The first time you ever joined a Social Media platform, chances are it was just a fun way to stay in touch with friends. Now, your small business is relying on it as a marketing tool.
Somewhere along the line, it’s gone from a way to have a laugh and check in with loved ones, to a frustrating job you have to do. A world of hashtags and algorithms you have to navigate to promote your small business.
So how can you make it fun again?
Post about what you’re passionate about
We go on about so many social media marketing rules, but rules are made to be broken, right? Your passion for what you do is what made you take that terrifying first step to become a small business owner. That same passion is what will make potential clients fall in love with your business.
Writing content for your Social Media posts might seem like a high-pressure task, I get that. Imagine you’re writing to your best friend about your passion – not so scary now is it?
Give yourself manageable goals
You will often hear me say you should post three times a week on most platforms, and six times a week on Twitter. Will it surprise you to know that when a small business comes to me for an Audit, that’s not always the advice I give?
If the thought of posting three times a week is too overwhelming, you end up posting once a week and feel like a failure! What if you set yourself the goal of posting once a week? You’d get the same outcome but be proud of your achievements. After a month or two, once you’ve formed the habit, change your goal to twice a week. Over time, you will start posting three times a week without it being overwhelming.
Plan ahead
Having a plan in place instantly removes all the stress when the time comes to post. I recently wrote a post about this and how when it comes to my own platforms, I too am guilty of not planning ahead. Suddenly, you have to face a blank screen with no ideas in your mind and a hatred for your past self who didn’t take a few moments to plan ahead.
When you plan ahead, you can jolt down ideas as they come to you rather than trying to think of everything on the spot. The end result will be much more complete and fascinating.
Take a step back from the Marketing
I recently stopped working with one of my clients, not because I wasn’t helping them, but because they needed to take a step back. They were spread too thin and finding new clients wasn’t a priority. With plans constantly changing and too many plates juggling, a clear marketing strategy couldn’t be set.
The advice I gave to them was to take a step back from the marketing side of Social Media for a little while. To post about their hobbies and to allow their followers to get to know them a little better.
Limit your time on the apps
Engaging with your followers is a key part of Social Media Marketing, but scrolling endlessly isn’t. If you spend 10 or 15 minutes at a time commenting on people’s posts and keeping your goals in mind, that’s plenty. Doing longer stints means you’ll likely forget your goals.
Keep your personal profile personal
I have a grand total of 60 followers on my personal Instagram account – and I sometimes remove followers! If you mix personal and business, it will quickly turn to purely business and you’ll feel like you always miss your friends’ posts.
You can of course celebrate your wins on your personal profile, and share personal posts on your business profile. Just try to keep your personal profile away from the people you meet at networking events and the ideal clients you find on Social Media.
Get professional help
You don’t have to wear all the hats in your business, and you don’t have to tackle your Social Media alone. Social Media Marketers, like myself, are here to help you and your business. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to hand over your business profiles to a stranger! You could continue doing the aspects of Social Media Marketing that you enjoy, while a professional takes care of all the aspects you dread.
