I'm David Eckoff. I'm on a mission to talk with businesses in Virginia Highland that use social media to build their business and clients. 

This week, I'm in Atlanta Activewear, a store that sells high quality fitness apparel.

Owner Danielle Burke's boutique on Virginia Avenue is beautiful. It's obvious that she put a lot of focus on the aesthetics of the store.

So just how important is social media for Atlanta Activewear?

Burke focused on the online aspects of the business even before the store opened.

"You can't have a business without it," Burke said. "One of the first things we did was get the website domain name, Facebook page and Twitter account. Even before opening, we were sending out updates with photos of us laying the floor and installing fixtures."

It's All About Building Relationships

Fast forward to what Burke knows now.

What's most important for success with social media? For Burke, it's all about building relationships with customers.

"We put a big focus on getting to know our customers, not just selling items," Burke said. "I know our customers individually. I know pretty much all our Facebook fans."

Burke and her staff get to know their customers in person and online, and those relationships payoff for the business.

Even in the worst economy of our lifetimes, Atlanta Activeware is growing,  thanks to a massive repeat customer base. And Burke credits social media.

"Business is booming. And we like talking about that!," she said.

Beginner Mistakes

So is it as simple as getting a a business starting a Facebook and Twitter account, starting to send advertising messages to potential clients and just watching the money roll in? Not so fast.

Businesses new to social media often make the mistake of pushing their products. I have a theory this is a legacy of how companies used to market through flyers and advertisements.

Do you know anyone who likes seeing flyers placed under their windshield wiper? People hate that. Same with social media. Don't use social media to leave a virtual flyer under people's windshields.

Instead, Burke urges, use social media to get to know customers and build relationships.

"Pushing products on people in your face doesn't work," Burke said. "Being informative and helpful is more important. We never push 'Buy from us' messages on Facebook or Twitter. We post about the great new product collections we're getting in. We plant the seed rather than push people to buy."

How about an example?

"We post about things that are seemingly small. Like, 'What makes this water bottle cool? And we show what makes it cool," she said.

It All Works Together

Burke makes use of a website, e-commerce store, Facebook and Twitter. All the components work together, but she focuses on social media.

"We have a website, but the Facebook and Twitter updates are real-time. You can make it so much more interactive. People "Like" items and comment on Facebook," she said.

What about e-commerce?

Burke posts photos of new inventory with a link to buy online, but she says many customers don't buy online, and that's fine with her.

"They browse the products online and then come into the store knowing what they want," Burke said. "They come into the store because they want a styling session and the reassurance that what they are buying looks good on them and fits their body. Wardrobe consulting. And we love when they come into the store. They buy even more," Burke said with a beaming smile.

Listening to Burke, I think of online retailer Zappos.com, which was recently acquired by Amazon.com for $1.2 billion.

In an era in which most businesses want to shift most transactions online to reduce operational costs, Zappos.com takes an entirely different approach.

Staff members connect with customers through social media. Customers browse the website looking at products, and Zappos.com is happy if those customers call to ask questions and place and order.

Always trying to add value, Burke has advice for you if you're looking to get started with social media in your business.

"Sit down and do it. At first it might seem like you're tweeting to no one. Until you build up the number of people following you. It's not instant. It's a slow and steady process. But it can become more valuable than what people realize," she said.

The bottom line: You can grow your business with social media by building relationships with your customers in person and online.