Social Media is nothing to fear

Too many options for using Social Media paralyze people. It’s true. There are so many platform and ways to communicate your brand value that it can leave you just plain stuck. You are not alone if you feel this way. I use Social Media a lot and it can be confusing, overwhelming and just plain gut wrenching.

Ok, maybe that’s a little extreme, but you get the point

Let’s take stock a second. You have a business. You have a brand. You know that some of your targets (well, probably closer to most) are on Social doing ALL THE THINGS. Where to begin?

Quick tips make fast work

As part of my series on 5 Small Business Challenges (and how to crush them), here are a few ideas (in sequential order) to help you get started.

  1. Slow your roll— do some research about which platforms your audiences are using. If they’re not using Snapchat, you don’t have to be! I swear, it’s going to be ok! What I will tell you is this, wherever they are, you better be too.So, check off the “Where do they hang out?” question on your list.
  2. Let’s use Facebook as an example. Time to make a page for your business. You may choose to be a business page, group or public figure. Which one feels right for you? There have been rumblings, as of this writing, that business pages are not best for business anymore, so be sure you know how to use any of the ones I listed. If you don’t know how, YouTube is a great resource, or ask a savvy friend.
  3. Your page has been created- now what? What do you post? Let’s refer back to your solid key messages. Key messages? What are those? What?!! A key message is how you communicate your value to your target audiences. Having a few overarching messages will help dictate your posts, I promise. If you don’t have them, let’s talk asap.
  4. You’ve got your key messages. You’re ready to share info. Really, you are! I recommend the 3/1 posting matrix. What’s that? It’s a way to avoid being “salesy” or pushy, because let’s remember that Social Media is primarily for nurturing those who already love you and what you’re all about. However, there is always opportunity to sell online, so be very careful. 3/1 means 3 posts that are helpful, educational, fun or brand-based/trust building and 1 post that has an offer or a “sell” component.
  5. How often to post? Well, that’s up to you, but I recommend thinking about how much you want to see things in your own feed. No one likes an intruder! Be thoughtful about your posting schedule. I recommend Content Planning 101 for learning more about this— it’s a wonderful content planning program run by a friend of mine. It will help you get on track and learn how to be consistent. Mostly, it helps build good habits online.

This list is a great primer for your foray into Social Media. Go forth and be prosperous, but remember, most importantly, use Social to get your brand out there to shine!

Having trouble with Social?
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