My Quick Tips on Working your Business on Social Media

Today Social Media marketing is the buzz.  Everyone is doing it.  And the best part about it is that its free! I am no means an expert in Marketing or Social Media.  Everything I have done is by trial and error.  And probably like everyone else out there I've read a ton of information on what to do and not what to do.

I'm a big believer in learning by experience.  I've had good experiences and bad experiences with Social Media.  And some non experiences! 

I have a Facebook page for myself (personal) and a Facebook page for my businesses.  I am careful about what things I post on both my pages.  Not only because its the internet....and face it whatever you put on the internet is out there and anyone can take it or use it for whatever they please.  And just in case I decide to run for Premier one day I don't want any crazy party pictures coming back to haunt me!  hahaha just kidding:)  Just keep in mind that you shouldn't post anything anywhere that you don't want your customers, your boss, your co-workers, your mom or anyone to see! Keep things professional in your business pages.

 

Find out what your customers want.  Do a survey and call your customers and ask them what they are looking for and what interests them about your product.  Take the time out to talk to your customers and learn what they need.  Post things about your customers and their needs/wants.  Focus more on them than you.

Take your time and think about what you are posting.  Keep it interesting to keep people's attention.  It's much better to post quality content than posting just for sake of posting.  Make sure that you are energized and always upbeat.  The more upbeat and excited you are about your post the more it is interesting for others.  If you feel that you have lost your zip then do something to find it.  Chat to others, read books, articles, training, find anything to get inspired again.  It's hard sometimes to keep that enthusiasm but for your business to succeed you have to love it!

 

Be consistent in posting.  You ever notice that some people will post 10 things in a row and then nothing for the next three days.  If I'm following that page then I get annoyed with all the posts all of the sudden blogging down my news feed.  It looks to me like your bored and just posting things right now because you have nothing else to do.  I recommend that you use an Auto Scheduler.  For Twitter I always use HootSuite.  Its awesome and its free!  I take about an hour in the morning (before work with a cup of coffee) and I think about what I would like to post.  I schedule them anywhere from 1 -3 hours apart.  This spaces out the posts throughout the day.  I post something about my business 3 to 5 times a day.  I sometimes do quick posts in between too from my phone (using things such as Instagram, etc.)
Another brilliant thing about an Auto Scheduler is that I can take my time and make sure that whatever links I put in, work and that I don't have any spelling mistakes because I am rushed.  Spelling mistakes drive me nuts especially when its related to your business (ugh I better triple check this blog entry!) Posting anything in a rush only shows that you don't have attention to detail.  You can schedule posts in your Facebook Page, Blogger you name it there is probably an Auto Scheduler for whatever you use. 

Isn't technology wonderful?  But do you get confused with all these Social Media mediums?  There's another great tool that you can use to keep them all organized.  There are great apps out there that allow you to link all your Social Media together.  So for example you can post on your blog and set up a gadget that will also automatically post to your Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn.  You don't have to worry about posting all separately.  I'm just going to write this blog entry and post it and in about 30 minutes later it will land in my LinkedIn, Twitter & Facebook.

Has anyone ever asked you to like their Facebook page and they would like your's in return?  We've all done that I'm sure.  They are called Facebook Ladders.  I'm not a huge fan of this.  I know that I will probably get raked over the coals for this one but here goes.  Let's say for example that you make Christmas balls.  And that you belong to a Christmas ball club.  The people in your club suggested that you do a Facebook Ladder.  You have 250 people who follow your page.  Once you like another Christmas ball page your 250 followers will see that you like that page.  Some people might get confused and think that you are the same company and then they will also like it and before you know it, you have lost your annual order for 1000 Christmas balls because your best customer thought that they purchased it through you because you liked another page.  Ok maybe bad example but you get the point:)  You worked hard to get 250 followers you want to keep them.  Another thing to remember is that just because someone likes a page on Facebook doesn't necessarily mean they agree with it, maybe they are just following the page for interest sakes. 

Don't use acronyms that are common in your business.  Even though you know what they stand for, don't assume that your customers do.  For example:  "Get your May WOTM on sale now!"  Everyone who works with Scentsy knows WOTM means "Warmer of the Month" but to the average consumer they have no clue what this is.  Be clear and specific.

Do you have a Marketing Plan?  Make sure that you sit down and write out a plan.  Everyone needs a plan.  Even if your the only one that reads it, you need to have a goal or goals and how you will achieve your goals.  Think about the Canucks.  They get out and play hockey to win the game, but they have a plan on how they are going to achieve that.  The Coach draws out a plan and the players play it out.  Well they are supposed to lol :)  Your plan should be simple and to the point.  2 - 5 pages is fine.  It doesn't need to be fancy, just something that you can work with and understand.  This plan is not written in stone.  You can change it as you go.  Many people do that.

 

Remember, the main idea is to bring people to your website.  Drive traffic to your site. You can't purchase anything through Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.  

Notes:

• Always be professional, don't post anything on your personal or business pages that you don't want your customers to see
• Find out what your customers want
• Be interesting post to keep your audience
• Take your time, check for spelling, 
• Post quality content
• Autoschedule
• Have a game plan
• Drive traffic to your site