Small business and social media have a rocky relationship. Their courtship goes like this:
-Businesses feel pressured to “do” social media in order to compete.
-But most small businesses don’t have the time or expertise to manage the ongoing demands of social media.
-Some hire a service to manage their Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and Pinterest accounts.
-The service has no deep connection to or passion about the company. So it delivers a generic, unfocused campaign that fails to engage.
-The owners throw up their hands, count their losses and conclude that social media doesn’t work for small business.
But hang on. Social media is about engagement on a personal level. So should it even be outsourced?
Social communication isn’t about in-your-face marketing or even branding. It definitely isn’t about advertising. It’s about you sharing your expertise, your stories, your thoughts and insights with a like-minded audience. It’s about interaction. Presenting ideas. Posing questions. Responding to comments. Keeping the conversation going.
Social media mastery takes time. Your time. Or time from a company insider who can speak for the business. Without that input, it simply won’t engage.
How to Start Your Social Media Foray
Start small. Choose one or two platforms, max. Start with Facebook, for example, and develop a following. Or start with a blog:
- Develop a theme that’s unique, maybe even a little quirky, and very relevant to you and your business.
- Set aside a few minutes a day to write about something that would interest your customers. (Or if you aren’t into writing, pass your ideas along to someone who can blog them for you.)
- Mine your customers’ feedback for blog post ideas.
- Include original (not stock) images.
- Make it casual. Write the way you talk. Don’t sweat over it.
Why Bother?
It makes your business human. It puts a face on an otherwise impersonal company. And it goes the other way, too. It gives you insights into your customers that you might not otherwise get… their frank and unfiltered opinions, their preferences, and their feedback on your products and services. Valuable stuff.
Look. Your business is successful because it’s small and deeply personal to you. Maybe your social media aspirations should start the same way?
Talk to The Write Content about your social media campaign. I can help with a blogging plan that takes the pressure off you while creating a personal vibe that interests and engages your target audience!
