I asked one of my team members here at Celeste Giordano Coaching to share her insights on being social active.

Are you socially active?

By: Rachel Segal

As a business owner and fellow entrepreneur, I know what it means to have a seemingly never-ending list of things “To Do.” Unlike your friends and neighbors who work the traditional “9 to 5”, we entrepreneurs seem to find ourselves working around the clock to drive our businesses forward and break through the obstacles that stand between us and success.

Through countless conversations I’ve had with business owners and entrepreneurs, I can tell you that one task on the “To Do” list that too often gets pushed to the bottom is effective social media marketing. Some business owners dabble with it cautiously while others – lacking time, creativity or know-how – steer clear of it altogether.

In 2015, to grow your business, you have to be part of the conversation — and that conversation is taking place largely online. As a social media manager and content curator, I’d like to share a few tips that will help you gain traction on your social media platforms of choice:

Consistency is Critical. To gain real momentum on social media, you need to be consistent. Establish a social media schedule you can actually stick to! When you post “here and there” and disappear off the radar when you get busy, you lose the interest and attention of your target audience. Worse, if potential clients check you out on social media and see scattered, inconsistent posts, they’ll wonder if you’re on top of your game.

Don’t Oversell. People log in to their social media platforms to relax, connect and be entertained. They don’t want to feel like they’re friends with a used car salesman. To use social media to effectively grow your business, you need to provide content with real substance. Provide valuable tips, strategies and food for thought to your prospective clients, and they’ll take interest. Aggressively pedal your services and you’ll quickly be tuned out.

Have a Game Plan! Speak to any business owner seeing results from their social media activity and they’ll tell you they’re following a social media plan. Whether you’re investing your time in managing your platforms or have hired a social media manager to do so for you, you need to make the investment worthwhile. What type of content will you post? Does it serve a strategic purpose? How will you diversify the content to maintain interest? A content strategy that reflects your brand and supports your objectives is key to seeing success.

Evaluate Engagement. One of the best ways to measure the effectiveness of your social media efforts is to evaluate engagement. Are people liking and commenting on your posts? Are your posts being shared or retweeted? If you’re offering a free informational product or running a contest, are people opting in? If people aren’t engaging with you, then your content likely needs some work. Your social media posts should be intentionally designed to capture attention and – ideally – spark a meaningful, active conversation. Try asking thought-provoking questions and posting your thoughts on articles that are trending in the news. 

Social media is one of the many marketing initiatives you should be using to establish brand recognition, promote your services and engage prospective clients. All of your marketing initiatives should be connected. When you meet prospective clients or contacts at a networking event, one of the first things you should do when you get home is follow them on social media and invite them to do the same. Make sure your social media credentials are clearly visible on your website, blog and e-newsletter. Encourage visitors to follow your social media platforms where you share valuable tips, strategies and information about promotions and new offerings. With the right strategy and a steady flow of creativity, getting socially active has the power to exponentially increase your clientele.

Do you need a social media consultation to get started or are looking for someone to step in and manage your social media platform for you? Contact Rachel@bizbuzpr.com and we’ll explore how to capitalize on your social media presence.

Rachel Segal
Bizbuz PR
718-613-9283
rachel@bizbuzpr.com
bizbuzpr.com