I've said it before and I'll say it again ... and again ... as a small business owner you are the best person to implement your own social media. Why? You've been talking directly with your customers for as long as you've been in business. You know your business better than anyone because you are the one who created it. You know your branding better then anyone because you created that, too.
All you really need to implement your social media is a little time, a little discipline, and most importantly - a strategic plan.
When small business owners start doing their own social media without these three simple factors, the pitfalls arise. Here are four that are easy to avoid:
Once a Quarter Poster. Relationships are built over time. When you have long gaps of time between social media postings, it is hard to build those customer relationships. It's almost like you're starting over each time; reintroducing yourself, your company, and your marketing.
Hard Sell. You probably wouldn't walk into a social gathering, start handing out business cards without introducing yourself, and without listening to peoples' responses, start shouting at them, "All red shoes are half off, get yours today!" By providing your social media followers with content that allows them to get to know your business better, gives them entertainment or educational value, and invites them to communicate with you in return, you're building better, lasting relationships. Followers will look forward to your postings and interacting with your business - online and in-store.
The Personals. Creating a defined line between your personal social media and your company's social media is important. You as a person have a brand and your business has a brand. While your personality is intertwined with your company's brand, the messages you share with your family and friends are going to be on a different level than those you share with your customers. Over sharing can lead to a perception of a lack of professionalism and most often these posts are not working toward achieving your marketing goals.
Links, Links, and More Links. Sharing information with your customers via expert links that you find helpful, interesting, or in some way in-line with your strategic marketing goals can be a simple and effective content source in your social media. The pitfall is when links become your main source of content. Or the links are commonly found. Or are entirely unrelated to your business and marketing strategy.
It's easy to understand how these pitfalls occur. Almost unanimously, in my first meeting with new clients they say, "We don't know what to write. What will we post each day? Each week?"
Once we create a strategic social media marketing plan for them, and they have the answers to these questions, they begin to feel confident. As they begin to see results, such as a growing number of followers, customers comments, and even sales increases, most begin to look forward to doing their own social media.
Do you have a question about social media pitfalls or problems? Post them in the comments and we'll respond back in our next blog posting.
