When it comes to trying your hand at social media, especially for your own business, figuring out a schedule and pattern that works can feel like taking AP Latin. While larger companies seem to have the power of a marketing team, they don’t generally see instant results like those in a smaller company. Preparing for your social media campaigns shouldn't make you feel like you’re going to the dentist – here are some tips to simplify your social media marketing efforts, between those amazing posts.
Create a Content Calendar – If you have some ideas you want to use in your social media campaign, write it down! Excel can be a great example of tracking your ideas and upcoming posts. Think of themes around holidays, or news trends happening that would go with your content.
Set Goals, like a S.M.A.R.T. one – Did you know that if you write down a goal, you’re more likely to achieve it? Try following the S.M.A.R.T. system: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time Based. This will help outline your targets for the week, and keep your team on track.
Think Before You Post – Is the content your posting in theme with your business? Are you speaking to your audience, or telling them? Don’t be a salesman – social media is about being “social” and “engaging.” If you think about why people go onto specific platforms, like Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, you’ll find that all 3 can be very different. People who are looking at photos and videos would opt for Instagram. Even though you can still share videos and photos in Facebook, this platform is a great place to make connections and attract potential clients. LinkedIn is more formal – think of it as online networking. And please, don’t solicit on any of these sites. I know we’re all about building our business and brand, but there’s nothing more annoying than being sold to by a complete stranger online.
Building + Maintaining Relationships – Relationships are key! This is an important element that smaller businesses seem to have mastered. Most small businesses get to know their clients on a more intimate, personal level. They tend to deal with situations first-hand and having a close relationship encourages loyalty.
Don’t Aim To Be an Overnight Sensation – Remember those one-hit wonders? They may have risen to the top of the charts immediately, but had little chance of going back once they rose to instant fame. In our world of marketing, we believe in quality over quantity. If you aim for 1M likes/followers – hey, that’s great! But is your goal to have a huge following? Or to make some money? We want each and every one of those “likes” to turn into a potential client.
Respond Quick – A smaller business, or marketing agency will have the time to respond to online connections immediately. Large, corporate organizations may have obstacles and compliance issues that often prevent them from communicating directly with other people outside the company. Even during a crisis, effective communication is an important factor to limit damage and maintain your business's reputation. When responding to a negative comment, first – stay calm! Your automatic instinct may be to defensive. Be open, honest and engage with your audience. If you leave a negative comment along without a response, other potential clients could see that as a sign that you don’t communicate with your clients.
Look, social media isn’t rocket science. If you keep an easy theme at a pace you can handle, eventually you’ll start seeing your hard work pay off. If you need some further help or have questions give us a call (203) 429-9671.
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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Darien, CT & NYC. We service businesses with marketing strategies, social media and consultations.
Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com