Hello! I’m back! The last couple of months have been all kinds of crazy busy! Over the winter I picked up quite a few new clients, which is always amazing, but super busy. It takes a few months to get everything set-up and rolling, so here we are. Oh, and we moved. All the way across the country. Again. It was quite a trip from Asheville, North Carolina to Hood River, Oregon – but we are ecstatic to be back! And we’re staying here. Seriously.

Y’all, I have really missed writing! And helping my small business owners improve their marketing! So, promise I to try not to take off like that again!

Today I wanted to talk about something that I get asked about A LOT….social media for small businesses. From what I can tell, people know they should be on it, but aren’t really sure how to use it to grow their business. With all the different platform options, it can be confusing. So I wanted to go over a few things so you can utilize this free tool and start reaching your customers!

First thing first, which platform(s) should you be on? If you’re currently not super comfortable with social media, I would suggest picking one or two (at the most) to start with. Please don’t create profiles on all of them – it’s hard to keep up that way and people will find those profiles. Say you create a profile and leave it there for months without posting or updating- what does that say about you and your business? People bounce around the internet at lightning speed so when they do land on your profile, you want them to want to stick around and look at it. This means a professional profile and cover image, updated contact information and relevant, consistent content on your posts so they can learn more about you. Once you master one or two, start adding in more, if you need to.

Piggybacking on the question above, what is the best platform for you and your business? Where are your current and potential customers hanging out online? Are they retired couples looking at pics of their grandkids on Facebook? Are they corporate professionals spending their time networking on LinkedIn? Are they creative business owners breaking out on Instagram?

The key is knowing their interests, hobbies, goals, etc. so you can start to craft not only your messaging, but your marketing strategy, to reach and resonate with them. (If you need help with your messaging and/or buyer persona, get them here! Don’t worry- there is no opt-in 🙂 )

Ok, after you get that figured out, what should you post? Things have changed a lot over the years. Topics we post and talk about, our parents would have never dreamed of sharing! In the age of sharing everything, as a business, you can share more than you probably think. People want to know the people behind the business. They want know why you do certain things in your business. They want to know your business beliefs. They want transparency.

Topics you think are boring, actually aren’t to people wanting to get to know your business a little better. Something as simple as changing your packaging to be more eco-friendly – you may not even think twice about sharing that, but people would love to hear about it! Share why you decided to change and snap a quick pic (a decent one with your smartphone works!). Take it a step further and tag the company that is making it (if they’re on social media), there’s a good chance they’ll share it and that helps you reach their audience.

Do you have regular staff meetings or training? Maybe think about going Live for a few minutes of it. This gives people a chance to really see your business and the amazing people behind it. It also gives them a chance ask questions in the comment box which only grows that relationship more. Going Live ranks highest in the social media algorithms, so try to do that if you’re comfortable. If not, a video works as well! Or a photo. Always use a photo 🙂 If you’re a real estate agent try these options at your next Open House or new listing.

How often should you post? Daily. I know that seems like a lot, but you really should try to reach that goal. The algorithms love consistency and people will get used to seeing your content. Also try stories – featured in both Facebook and Instagram- these fun short-lived posts are another way to reach people. If you can’t keep up posting daily, there are many inexpensive tools (and free options) to schedule out your posts.

 

Here are a few stats to think about:

97% of adults between the ages of 16-64 say they logged onto at least one social network in the last month.

An average of 2 hours and 22 minutes are spent per day per person on social networks and messaging.

74% of people say they use social media to help make a purchasing decision.

 

Do You Need Some Help?

I completely understand your overwhelm + stress when it comes to social media!

I spent seven years running a successful organic farm & brewery with my husband (so successful that we actually had to close our doors because we created so much traffic in our rural town… but, that’s a story for a different day!) Since we had a shoestring budget, I used creative + innovative ways to grow our business using the power of social media!

After we closed our doors, I spent about five years at a few different digital marketing agencies learning the ropes of how digital marketing agencies run their social media campaigns + helped clients achieve phenomenal results. I truly understand how hard it is to break through the noise on social media and how intimidating it can be when you’re first starting out…

This is exactly why I’ve taken everything that I’ve learned over the last 12+ years and put it into a comprehensive course that walks you through how to create and sustain an effective step-by-step digital marketing strategy (including social media) so you have the knowledge + tools to grow your business! It encompasses all the aspects of digital marketing, not just social media! It also comes with two comprehensive guides, tons of worksheets (including a timeline so you know what to do and when to do it), 31 curated social media posts to get you rolling and so much more!!!

Learn more here!