes brand failure (Tuten & Angermeirer, 2013). Business
leaders should use all aspects of social media, as some managers may not use it fully
(Lacoste, 2016).
Social Media Marketing Return on Investment
MROI can be challenging (Luke, 2013). Lee (2017) examined factors to
determine if a profitable revenue stream could be the result of social network sites and
assessed the costs of using social media are low but noted there is still a lack of tangible
metrics. One of the main challenges for small businesses is the value of some social
media platforms such as Facebook and measuring the amount of ROI efforts (Mitchell &
Olsen, 2013). Small businesses question social media efforts due to the inability to
measure the lack of knowledge associated with social media (Bufquin et al., 2017). Social
media users can influence the purchasing decisions of others, and a new link exists
between consumer shopping and social media referrals via posts through Facebook and
Instagram, tweets through Twitter, and statements on blogs (Guo & Zheng, 2017).
Measuring (ROI) is complicated for marketers (Luke, 2013). Calculating social media
MROI is difficult for some marketers (Indrupati & Henari, 2012). Expenditures made on
marketing efforts are MRO (Mitchell & Olsen, 2013). Researchers believe that the return
on investment for companies will grow immensely for companies that use social media
marketing (Whiting & Williams, 2013).
Branding
Small business owners can promote products and brands to locate market
tendencies, propose business marketing strategies, and execute marketing online (Lee et
al., 2016). Small retail business owners should innovative generative concepts to increase
brand growth. The image of a brand can influence a customers’ complaint. Small
business marketers must implement strategies that can improve communication levels to
determine which customers are likely to impact purchase behavior and ultimately
influence sales and profitability (Archer-Brown et al., 2017).
Small business owners should implement viral marketing and email message
execution regarding brand promotion. This messaging should appeal to the recipients and
contextualize the marketing strategies (Pöyry et al., 2017). Coca-Cola and Sony are two
examples of companies that have established a global reputation through branding
(Whittler & Farris, 2017). Developing a valuable brand helps increase the profitability
and sustainability of a product, and increase customer loyalty, value, and perception
(Eryigit, 2017).
Social media allows consumers and small businesses to interact and changes brand
management dynamics, which can affect brand performance (Gensler et al., 2013).
Marketers do not always have control of their social media pages because customers
generate the content. When consumers post content about a brand, marketing managers
can use the information to promote content (Gensler et al., 2013). Understanding
customer value and using marketing activities for positive investment may improve brand
performance (Cao et al., 2016). Some small business leaders use this information to run
advertisements online that show real customer feedback and content. Also, managers
must reply to negative feedback on these platforms.
Small business marketing managers must create positive brand awareness by
reacting to any negative stories. If left unaddressed, social media platforms’ complaints
can hurt brand awareness (Boo & Kim, 2013). Engaging in dialogue with customers is
essential to maintaining brand integrity. Brand management is an important marketing
strategy for small businesses.
Brand Loyalty
Brand loyalty refers to the level of commitment from a consumer to making repeat
purchases from the same brand. It develops when consumers commit to purchase and
repurchase an item from a brand (Balakrishnan et al., 2014). Small business leaders must
focus on creating brand loyalty. Social media platforms help market products, promote
WOM marketing, and provide a space to build online communities (Balakrishnan et al.,
2014).
When small business leaders use social media to build communities online, existing
and potential consumers can view products, services, and all posted reviews that could
lead to brand trust and loyalty (Laroche et al., 2012). Marketers in small businesses
should think like their customers and give consumers reasons to be loyal to the brand.
Incentives and rewards are one way to leverage the benefits to customers. Small business
leaders must use social media platforms to establish brand communities (Laroche et al.,
2012).
Innovation
The Internet has become a powerful engine to foster sales and revenue (Leeflang
et al., 2014). People spent an average of 17% on mobile apps such as Facebook
(MorenoMunoz et al., 2016). These apps are readily available and help to increase
consumer behavior because of the convenience of these apps. If a small business leader
has limited resources and funds to spend on marketing efforts, it could fail (Karadag,
2015). Globalization has forced small businesses to increase competitive advantage and
improve marketing position (Story et al., 2015). Taalbi (2017) explained that innovation
drove the demand for products through the need for change. Marketers must develop new
ideas that fuel and help to keep small businesses competitive.
Benefits and Importance of Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter provide free access to
consumers, and marketers need to use the platforms efficiently to promote goods and
services (Schaupp & Bélanger, 2014). Popular social networking sites consisting of
Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter (Surma, 2016). The vast development of the
Internet and social media has transformed the ways small business leaders’ market
(Sheikh et al., 2016). Unlike traditional marketing, the use of social media tools can meet
the marketing needs of small businesses gainfully. Small business leaders can connect
with followers in real-time. Two- thirds of adults in the United States reported that they
are Facebook users, and three-fourths access Facebook daily basis (Pew Research Center,
2018).
Social media posts and advertisements are critical drivers of traffic to small
business websites. These posts serve as an easy way for consumers to express interest in a
product that results in leads. Marketers need to create useful marketing materials that will
result in customer engagement and leads. WOM drives the purchase decisions of
consumers and involves consumers’ opinions of products or services based on their
experience, which could influence the receiver’s purchase decisions (Ismagilova et al.,
2017). Businesses fail when business owners fail to implement marketing strategies
(Amankwah-Amoah, 2017).
Mitchell et al. (2015) explored branding and WOM marketing to increase brand
awareness in the current marketplace. Social media is a resource for business owners to
advertise, generate new leads, and improve sales. In agreement with Schultz and Peltier
(2013), Ismail (2017) suggested that social media is a hub for promoting goods and
services that business leaders use to communicate actively with consumers. Unlike
traditional print, radio, television, or billboard advertisements, social media marketing is
a means for two-way communication between the consumer and the business.
Wang and Kim (2017) and Witkemper et al. (2012) determined social media could
transform how users can actively participate online. Small business marketers identify
that using social media is a useful tool to expand the customer base. Notably,
85% of a business’s fans recommend the brand to others, and 71% of online users are
more likely to purchase from a brand that they follow online (Top Rank Marketing,
2013).
Overall, the literature reviewed indicated that social media is a useful marketing
tool for small business owners to increase sales. Business owners need to take advantage
of social media marketing (Wang & Kim, 2017). Wang and Kim proposed that effective
social media marketing is a means for small business owners to build relationships and
increase brand awareness. Social media is a resource for small business owners to
promote, generate new leads, and increase sales.
Transition
Section 1 included an introduction to social media marketing. The goal of Section
1 was to discover appropriate social media marketing strategies used for marketing. In
Section 1 of this study, I introduced the foundation and background for the study. This
multiple case study explored the strategies small retail business leaders need to use social
media marketing to increase revenue.
Section 2 includes the following sections: purpose statement, the role of the
researcher, participants, research method and design, population and sampling, ethical
research, data collection instruments, data collection technique, data organization
technique, data analysis, and reliability and validity. Section 3 provides the results from
the data analysis and suggestions for social variation. Section 3 also provides extensive
discussion and recommendations for appropriate social media marketing strategies for
small retail business leaders.
Section 2: The Project
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore the social
media marketing strategies that small business leaders in the fashion retail industry used
to increase revenue. This section includes the comprehensive plan used for exploring the
social media strategies that small retail business owners used to boost revenue. In this
section I explored the researcher’s role, the eligibility for participants, research method
and design, population and sampling, and the steps taken to ensure ethical research
standards are maintained. Section 2 also includes data collection instruments, data
organization techniques, data analysis procedures, and reliability and validity.
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore social media
marketing strategies some business owners use to increase revenue in the fashion
industry. The target population was five small business leaders in the fashion retail
industry in Atlanta, Georgia, that have used social media marketing strategies for at least
one year to meet or exceed their revenue goals. The implications for positive social
change include the potential for small retail business owners in the fashion industry to
gain and retain customers, increase business revenue, and have a positive economic effect
on their community.
Role of the Researcher
I was the primary data collection instrument for this study. My responsibility as a
researcher was to choose a business problem that requires more research, select the
method and design, maintain neutrality, select possible participants, and examine and
interpret the data collected. A challenge that my role as the researcher faced was
eliminating bias from my personal experience. As the researcher, I ensured that my
research questions did not dig for answers to my preconceptions. Researchers should
demonstrate active listening, abstain from casting judgment, and remain vested in the
responses of each participant (Hoff & Bashir, 2014).
My social media experience included five years of having a Facebook personal
account. My experience included, sending messages to friends and liking each other’s
photos. I avoided bias due to my history with social media by remaining objective. As a
consumer I have purchased items through social media marketing. In addition, I have
contributed in promoting events using social media marketing platforms.
According to The Belmont Report, there are fundamental ethical principles to
which a researcher should adhere. The three ethical principles are respect for persons,
beneficence, and justice. The ethical standards and guidelines for protecting humans,
which I stuck to while conducting my study (National Commission for the Protection of
Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research [NCPHSBBR], 1979).
Therefore, all participants will be shown respect and treated fairly and equally. I did not
compromise the principles of The Belmont Report, and participants understood their
rights and voluntarily chose to participate in interviews. Additionally, the participants
received information on the purpose of the study and the benefits of joining.
De Mooy and Yuen (2017) postulated that ethics must be part of any research
discussion. Despite having a personal interest in social media and marketing, I followed
Marshall and Rossman (2016) and did not display bias within the investigation. To
mitigate bias, I adhered to the participants’ phenomena’ interpretation (Fusch & Ness,
2015). I ensured that the two critical components of ethical research, did not harm, and
provided full disclosure to participants to ensure ethical practices (Bromley et al., 2015).
Bias can occur at any research stage and maybe hard to reduce (Smith & Noble,
2014). With a clear understanding of research bias, I created mitigation strategies.
Member checking includes verifying what was said for accuracy (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).
I restated or summarized information and requested that participant determined accuracy.
In addition, the literal translation was cross checked to ensure participants meant what
was recorded (Shenton, 2004). During these checks, I asked for clarification.
Participants
I selected participants in Atlanta, Georgia who successfully used SMM strategies
for at least three years to meet or exceed their revenue goals. I used purposive sampling, a
nonprobabilistic sampling procedure, to fit my study’s purpose. Purposive sampling is a
form of nonprobability sampling where the researcher selects certain research participants
from the population based on criteria relevant to the phenomenon being studied, and
excludes other members of the population (Marshall & Rossman, 2016).
The process for identifying potential participants included reviewing the list of
small fashion retail businesses located in Georgia available on the City Business Look-
Up page. The City of Atlanta’s Business License Look-Up page has a platform that
allows members of the public to identify businesses with a current Atlanta business
license. The City of Atlanta business lookup provides an available database that includes
physical addresses, phone numbers, and other information for small fashion retail
business owners to identify suitable participants for this study. I searched social media to
identify those owners from the database who have a social media presence. I contacted
those potential participants and asked them to self-report how SMM has affected their
revenue. I selected participants who possessed the knowledge and understanding of social
media marketing and who met the sampling criteria.
I used an accepted method to obtain data saturation by a two-step process (Francis
et al., 2010). To apply this method, the researcher selects a minimum sample size (based
on the methodological literature) for initial analysis. Based on the literature (Yin, 2018) a
minimum sample size of five was sufficient. If data saturation is reached, then the second
step involves two or three more interviews. If no new ideas emerge, then the researcher
can stop interviewing at that point. If need be, the second step is repeated until data
saturation is met. The recommended sample size for a case study is between two and six
participants (Malterud et al., 2015).
To conduct research, it is imperative for the investigator to gain participants’
access and establish a relationship with their participants (Peticca-Harris et al., 2016). I
obtained permission directly from business owners that met the sampling criteria.
Recruiting participants due to the COVID 19 pandemic occurred via the phone, email,
and virtual Zoom meetings. Researchers must receive Institutional Review Board (IRB)
approval from their university of study (Grady, 2015). I began conducting my research
after receiving permission from Walden University’s IRB.
When I contacted the selected small business leaders, I provided a synopsis, and
revealed the study’s goal and expectations of their participation. McDermid et al. (2014)
noted that researchers should communicate the study’s purpose, the potential benefit and
risks of participation, and the need to research participants to help build a working
relationship. The small business leaders who chose to participate in this study received an
electronic consent form, a signed copy of the form before the start of the interview and
did a Zoom interview to ensure confidentiality. I held a phone conversation to ensure
participants felt comfortable with the process, confirmed that they meet the study criteria,
and ensured participants understood that the data would be confidential and held in a
secure location.
Research Method and Design
The researcher should determine a method and design appropriate for answering
the research question (Yin, 2018). The research method was qualitative, as the objective
of this study was to discover effective social media marketing plans used by small retail
leaders to increase revenue. Yin posited that qualitative research explores a phenomenon
through participants’ lived experience, knowledge, and expertise.
Research Method
The three research methods were qualitative, quantitative, and mixed (Yin, 2018).
Researchers use a qualitative approach to obtain information through discussions,
observations, and records (DeMassis & Kotlar, 2014). The qualitative research method
was relevant to explore strategies small retail business leaders use to increase revenue.
Gaining in-depth knowledge is a reason to conduct qualitative research (Yin, 2018). A
qualitative approach is suitable when a researcher seeks to understand a particular issue
faced by small business owners. This method is ideal because it encourages the
observation and gathering of data (Kohler et al., 2019).
Researchers collect quantitative data to examine concepts by observing the
associations and dissimilarities among variables (Frels & Onwuegbuzie, 2013). The focus
of quantitative research is using numbers and statistics to present findings (Barnham,
2015). The results of quantitative analysis involve measuring the relationship between
variables (Parker, 2014). The quantitative research method did not provide the
information essential to comprehend the tactics that small retail business owners use to
market their business using social media. Researchers combine qualitative and
quantitative approaches to create a mixed-methods strategy (Almalki, 2016). A
mixedmethods approach is valuable in understanding the basis of a phenomenon
moreover the fundamental truths of the case (Maxwell, 2013). I did not use a quantitative
or mixed research method because my study did not intend to examine relationships or
determine the degree of differences among groups.
Research Design
The researcher needs to use the appropriate research design (Yin, 2018). I
considered three research designs: phenomenology, ethnography, and case study. I
selected the multiple case study research design. A researcher doing a case study aims to
understand a specific and unique event of a case or of multiple cases. Moreover, a
researcher doing a case study research focuses on an individual, a process, a system, a
classroom, or a clinic in a research study (Petty et al., 2012). This research design was
useful in exploring a real-world phenomenon within a contextual setting (Yin, 2018).
Case studies involve defining the research question, selecting the cases, collecting data,
analyzing, and reporting the findings (Alnaim, 2015). I collected data using
semistructured interviews and reviewed the organization’s documents to engage in
methodological triangulation. I conducted a multiple case study to collect diverse data
and increase the findings’ credibility.
Ethnographic researchers study phenomena by gaining access to environments
where they can observe participants in their natural setting and learn more about their
culture to understand an ethnic group (Sangasubana, 2011). Ethnography design is
inappropriate for this research because I did not explore the culture of this group.
Grounded theory is one that derives from the study of phenomena. It was not the intent of
this study to develop a new approach. As a means of telling life stories, researchers use
the narrative design (Julkunen, 2016). This design was inappropriate because telling life
stories was not the purpose of this research. The final design consideration was
phenomenology, which involves inquiring about participants’ lived experiences related to
a phenomenon (Kaszynska, 2015). I explored strategies business leaders use in social
media marketing to increase revenues and did not study participants’ lived experiences.
Data saturation occurs at two points; first in data collection and then in the
analysis. Saturation is the point in the interview process where the researcher ceases to
identify new themes (Morse, 2015). Data saturation is the point at which data collection
can cease. This point of closure is arrived at when the information that is being analyzed
by the researcher becomes repetitive and contains no new ideas, so the researcher can be
reasonably confident that the inclusion of additional participants is unlikely to provide
new findings (Fusch & Ness, 2015).
Population and Sampling
In a qualitative research study, the study results are specific to the context (Petty
et al., 2012). Generalizing the research findings is not the goal of the researcher.
Purposive sampling is a form of nonprobability sampling where the researcher selects
certain research participants from the population based on criteria relevant to the
phenomenon being studied, and excludes other members of the population..
Population criteria are valuable to ensure that selected participants have
experienced the phenomenon that focuses on the research firsthand and can address the
research questions (Rahi, 2017). Sampling is vital to research validity in studies
conducted through interviews (Robinson, 2014). According to Robinson, sampling in
qualitative research consisted of four parts: (a) deciding on the target population, (b)
deciding on adequate sample size, (c) choosing a sampling strategy, (d) and sample
sourcing. Participants of this study were qualified to be a small fashion retail business
with a minimum of three years’ experience with social media marketing located in
Atlanta, Georgia, and used social media marketing strategies to increase revenue.
The participants, experienced in online fashion retail marketing, provided insights,
and shared experiences and discussed social media marketing concepts and how to use it
as an effective marketing tool to serve customers. The participants included those
experienced in the fashion industry and at least one year of social media (Jap, 2010).
Purposeful sampling presents various participants within a population that demonstrated
different interest (Brod et al., 2009). Qualitative researchers use purposive sampling to
explore and secure the objectives of a research problem and allow transferability of
research findings (Marshall & Rossman, 2016; Yin, 2018). I used purposive sampling to
select the study participants. With purposeful sampling, participants in the fashion retail
industry provide information and insights to understand marketing strategies’ value
through social media (Jap, 2010).
A small sample size is acceptable for qualitative studies (Palikas et al., 2015) and
for purposive sampling (Yin, 2018). Use of a small sample size can be warranted for a
researcher to realize quality and to gain a full understanding of a study phenomenon
(Marshall & Rossman, 2016). Qualitative researchers can accomplish data saturation
using a sample size in a range of 5 to 50 participants (Emmel, 2015). I selected at least
five small business leaders who met the requisite experience and knowledge of this
multiple case study. Fusch and Ness (2015) explained that data saturation is achieved
when one can no longer uncover new information or new themes, and there is
commonality in responses from participants.
With purposeful samples, I ensured that the participants understood the research
study’s purpose and respond to the research questions. The criteria for selecting the
participants or experts were fashion industry online marketers who had experience and
knowledge both in the fashion industry and in social media (Lindgren et al., 2010). The
concept of information saturation is that additional information collection,such as themes,
perspectives, or insights, will not add meaning to the subject phenomenon (Suri, 2011).
When the participants repeated similar themes and ideas, my research was ready for the
conclusion and further analysis.
In qualitative research studies, there are six data sources to use. I used interviews
to collect data from qualified participants with different perspectives on the phenomenon
researched (Yin, 2018). I allocated 45 minutes to an hour for facilitating interviews
remotely with all participants, due to COVID 19 pandemic. Researchers used consent
forms as a tool to safeguard the confidentiality and the security of participant rights
during the data collection process (Koonrungsesomboon et al., 2015). I used the consent
form (see Appendix A), to share information about the study, the intended use of the data,
and also to share information about their rights if participating or withdrawing from the
study.
Ethical Research
Ethical considerations are required in scholarly research (Cartwright et al., 2013;
Unluer, 2012). A researcher’s concern is to protect the participants’ rights, as described in
The Belmont Report. I obtained permission to conduct this study from the Institutional
Review Board (IRB) of Walden University before conducting the study. The participant
received informed consent forms before participating in the study once they agree to
participate in the study. Each participant received my contact information along with an
informed consent form which detailed the purpose of the study, confidentiality, and
participation guidelines.
I emailed the informed consent form to the participants with a date for the
returned document. Before the interviews, potential participants signed and returned an
informed consent form via email. Informed consent involves explaining: (a) the purpose
of the study, (b) how the research might contribute to the business, (c) the procedures for
conducting the study, and (d) the nature of the study. Furthermore, the informed consent
process includes an explanation about: (a) risks and benefits of participating in the study,
(b) compensation, (c) confidentiality, (d) contact information to request additional
information about the study, and (e) participant rights (Sanjari et al., 2014).
The informed consent form complied with IRB requirements and included the
study’s purpose, the interview structure, and the request to record the interview.
Participants also received information about the jeopardies and benefits of contributing to
the study. Participants in this study volunteered and did not receive compensation.
Participants had the option to withdraw from the study at any time. To protect the identity
of participants, I used code names such as P1 and P2. Code names ensure confidentiality
(Spillane et al., 2017). All data from the study were safely put away in a fireproof safe
that I only have the means to access. I secured data for five years; after five years, the
data will be shredded and destroyed.
Data Collection Instruments
I was the primary data collection instrument for this multiple case study by using
semistructured interviews with five small fashion retail business owners. The different
methods to collect data are interviewing, document reviews, and observation (Jap, 2010).
The most common forms of data collection are interviews (individual or group),
questionnaires, surveys, and observations (Yin, 2018). With this research study, I
collected information through in-depth interviews with open-ended questions, over the
phone, or a virtual meeting such as WebEx with experienced fashion retail industry social
media marketers in the fashion industry. The semistructured interviews contained 10
open-ended questions to explore how small fashion retail business owners use social
media marketing to increase revenue.
I used organization documents such as sales reports and accounts receivable
reports and review their social media presence to strengthen the study. The four
triangulation types are (a) data triangulation, (b) investigator triangulations, (c)
triangulation of theory, (d) method triangulation, and (e) environmental triangulation
(Yin, 2018). Using triangulation could aid in collecting and analyzing data from
numerous sources such as interviews and documents (Joslin & Müller, 2016; Yin, 2018).
Conducting a case study should include using multiple sources of evidence (Yazan,
2015). I used data triangulation to compare and contrast each interview with documents
regarding social media strategies and plans. The interview protocol assisted in obtaining
data for this research and included an outline of what I said before the interview,
interview questions, a reminder to ask the participants if they would like any information
pertaining to the interview.
I obtained approval of my research proposal from Walden’s IRB, and followed the
ethical guidelines as outlined in the Belmont Report (U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1979). I conducted all interviews remotely via Zoom due to the COVID
19 pandemic outbreak. I used Zoom for video conferencing, once completed I saved the
transcript from the interview. All participants completed and signed the informed consent
form via e-mail as an unpaid participant, which allowed me to take notes and have the
conversation recorded. I transcribed the interviews using these audio recordings to
increase data accuracy.
Data Collection Technique
Interviews are one of the best tools to obtain information about a phenomenon
from the participant’s perspective (DeMassis & Kotlar, 2014). I used semistructured
interviews to collect data from small business owners who implement social media
marketing to increase their business revenue.
The interview protocol for this study consisted of identifying study participants,
establishing the interview length, and concentrating on the participants’ experience as
recommended by Castillo-Montoya (2016). Using a semistructured interview technique is
an effective means for a qualitative researcher to collect rich data from the participants’
point of view (Baškarada, 2014). Using semistructured interview techniques allowed me
to engage with participants, gain knowledge from participants, and collect quality data.
The potential for researcher bias, steering participants, and overly controlling the
interview are disadvantages of the semistructured interview technique (Vass et al., 2017).
Conducting semistructured interviews, transcribing the audio recordings, and interpreting
the meaning of the participants’ responses is time-consuming, potentially laden with
researcher bias, and results in large volumes of data in need of coding and labeling in
preparation for data analysis (Alshenqeeti, 2014).
As noted by Yin (2018), case study researchers should collect data from multiple
sources to engage in methodological triangulation, which improved the credibility of the
research. I collected data from organizational documents to verify the information
collected through semistructured interviews. I used a document review as a data
collection technique. Organization documents, interview data, and observations are
essential to achieving triangulation (Marshall & Rossman, 2016; Yin, 2018).
Member-checking refers to the research practice of securing feedback from study
participants to strengthen the accuracy, validity, applicability, and credibility of
interpreted responses (Emrich, 2015; Nyhan, 2015). Audio recording interviews can help
ensure study participants’ responses are accurately captured and described (Yin, 2018).
Using a member-checking process, I provided participants the occasion to review and edit
my written version of their responses to guarantee accuracy.
Data Organization Technique
I transcribed data accurately using notes taken during interviews. I used a research
log to keep records from the meetings and transcribed audio recordings derived from
interviews to identify recurring themes. Trace and Karadkar (2017) posited the
significance of data organization because researchers may benefit from stored data when
analyzing the data to understand developing themes. New themes can become apparent
during the coding process (Batabyal & Chowdhury, 2015; Pasila et al., 2017; Yin, 2018).
The research log and all other relevant data remained stored safely for safekeeping
in my home. I maintained an electronic database to store data (Munn &
Branch, 2018) and used Microsoft Excel to manage data sources effectively (Yin, 2018).
After five years of completing the study, I will destroy the data by shredding documents
and erasing all digital information stored on an external hard drive. Researchers organize
data into sets to manage the several systems of data received (Yin, 2018).
I stored study participants’ information by creating a spreadsheet in Microsoft
Excel with participants’ names. The spreadsheet included each participant’s email
address and whether the participants had signed the required consent document and other
relevant information. The spreadsheet will remain in a password-protected file on an
external hard drive, and I will eliminate it after five years. Researchers who store data
securely and destroy the data after a specified timeframe help protect their study
participants’ privacy (Diesburg & Wang, 2010).
Spillane et al. (2017) noted that researchers should maintain participants’
confidentiality by using code names within the published study. I clearly explained to
participants that their personal and business names would not appear in the published
research and that I used P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 to maintain their confidentiality. I
coordinated research data using NVivo (Nassaji, 2015; Stuckey, 2015). I used Nvivo 12
for Windows to store the data for the study and NVivo’s qualitative data organization
software to upload and analyze data from NVivo. Using NVivo could aid in storing and
organizing data within a study (Sarma, 2015; Woods et al., 2015). Using
passwordprotected digital files with unique identification numbers could preserve data
privacy and privacy (Alimo, 2015). To maintain security and confidentiality, I arranged
the information in password-protected digital files.
At the end of the interview, I reminded each participant of the need for a
30minute follow-up meeting to review my interpretation of their interview responses that
I audio recorded. All electronic and hard copy files was stored securely in a fireproof
safe.
Data Analysis Technique
I used thematic analysis to analyze the data collected. In qualitative research,
thematic analysis involves identifying, analyzing, and interpreting patterns of meaning
and expressing these findings as themes (Braun & Clarke, 2016). Thematic analysis is a
method for identifying, analyzing, organizing, describing, and reporting themes found
within a data set. Different versions of thematic analysis are underpinned by different
philosophical and conceptual assumptions and are divergent in terms of procedure.
However, the most prevalent method used by qualitative researchers is found in Gareth et
al. (2017), and is based on Braun and Clarke’s (2016) method. I followed Braun and
Clark’s six steps in performing thematic analysis:
1. Gain familiarity with data.
2. Assign preliminary codes to your data in order to describe the content.
3. Search for patterns or themes in your codes across the different interviews.
4. Review themes.
5. Define and name themes.
6. Produce a research report.
Using qualitative software like NVivo aids in sorting, categorizing, and arranging
data during data analysis (Woods et al., 2015; Zamawe, 2015). I used NVivo during the
data analysis process to assemble data into a coherent order. Using a member-checking
process, I transcribed the responses to the interview questions and send to the study
participants to ensure that my interpretation is correct. Using member-checking could
improve the credibility, validity, accuracy, and applicability of qualitative research by
giving participants an opportunity to verify the accuracy of the data collected (Yin, 2018).
I started the data analysis process once study participants approved that my interpretation
is accurate.
I used Yin’s (2018) five phases to analyze the data: (a) compilation, (b)
disassembly, (c) reassembly, (d) interpretation, and (e) closure. I disassembled the data
into smaller sets after compiling the data. Disassembling data means making practical
groupings after separating the data (Castleberry & Nolen, 2018). Using coding protects
the data of participants and establish the relationships between the coded information and
the phenomenon (Emmel, 2015; Kelsey et al., 2017). Coding is often used by researchers
to disassemble and reassemble data (Castleberry & Nolen, 2018). After disassembling, I
used smaller data sets to create meaningful groupings.
After disassembling the data, I reassembled the information into groups for coding
(Castleberry & Nolen, 2018). In a qualitative study, the identification of themes is an
important phase (Kelsey et al., 2017). Using coding establishes the relationship between
the coded information and the phenomenon being studied (Emmel, 2015). Using thematic
analysis, which requires an interpretation and integration of themes, I analyzed the data
after reassembly. Interpreting data aided in identifying themes using thematic analysis
involving the abstraction and synthesis of themes (Castleberry & Nolen, 2018; Padilla-
Diaz, 2015). Castleberry and Nolen (2018) noted that using the experience of participants
aided identifying the themes and relate themes to phenomena.
Upon arranging the data, analyzing the data broadly, and discovering regularities,
I confirmed the conclusions and determine what trends stand out in the data between the
responses of the participants. Using quotes from respondents could aid in obtaining
credibility (Madu, 2017). Using member-checking could aid in enhancing the validity of
research findings (Emrich, 2015; Nyhan, 2015). Oghuma et al. (2016) referenced
correlating the concepts associated with the literature and the theoretical context.
Eventually, with the accompanying literature and the analytical context, I compared
relevant topics from interviews and relevant company reports. The data analysis results
can provide successful strategies for innovation used by hospital leaders to maintain
business office productivity during a merger. I based my selection on NVivo being a
more user-friendly software for coding data analysis to establish themes, and to sort,
manage, and analyze the data I collected during interviews, direct observation, and
review of documents.
Yin (2018) suggested using flowcharts to categorize the association between
themes. I followed Yin’s suggestion. I used reflexivity to evaluate themes I identified in
the interview, through direct observation, and other documents. I continued to analyze the
data for emerging themes until I achieve data saturation. When applicable, I used
verbatim quotes of participants to support data analyses. The research question is
congruent with the aim of the study. The style of the research question is different than
the style of the interview questions; as the research questions formulates what I want to
understand; whereas, the interview questions are what I ask participants to gain that
understanding (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2015). Patton (2015) posited that the hope of the
interviewer is to elicit relevant answers that are meaningful and useful in understanding
the interviewee’s perspective. Inquiry-based questions was used to gain specific
information related to the aims of the study (Patton, 2015).
Reliability and Validity
Essential components of scholarly research include the reliability and validity of
the data findings (Yin, 2018). Qualitative researchers’ role is chief in creating excellence
and thoroughness by detailing their use of strategies to achieve credibility, dependability,
confirmability, and transferability. In the following subsections, I described how I
achieved validity and reliability. Qualitative reliability occurs when there are consistent
outcomes from different researchers’ studies (Onwuegbuzie & Byers, 2014). Reliability
helps to minimize bias. It is imperative to document procedures in a study to ensure
consistency (Kikooma, 2010). Validity refers to the appropriateness of the measures used,
the accuracy of the outcomes’ analysis, and the data (Saeed & Meisam, 2018). Users
minimize error and bias when they establish, gather, and examine data critically (Trotter,
2012). I collected data thorough interviews with open-ended questions. The participants
shared their experiences using social media for marketing. Researchers who use an
interview code of behavior (Trotter, 2012) will strengthen the reliability, using a
discussion process for each interview.
Member-checking is the process of reviewing the study participant’s ideas of
confirmation and collecting materials to develop categories (Emrich, 2015; Nyhan, 2015).
Reliability and validity were typically characteristic of quantitative researcher studies
(Kasim & Al-Gahuri, 2015), but contemplating dependability, credibility, transferability,
and confirmability reliability and validity are reconsidered qualitative research criteria
(Thomas & Avenier, 2015). I used the reliability and validity criteria to strengthen this
study.
A key difference between quantitative and qualitative researchers is that
qualitative researchers typically use four criteria to confirm that their study is reliable and
valid. The four criteria are dependability, credibility, transferability, and confirmability
(Wang & Lien, 2013). Dependability refers to the reproducibility of study findings
through a transparent process containing limitations and the study’s anticipated
contribution (Connelly, 2016; Yin, 2018). Credibility and transferability are associated
with validity, while confirmability is a theoretical viewpoint of objectivity (Kornbluh,
2015; Yin, 2018). Reliability involves the researcher’s ability to repeat a previous
research design and yield the same findings (Saunders et al., 2014). As the researcher, I
was mindful of potential bias and try to mitigate it as recommended by Keeble et al.
(2015). I followed the interview protocol to ensure the reliability of findings during
faceto-face interviews (see Appendix B).
Dependability
Consistency and dependability are essential in qualitative research (Fusch & Ness,
2015). Mitigating bias helps to ensure reliability when conducting research. While
researching, I remained neutral and remain objective while collecting data and using
member checking to avoid bias. Participants are allowed to validate the researcher’s
understanding of their responses through member checking (Yin, 2018).
Member checking is used by qualitative researchers to ensure the credibility of the
study (Birt et al., 2016) and help mitigate bias through validation and confirmation of
accuracy of the experiences and perspectives of the participants as noted in the interviews
(Thomas, 2017). After transcribing the interviews, I summarized and interpreted the
participants’ responses. To assure accuracy, I scheduled a follow-up meeting using Zoom
video conferencing software to review the summary and my interpretation of the
interview held with each participant. Participants had the opportunity to confirm, clarify,
correct, or add to their initial responses, which should ensure the reliability and validity of
the collected data.
Confirmability and Transferability
Yin (2018) suggested researchers maintain a clear, logical, and organized audit trail
during the research to ensure confirmability. Member checking through transcript review
is an aspect of member checking to ensure that the truth exists (Anney, 2014).
Establishing truth will help to develop confirmability and increase the quality of the study
results. I gathered the participants’ responses through interviews, validated the responses
through member checking, and triangulated it.
Transferability
Unlike generalizability, transferability does not involve broad claims, but invites
readers to make connections between elements of a study and their own experience (Yin,
2018). Transferability will be enhanced by my describing the research context, and the
assumptions central to the study. The person who wishes to “transfer” the results to a
different context is responsible for making the judgment of how applicable the transfer
might be.
Confirmability
Marshall and Rossman (2016) explained that confirmability occurs during the
process of record-keeping of data. Researchers must maintain a logical audit trail during
research to confirm it the research findings (Yin, 2018). I kept an organized audit trail
during the investigation to ensure confirmability. Fusch and Ness (2015) explain that
researchers should achieve data saturation to ensure that research findings are confirmed.
Transition and Summary
In Section 2, I provided detailed information on my role as the researcher,
participant selection, confidentiality of the participants, discussed the research question,
method, and design that will shape this study. I reviewed the relevant literature, ethical
considerations, data collection instruments, techniques, data organization techniques, data
analysis, reliability, and validity related to the study. This qualitative multiple case study
explores strategies that small business leaders need to implement social media marketing
to help increase revenue and business presence. The data collection and analysis steps
will be suitable for exploring effective social media marketing strategies used by small
fashion retail business leaders. Section 3 contains the presentation of the findings,
recommendations for action and research, and my overall reflection of the study.
Moreover, section 3 includes an explanation of the data collection process, the results of
my study, application to professional practice, the implications for social change, and
recommendations for further actions of the research study.
Section 3: Application to Professional Practice and Implications for Change
Introduction
The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the social media
marketing strategies that some small business owners use in the fashion retail industry to
increase revenue. I collected data from semistructured interviews and reviewed archival
documents and physical artifacts of the participants’ social media marketing strategic
plans along with websites to conduct methodological triangulation. The TAM theory was
the conceptual framework. The three themes that developed from the data analysis were
(a) use of a variety of social media platforms, (b) evolving social media marketing, and
(c) customer relationship management. I interviewed five small business owners in
Atlanta, Georgia; who were successful implementing social media marketing strategies to
meet or exceed revenue goals for five years. The participant’s experiences could benefit
other social media marketing strategies that some small business owners in the fashion
industry to meet or exceed revenue goals. All participants agreed that social media
platforms was beneficial to their business success. The use of social media tools could
increase customer retention.
Presentation of the Findings
The overarching research question was; what strategies do owners in the fashion
industry use to implement social media marketing plans to increase revenue? The data
sources were semistructured interviews and a review of archival documents. I conducted
semistructured interviews with five fashion retail business owners from Georgia. Prior to
scheduling interviews, study participants consented to participate in the study via email.
Participants’ interviews were conducted remotely via Zoom to adhere to Walden
University’s directive due to the COVID 19 pandemic. I also reviewed relevant company
documentation including financial logs which showed how much money was earned
during sales events and spent on social media marketing. I also reviewed company
websites and social media pages across various social media platforms to better
understand how the social media marketing strategies were carried out. Interviews lasted
approximately 30 minutes. To ensure each study participant’s confidentiality, I identified
them as P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5.
I used Yin’s (2018) five steps for thematic analysis: (a) collecting the data, (b)
separating the data into groups, (c) regrouping the data into themes, (d) assessing the
information, and (e) developing conclusions. Semistructured interviews collected data
with open-ended questions. I analyzed data collected from participants’ answers to
interview questions and company archival documentation. Data interpretation was based
on participants’ responses to the interview questions and shared my interpretations with
the participants to validate their responses and mitigate bias. The NVivo 12 software was
used to code data via word frequency searches. I identified recurring themes which
allowed me to concentrate on items related to the overarching research question and the
TAM theory. Data saturation was achieved with the original number of participants
because there was no new information inconsistent with previous answers and document
review by the end of the interviews. I recorded, transcribed, coded, and reviewed
transcripts via member checking for all participants. Using NVivo 12 helped me identify
three significant themes that morphed from the data analysis, which were (a) use of social
media platforms, (b) the impact of social media marketing, and (c) customer relationship
management. All three themes correspond with the social media strategies the
participants used to generate growth in sales.
The findings of this study substantiated the claim that, small business retail
owners in the fashion industry use social media marketing to generate sales growth. TAM
theory was the conceptual framework for this study, it increased my understanding of the
social media strategies SMM use in Atlanta Georgia successfully to generate sales
growth. A prior study found a positive relationship between social media marketing and
the buying behavior of consumers (Lamberton & Stephenson, 2016). All five participants
commented that social media helped them to engage with existing customers and promote
their business.
In 2021, the number of active social media users reached 7.7 billion worldwide
(Dean, 2021). Due to the rise in time people spend on social media consumers who are
influenced by social media are more likely to make online purchases. All five participants
stated that social media aided with building their business at little to no cost.
The participants responded to 10 open-ended interview questions, which varied in
scope and allowed me to gain insights into how small business owners use social media
marketing strategies to generate growth in sales. All five participants attested to posting
content across different social media platforms consistently as part of their business
strategy to engage new customers. I used member checking to ensure the validity of the
research data. At the end of each interview, member checking was conducted by
summarizing the data and asking participants to correct any error in my interpretation of
the data. In the following sections, I discussed the three emergent themes and their
relationship to the literature and the conceptual framework used in this study.
Theme 1: Use of a Variety of Social Media Platforms
The first theme that emerged from the data analysis was the use of a variety of
social media platforms. Detailed information was provided by participants to help gain a
clear understanding of participant’s social media usage and to allow comparisons of the
participants’ usage. The participants used social media to engage with their existing and
potential customers promptly and direct communication at a low cost than traditional
communication tools. The first theme identified revealed participants’ responses to small
business owners’ social media platforms to generate sales growth. All the participants
used Facebook and other platforms as a source to communicate with customers. Fan and
Gordon (2014) claimed business owners use social media platforms as marketing tools to
reach potential customers. However, 92% of the participants found Instagram useful for
their social media marketing (SMM) strategy.
The study participants used a variety of social media platforms to communicate
new product launches, product information to their customers. The three platforms of
social media are the basis of this theme: (a) Facebook, (b) Instagram, and (c) Twitter.
Thematic analysis was based on collected data from the participants’ websites, social
media pages, responses to interview questions, and a review of their organizational
documentation.
I reviewed businesses’ website content, it revealed marketing tools P1, P2, P3,
and P4 used. For example, my analysis of the participant’s social media presence
revealed that P1, P2 used Instagram as a tool to post pictures of products, tag products for
sale to the main website, and Instagram advertisements. P1 revealed, “we use Instagram
and of course our physical store, umm you know we run ads, and we, of course, have the
in-store foot traffic, and then look through the referrals.” P1 used Instagram live to
promote new fashion collections, new products, gain customer’s feedback, and boost
sales and revenue. On the P1s Instagram page, a saved live with over 231k views of the
live video session. P1 postulated, “I can communicate with my customer base best using
Instagram.” P1 used the live video with a model to showcase new product launches.
Similarly, P3 used Instagram live to show new products to customers and had over 1K
views on a video showcasing Spring dresses.
P1 allowed me to review the store's 60-page business plan and financial
documents. One component of the business plan was the marketing plan. The marketing
plan revealed the use of several SMM platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter,
TikTok, and Instagram. An analysis of the businesses’ social media channels revealed
that the participants used social media to post videos showcasing products, advertise new
and sale inventory, and promote sales and discounts. The financial documents
substantiated an increase in-store and online sales following the implementation of the
use of these platforms.
P4 explained, “in the marketing plan that Instagram and Facebook were placed on
my website homepage to pop-up with a deal for customers to like and follow their
business pages.” P2 and P3 used Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. P4 explained that this
pop-up feature on the website homepage, provides a discount code for savings on any
purchases or free shipping which boost sales. In addition, customers who liked their
social media platforms such an Instagram would receive a discount code. According to
Agung and Darma (2019), numerous businesses have chosen Instagram to focus on photo
and video content to support their marketing activities. P3 revealed that after posting a
flyer for a free item which any purchase for customers on her Instagram page, her online
traffic increased significantly and yielded an increase in sales. Bandyopadhyay (2016)
highlighted that customer engagement through an interactive platform such as social
media is a necessity to the success, and sometimes survival, of small businesses.
Oliveira and Martins (2011) used the TAM better understand new technology
adoption. P1 explained that the business recently created a TikTok page, but they have
difficulty posting consistently due to making videos. Users need to believe that the
system is valuable and easy to use and navigate to accept the system (Davis, 1989). P1
stated, “We are trying to get the hang of TikTok because our customers use it.” This
barrier to constantly adapt to new technology can somewhat be stressful. P1 stated,
“staying on top of these new platforms is like a job in itself.” P1 revealed that, “hiring
someone who could master TikTok and the constant changes of the other platforms
would be ideal.” This statement shows that not being able to manage SMM effectively
can be a barrier for small businesses.
Facebook
All participants used Facebook daily to post products, post-sales and videos of
their clothing (new and on sale) to increase sales. P5 postulated, “I can reach a more
extensive customer base using Facebook.” P5 used Facebook live to promote different
products. P5 specifically used Facebook live feature every Friday to showcase new
inventory on a model.
P1, P2, and P5 stated that they use Facebook to generate growth in sales. P1 said,
“We run targeted ads through Facebook that also run on Instagram.” All participants
mentioned that Facebook is a social media marketing platform that aids with
communicating with customers and reach potential customers. P1 has been in business
for 11 years and has grown through the use of Facebook advertising. P2 noted that the
Facebook chat feature helped with providing real-time feedback to customers. P5 uses
Facebook to tag products directly linked to their website for purchases or purchases
through the Facebook shop. 93.7% of businesses use and are active on Facebook. P2 uses
Facebook since its 14 years in existence. Most recently, P2 uses the Facebook “Like”
feature on its posts to determine inventory control. P2 stated, “When we post a new
product, based on the likes and comments, we can forecast if we need to buy more
inventory.” Using varying words, P1, P2, and P5 confirmed Facebook as a marketing tool
that helps to increase sales growth.
Instagram
All participants used Instagram regularly to post pictures and videos of their
clothing items to increase sales. P1 mainly used Instagram to run ads promoting new and
ongoing sales. P3 and P5 started using Instagram after mastering the use of Facebook as a
marketing platform. P2 reported that the use of visual content and hashtags on their posts
help their business page become discovered by potential customers online and the
physical store.
All participants mentioned having customer following them online and making a
purchase online or at their physical store through using Instagram as a marketing tool. I
asked participants the following question: “How do you track progress, success, and
engagement of your social media marketing strategy to sell fashion brands and products?”
P4 shared, “Instagram offers like an insights feature, I can track the number of accounts
that we have reached, the interactions and so I can compare the data.” Consumers
frequently turn to several social media platforms to conduct searches and obtain
information before purchasing (Vollmer & Precourt, 2008). Lee and Carlson (2015)
reported that Instagram is a visual platform that business owners use to reach current and
potential customers as a way of communicating, collaborating, and creating value through
picture content.
Twitter
Twitter is a microblogging social media platform for messaging instantly “tweets”
and texting (Liu et al., 2017). Four participants stated that they have Twitter accounts.
However, only two use the platform. P3 used Twitter as a social media marketing tool to
announce sales events to reach customers. P5 mentioned that they created a Twitter
account when they established their online store. P5 mentioned that their competitors use
Twitter to follow suit, and post at least three times per week. P1 and P2 have Twitter
accounts but do not consistently use them for marketing purposes. P4 did not have a
presence on Twitter.
Through the semistructured interview process, participants had the opportunity to
share their views and experiences using social media platforms. All participants revealed
that although Twitter enabled them to listen to consumer opinion, it was not greatly
viewed as a useful marketing tool. However, P4 stated that Twitter was not a good fit for
her business to connect with customers. P4 said, “friends had told me about having a
Twitter page because we did everything on Facebook, but Facebook is a user-friendly
site.” Twitter did not help to increase sales for P4, but Facebook did. All participants
revealed that the other social media platforms that allow website links and inclusion of
media were beneficial.
YouTube
YouTube is a content community that became available for individuals to use in
2005 (Smith et al., 2018). Only P2 has a YouTube channel that is used for social media
marketing. P2 used YouTube to showcase past fashion shows for the business. P2 stated
that YouTube is only used to post fashion shows and hauls from fashion influencers that
they collaborate with monthly. YouTube is mainly used as an online video platform but is
integrated with the company website to showcase past fashion events and celebrations.
TikTok
TikTok is a relatively new social media platform, it has grown rapidly and is an
important source of brand awareness for Gen Z social media users. There are actively
over 800 million users worldwide between 16-24 years old. TikTok, if used correctly, can
assist small business advertising through word-of-mouth marketing. Through the online
Zoom interview process, participants had the opportunity to share their experiences using
social media platforms to market their products. P3 stated, “TikTok videos are a fun and
creative way for us to show off new clothes to our customers.” Creating engaging content
through TikTok creates a fun environment for engaging customers. P2 explained, “using
interactive posts through TikTok in the store with employees has brought in customers.
They see these videos in clothing with the music and then they want to come in and see
for themselves.”
P1 confirmed challenges using TikTok as a social media marketing tool. The
TAM model posits that perceived usefulness is essential in determining an individual’s
acceptance and use of information technology (Yoon & Kim, 2007). P1 said, “making
videos and matching it with music is hard - I like to just play a song or none at all and
post to FB or IG.” All five participants’ responses were positive about using social media
platforms to develop marketing strategies to increase revenue. Adopting a social media
tool was in line with TAM theory, there was a perceived usefulness and perceived ease of
use of the platforms.
I reviewed documents from all five participants. I reviewed the social media
platforms for the businesses. Findings revealed that the organizational documentation
aligns with the conclusions of the semi structured interviews. All participants confirmed
that the use of social media platforms is suitable for their business; it helped to connect
with customers, boost sales and increase revenue.
Correlation to the Literature
Business owners use a variety of social media to communicate with customers and
increase sales and review. Agung and Darma (2019) found that online marketers should
be more active in learning about social media, boosting motivation, and improving
communication with customers. Small business owners in the fashion retail industry
could use social media platforms to communicate with customers (Appleby, 2016). Social
media allows consumers and small businesses to interact and change brand management
dynamics, affecting brand performance positively or negatively (Gensler et al., 2013).
Participants that were active on social media platforms gained real- time feedback on
products from customers. According to Sajid (2016), participants facilitated
communication with customers during live videos and converted them into positive or
negative feedback. Participants in the study revealed that actively using social media as a
marketing strategy has aided their business growth. Karimi and Nahibi (2015) revealed
that customers were using social media platforms. As a result, small business owners are
more involved in social media to reach potential and existing customers.
All participants confirmed that using social media platforms as a marketing
strategy was a successful way to meet their customers globally, build customer
relationships and increase sales and revenue. Cui et al. (2018) claimed that small
businesses' successful adoption of social media depends on how well business owners use
social media. All participants use their social media platforms to communicate with
customers, share and reply to messages and boost engagement with existing and potential
customers. Almost 20% of small businesses employ social media as an essential element
of the online marketing technique (Sajid, 2016). All participants used Facebook and
Instagram to communicate with customers. Instagram has been the most influential social
media platform which aids business owners to share photo and video content both live
and saved (Agung & Darma, 2019). Participants use Facebook to post reviews about
products and customer service experiences.
Relevance to the Conceptual Framework
Theme 1, the use of a variety of social media platforms aligns with the TAM
theory, which is the conceptual framework used in this study. Davis developed TAM to
predict user acceptance of technologies (Venkatesh, 2014). There are two constructs
within this model: perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU); Ashraf
et al., 2014). PU believes that technology will help to obtain a goal and increase overall
job performance. PEOU believes that using technology would require little or no effort
(Venkatesh, 2014). All participants used this new way of networking to reach current and
potential customers through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram. All participants were asked, “How did your perception of the ease of use
of social marketing compare with the actual use of social media marketing?” P3
responded, “I felt like it was going to be simple because personally, I use social media,
IG, FB, Twitter are really easy to use.” All participants use social media platforms to
promote seasonal sales and special promotions on products online and in-store. P1 and P5
commented that using Instagram was due to the live feature that allows them to speak to a
large audience in real-time. Word of Mouth (WOM) was a driving force for a boost in
sales. P1 stated, “Customer loyalty is important to me, referrals are important to me- I
actually give 10% off for customers who refer.” Moreover, as their businesses gain
popularity, their brand circulated through customers connected to social media sites.
The five study participants' responses aligned with the constructs of the TAM
theory. Perceived usefulness is the most potent construct of TAM (Davis, 1989). Users
need to believe that the system is valuable and easy to use and navigate to accept the
system (Davis, 1989). All participants stated that Facebook and Instagram were the
primary social media platforms to create a marketing strategy due to their ease of use. In
this study, all participants described their use of social media platforms to market to their
customers because of their cost-effectiveness and efficiency in reaching a large
population.
According to He et al. (2017), social media provides online platforms for small
businesses to market and brand their products or services and manage customer
relationships. Most organizational leaders know that social media is effective, but leaders
remain uncertain regarding the appropriate time to replace or supplement other forms of
communication with evolving technologies (Lamberton & Stephenson, 2016).
Theme 2: Evolving Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube are present in customers
daily lives for interaction amongst friends and as a source of information. SMM allows
small businesses to become Omni-present. All participants, in various ways, stated that
continuously customizing SMM, strategies led to an increase in sales. Participants
described benefits from the adoption of social media, including customer engagement,
real-time feedback, and business exposure.
Online Advertising
Schlinke and Crain (2013) found that small business owners must have a strategy
to inform, educate, and engage their customers. Small business owners in the fashion
industry implement SMM strategies to reach potential customers and communicate with
existing customers. P2 found that traditional marketing strategies were outdated and did
not meet her clients where they are; however, implementing paid targeted Facebook and
Instagram ads as an SMM strategy work better. P2, in the past, would print digital
catalogs and hand them out to customers in the area to later only find these flyers on the
street as the liter. Traditional printing was no longer effective due to the digital age in
which we live. P2 revealed that targeted advertisements aligned with her customer base
and their friend’s network led to an organic increase in Facebook and Instagram
followers. P3 stated, “customers see our ads in their Instagram and Facebook feed and
click it to get more information about a product and sometimes get coupons.” Fashion is a
highly competitive industry. As a result, Instagram advertising can cost up to $3.50 per
click. Small businesses who set up Instagram and Facebook promotions can customize
the promotion with a budget and duration to reach a target audience once the
advertisement is approved. The Instagram application provides a “Promote” icon that
allows businesses to promote a post and track how many people are seeing the promoted
post. P1 stated, “Instagram offers an insights feature, so I am able to compare the data.”
In varying ways, P1 and P3 found online advertising through social media beneficial for
their business needs.
Word-of-Mouth (WOM) Marketing
All five participants revealed that using WOM marketing was beneficial. It serves
as an essential way to promote their small business and a great way for customers to share
feedback and ideas on a brand. P1 attributed their customer growth to WOM marketing.
P3 revealed that word-of-mouth plays a role in the business as customers modeled the
brands during special events, which brought other customers into the store.
P4 revealed that when customers post photos, their friends looked at the photos, liked the
photos, and many visited the store and website to make similar purchases. P5 commented
that through the use of social media influencers with a larger Instagram following,
customers followed their social media page and make online purchases.
All participants discussed that positive marketing was a suitable strategy for their
business. P2 argued that several customers would say similar things, such as, "I saw this
shirt X influencer was wearing on Instagram, and I wanted to purchase it." P3 posited that
WOM marketing had been the principal aspect of success for the business. All
participants’ use of WOM marketing correlates with Berger and Iyengar (2013) who
found WOM marketing as an effective way for exchanging marketing information.
WOM and SMM are connected because a customer’s opinion or experience with
a retail store whether negatively or positively has the potential of being spread through
social media. Customers communicate with their followers their experience with a brand
through posts, tags in photographs and comments (Kang, 2019). The conversation about
brands on social media further contributes to WOM. One social media post has the
potential to engage several thousand social media users at once (Kang, 2019). It is
important for businesses to manage customer posts as there is potential benefits from
positive WOM and SMM.
Posts
All participants mentioned that they posted pictures of their clothing items on
Facebook and Instagram, which helped increase sales. All claimed that posting clear
photos of the products with models was the most effective way to show products. P5
stated that consistent posts generate customer comments on the posts, walk-ins to the
store to fit clothes, and direct messages to Facebook and Instagram. P1 and P3 post new
products weekly with models and a professional photographer. All participants use
hashtags in a comment on all photograph posts. Hashtags help posts on Instagram become
more visible. P3 stated, “we love hashtags too; it helps our boutique become
discoverable.” Agung and Derma (2019) found that posting Instagram hashtags can help
increase sales for business owners.
In this study, the participants’ practices align with Lee and Carlson’s (2015)
findings in that social media is one method for business sustainability. All participants
agreed that when their customers posted photos on Instagram, sales increased. The
strategy of posting photographs and videos to generate customer engagement and sales
supports the TAM theory.
During the interview process, I reviewed company archival documentation, such
as business ledgers, photographs, and participants’ websites in this study. P1 had archival
documents that I checked; this included a business ledger and photos. The business has
been at its physical location for over 15 years. The business owner shared logs since its
existence to its current integration of an online store through Shopify. On P1s Facebook,
the company shared old photos collaborating with a local women’s shelter giving back
and other community events. P2 provided a business plan and emails. P2s business plan
supported another small retail business location out of state. Emails provided by P2
endorsed the need to have a set marketing budget for Instagram ads and the ROI on these
ads, which include monthly expenses of ($3,000.00), profit forecasts. P2s Twitter
contained old tweets celebrating its 5th anniversary and in-store photos from its
remodeling.
The interviews with all participants revealed that, consistently engaging with
customers is an essential factor in SMM strategies. All participant website pages linked to
their social media platforms, and two out of five participants had their Instagram feed on
the homepage. Integrating social media platforms with business websites is beneficial.
P1: noted that adding social sharing links, creating social login options, and reminding
website visitors to subscribe to their social platform all helped increase sales.
Theme 3: Customer Relationship Management
According to Rahimi and Kozak (2017), marketers have shifted from
transactional to customer relationship marketing. Customer relationship management
(CRM) is more about people, providing customer service, ensuring that the customers are
first, and using social media platforms to connect with customers. Social media has
shifted how small business leaders implement their CRM practices (Felix et al., 2016).
Social media platforms allow customers to give praise or negative feedback on their
customer experience. This feedback can positively or adversely affect the brand image of
a small business (Schaupp & Bélanger, 2014). Whether an online user praises or
negatively critiques a post, this feedback can be quickly spread through reposts, retweets
and can have a negative or positive impact on a brand.
CRM strategies to help improve the relationships with customers and the delivery
of services. All participants took pride in promoting customer relationships. P1, P2, and
P3 discussed the importance of loyalty and placing the customers first. P1 claimed that
P1’s business had been operational for a long time because of the love and loyalty from
people and the delivery of good customer service.
Social media platforms provide an avenue for small business owners to build
relationships with existing and potential customers; this is evident in the findings of this
study. P3 stated, “I monitor our Instagram account daily and look out for notifications
because I can reply to a customer immediately about anything - whether its sizing
questions or questions about the material of a dress.” P1, P3, and P4 revealed the high
value that customers have on their businesses. All five participants understood the
importance of establishing excellent customer relationships and pride themselves in
ensuring customer satisfaction. I found participants’ emphasis on the importance of
excellent customer relationships by examining feedback customers provided through the
participants’ websites.
P2 noted, “I have connected with so many customers over the years. I’ve styled
them for baby showers, bridal showers- you name it.” The responses from the participants
confirmed the importance of customer relationship management. Customer relationship
management is critical to marketing as it helps build relationships with existing customers
and develops long-term commitment (Armstrong & Kotler, 2015). There are two main
categories related to CRM: (a) brand and customer loyalty and (b) the influence on
consumer behavior. All participants noted the necessity to treat customers well, and keep
customers engaged through social media platforms. All five participants confirmed in
their various responses that ensuring customer loyalty was key to a successful and
thriving business. All participants in this study used social media to create and maintain
high-quality interactions. P4 noted that the staff at her boutique try to establish
meaningful relationships to build long-last customers. P5 found that building trust
amongst customers has a significant role in retaining customers, thus increasing revenue.
Secret discount codes for repeat customers were also used to build interaction
with customers. During different seasons and for customer’s birthdays, P1 gives discount
codes to show appreciation. P1 revealed, “when a customer is shopping for her birthday,
and she gets like 15% off- she’s more than likely going to buy more things and will shop
with us everything year for her birthday.” Customers who have a positive shopping
experience, whether online or in-store, tend to make repeat purchases. P4 stated,
“everyone wants to look good and feel good; it’s my goal to ensure my customers feel
good, it builds customer loyalty.”
Engaging with customers face-to-face or through email campaigns, is an effective
social media marketing strategy to help boost sales. P3 revealed that engaging with
customers consistently will help with relationship building and is an essential strategy.
Schaupp and Bélanger (2014) explained small business owners, through engagement in
an SMM strategy, could increase sales through relationship building with customers.
Brand and Customer Loyalty
Brand loyalty refers to the level of commitment from a consumer to making repeat
purchases from the same brand. P5 claimed that “customers who you make feel special
typically always return.” Incentives and rewards are one way to leverage the benefits to
customers. P2 confirmed that “most of my customer’s lookout for my seasonal sales,
especially my end of year one.” All participants understood the importance of
treating customers with respect and fairly.
The impact of social media on customer purchase decisions can be explained by
factors such as: social proof and social media penetration. User social proof occurs when
users recommend products and services based on their experiences with a brand. P1
correlated this with the following statement, “All my sales last winter came from referrals
from Instagram posts.” P1 further added, “Instagram is such an amazing platform because
it gives you so many opportunities to show off your products with photos, videos, and
reposts of your customers in my stories, posts, and my IGTV videos.”
In my analysis of data collected, I found that P1, P2, and P3 posted pictures of
customers from in-store purchases, reposts of the customer’s events on their social media
platforms wearing their brands. I also found personalized remarks from P2, posting the
following statement: “Everyone loved my dress tonight” I also found that P1, P2, and P3
regularly reached out to their customers to get feedback through social media in the hope
that customers would come into their store to attend events and purchase merchandise.
P2’s and P3’s websites consisted of photographs of different events, providing evidence
of the business owners’ support to community activities.
Correlation to the Literature
Men and Muralidharan (2017) found that social media affects a business’s image,
reputation, and customer relationship. Social media has become a communication toolbox
for external stakeholders, including customers and potential customers. Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube are tools used to engage customers. P1, P2,
and P3 found that their social media, such as website presence and customer interactions,
helped them gain insight into customers. All participants agreed that long-term customer
relationships are an essential part of their business strategy.
When small business leaders use social media to build communities online,
existing and potential consumers can view products, services, and all posted reviews that
could lead to brand trust and loyalty (Laroche et al., 2012). P1 revealed that her business
has a Fashion community group on Facebook, where she encourages her customers to
join and post fashion inspiration posts and celebrities in outfits. P1 stated, “my followers
love Jennifer Lopez, so every other week, I like to post her outfits as inspiration for
styling.”
Relevance to the Conceptual Framework
The findings of this study align with Davis’ (1989) technology acceptance model
(TAM) theory’s key constructs, which are perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease
of use (PEOU). The participants PU led them to seek out a variety of platforms to market
their businesses. PEOU allows people to modify the content on their chosen platforms
often (Venkatesh, 2014). This was the case with participants in this study. All five
participants took pride in being able to modify their online messages and promote
customer relationships constantly. P1, P2, and P5 discussed the importance of loyalty and
placing the customers first when changing their online presence to benefit their
customers: P1 stated, “we have been in business for as long as we have because of our
customer service- we make all customers feel like celebrities.”
According to Elena (2016), an organization that adopts CRM as a present and
future strategy will build better relationships with customers, grow its business, and gain
customer trust and loyalty. P2 claimed, “word of mouth marketing and referrals is how I
get my sales- especially through Instagram.” P5 shared that most of their sales came
through Instagram shares, as customers and potential customers shared posts of their
products and communicated with one another. Social media technologies can successfully
improve how small businesses manage relationships with existing and potential
customers (Cesaroni & Consoli, 2015). The study’s findings align with the TAM theory.
Applications to Professional Practice
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore social media
marketing strategies business owners use to increase revenue in the fashion industry.
Small business owners could use the information presented in this study to create a
marketing strategy to help their small businesses effectively use social media platforms to
increase revenue. Small business owners in the retail industry can develop social media
marketing strategies using social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,
TikTok, and YouTube.
The three themes that developed from the data analysis were (a) Use of a variety
of Social Media Platforms, (b) Evolving Social Media Marketing, and (c) Customer
Relationship Management. Aligning with the first theme, the participants described
various social media platforms that small business owners could use to increase revenue.
In this study, the participants found Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter easy to use and
communicate with customers quickly. Similarly, supporting the second theme, the
participants noted the impact of SMM and the evolving of social media marketing as a
cost-effective marketing tool.
Finally, in theme 3, customer relationship management, discussed the importance
of customer service and referrals. Brand loyalty and customer loyalty increase trust and
relationship building between small business owners and customers, thus resulting in
customer retention and an increase in revenue. Small business owners could use the
results of the finding from this study to increase their knowledge on the strategies social
media marketing used to increase revenue.
Implications for Social Change
The findings from the study may provide small business owners with helpful
marketing strategies with various social media platforms to increase revenue. Alharbi and
Drew (2014) believed that TAM accepts social technology that predicts behavioral
intention and attitude toward use. All small business owners should learn how to use
social media platforms because it allows business owners to communicate with, listen to,
and learn from existing and potential customers through real-time communication. Social
media posts can be used to drive traffic to a business website. Sharing content from a
website to social channels enables readers to be aware of new posts as soon as they are
available. Throughout this study, I confirmed that a small business owner could use SMM
strategies to engage with customers, help potential customers make informed purchase
decisions, respond to negative feedback, and provide real-time customer
service. Using various social media platforms to market is cost-effective and still an
effective way to engage your target audience.
SMM strategies can positively improve how small businesses perform. Small
business owners could use the results of this study to create marketing and business plans
to improve the business longevity and resilience in the community. They were also
increasing community relations by allowing customers to communicate on businesses'
social media pages. Business owners could implement SMM strategies to improve
communication between the community and businesses.
Recommendations for Action
In this qualitative multiple case study, I explored social media marketing
strategies small businesses use to increase revenue. The findings can benefit small
business leaders in the fashion retail industry who would like to use social media
platforms as a marketing tool to increase revenue. I have three recommendations for
small business owners to consider. First, small business owners should determine in their
marketing plan which social media platforms are easier to use based on user experience,
and which are most beneficial for their business and target customers. Second, I would
recommend that small business owners create a marketing plan. All participants had a
social media marketing plan of some sort. However, not all participants actively followed
their plans and had complete consistency. A further recommendation is that a quantitative
study be conducted to determine the relationship between the use of social media and the
amount of revenue generated from different social media platforms. Finally, I would
recommend that small business owners share the outcome of their social media marketing
plans with their team and or the person responsible for managing the social media
platforms. This would be useful to analyze the outcomes, evaluate the return on any
investment made, and strategize.
Participants in this study will be provided with a one- or two-page summary of the
study's findings via e-mail if they are interested. Plans also include publishing this study
in the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. I have also identified opportunities to
present the research findings in business meetings and other relevant forums.
Recommendations for Further Study
I conducted a multiple-case qualitative study to explore social media marketing
strategies some business owners use to increase revenue in the fashion industry. The
findings of this study may serve as a foundation for research on social media marketing
strategies. To further increase the understanding of social media marketing strategies in
small businesses, I recommend future research to address the critical limitation of this
study: geographic location and sample size. Social media offers an easy and low-cost way
for potential customers to express interest in a small business.
The study only focused on successful small business owners in the fashion retail
industry in Atlanta, Georgia. Small business owners in other geographical locations may
have different social media marketing strategies or other strategies to increase revenue.
Social media generates a large amount of data about customers in real-time. This
information can be used to make business decisions and to further research. Future
researchers could use a larger sample size; this may reveal more insights.
The study included only business owners, and this may have excluded others who may
have implemented successful social media marketing strategies but were not included
because they are not business owners. Future researchers might consider conducting a
quantitative study to test the themes that emerged from this study.
Reflections
The Walden University’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program has
been a challenging yet gratifying experience. I began the program in search of pursuing
my long-time dream of obtaining a doctoral degree in business. Overcoming challenges
such as identifying a research topic, developing a problem statement, crafting the research
question and interview questions, securing participants, collecting data, studying,
understanding the data analysis software, and analyzing the data required thorough
planning and determination. Reflecting on the journey, I appreciate the meticulous details
required to conduct credible research. I chose to research SMM strategies based on my
interest to know more about social media and how small business owners use it to
increase revenue for their business. At some point in my career, I plan to become a small
business consultant. This study would allow me to learn about the immense benefits of
social media marketing and strategies. Overall, I wanted to know how social media
marketing could be a driving factor in increasing revenue.
All researchers have personal biases, preconceived ideas, and standards that could
impact their data collection and analysis. I did my best to eliminate my own biases,
conduct my research without using environments where I work or have worked and
excluded relatives and friends as participants. All interviews were conducted virtually. In
addition, I used an interview protocol (see Appendix B) to ensure the consistency of
interview questions during my conversation with study participants. I also conducted
member-checking via emails with participants to corroborate my interpretations of the
data I collected.
The study enhanced my knowledge of research. Also, I learned the challenges that
small business owners face using social media platforms and the competition they face
with larger firms. I will take the lessons learned at Walden University with me on my
journey and pay it forward to assist others on their doctoral journey and small businesses.
Summary and Study Conclusion
The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to explore social media
marketing strategies some business owners use to increase revenue in the fashion
industry. I conducted semistructured interviews with five small business owners who
successfully used social media strategies to increase revenue. The participants provided
information through interviews and archival document review. The participants in the
study are located in Atlanta, Georgia. All participants openly shared data on their social
media marketing strategies to increase revenue.
Archival organizational documentation from the participants’ websites also
allowed me to review photographs, business plans, marketing plans, and financial reports.
Participants shared numerous pictures of customers and events to engage customers and
increase sales. Using the websites, I was able to gain invaluable knowledge from the
financial reports, testimonials, and social media marketing plans. Participants found
social media platforms s an ideal way to market their products and to communicate with
potential and existing customers. I collected data using methodological triangulation of
two data sources: interviews and archival organizational documentation. I used archival
document review and interview data from the study participants to ensure the consistency
of meaning I found during the interview process.
The results of this study aligned with the evidence that I found in the current
research that business owners using social media marketing strategies could increase
revenue. The data collected from the participants’ interviews and document review, I
found that business owners who use social media marketing platforms can develop
costeffective strategies. All participants confirmed that using some SMM helped increase
revenue.
Rogers (2003) provided strategies to analyze and assess organizational growth
through innovations of SMM tools to sustain business activity. Small business owners
could look at their business practices and develop procedures to ensure appropriate SMM
strategies and methods to support themselves long term. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,
TikTok, and YouTube were the mentioned social media marketing platforms used by the
five participants in the study. All participants enjoyed using these platforms because they
are free. They can reach a broad number of customers worldwide can provide real-time
feedback to existing and potential customers. Moreover, the participants revealed that
developing relationships with their customers fostered personal and professional growth
contributed to small business profitability.
The findings from this study may provide small business owners with data to
sustain their success in business using social media platforms. All participants of the
study have successful social media marketing strategies as their primary marketing
strategy. Participants’ responses confirmed the importance of using social media
marketing to increase revenue and that business owners’ use of social media to
communicate with customers foster long-lasting relationships and increase sales through
WOM. Also, WOM could create positive social outcomes and improve the sustainability
of small businesses. All participants agreed that repeat business creates stability and
success. Based on the findings from the study, I conclude that implementing social media
marketing strategies aids small business owners in increasing revenue. Whether a small
business is just getting started or has been active on social media platforms for years,
there is always room for improvement. It is essential to be mindful that each platform has
different uses.
