I meet with prospects and clients almost every day. Most people now agree that Social Media is not going away. They also recognize that it’s time to get serious about implementing and maintaining a social media strategy that will work for their business. Some are doing amazingly well. Others struggle. So, as a Certified Social Media Specialist, what are the top 3 excuses I hear for slacking on setting up or not staying consistent with a social media strategy?
3. I Don’t Know What to Say
It’s rare that when properly coached, a client doesn’t have ongoing valuable information to share with their audience. Some are afraid to give away too much intellectual property, which is understandable, but you can give away just enough to entice your reader to want to know more. At the opposite end of the spectrum, others feel that their content wouldn’t be of interest to readers. The fact is, you may end up sharing that one piece of information that is just the trigger needed to get that prospect to pick up the phone, email you or respond to your blog post or Facebook page entry. Perhaps you have just answered a nagging question for them or you shared some personal information about a hobby that resonated with someone and they feel more connected to you. Open up a little and share about who you are as a person as well as a business entity. Success is in the sum of the parts….
2. I’m Worried About Who Will See What
So, the result is you do nothing! I find that people are mostly nervous about Facebook, and honestly, rightly so. Facebook is making a lot of changes and some of them are a blatant way to get more information from you so that they can feed their advertisers. But, there are ways to stay safe on Facebook. Things like;
- Ensuring your privacy settings reflect who you want to see what content
- Instructing family members / unruly relatives to send you ‘emails’ on Facebook rather than write on your wall
- Monitoring the wall and removing inappropriate content if it does show up
- Setting up Facebook lists and then publishing information to the appropriate lists
- Enable the secure browsing feature
If someone wants to get information in this day and age, they will find a way to do so. Being conscious about what you put out there will help you. If you can answer these three questions (thanks to Mari Smith for these), with a YES, then you are probably safe.
1. Would I be comfortable if my boss were to see this content?
2. Would I be comfortable if my mother/father/children were to see this content?
3. Would I feel comfortable if this content showed up on the front page of the Wall Street Journal?
And the number 1 reason?
1. Not Enough Time! …and by the way, I can be just as guilty of this as anyone else.
I recently read an interesting quote. It said: We all have the same amount of time in a day: 24 hours or 1,440 minutes. In fact, we have exactly the same amount of time that was given to Helen Keller, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein.
Sobering thought. As entrepreneurs, we all wear many hats. But the one hat that can’t fall to the floor is being consistent in how we market our businesses. And, in order to successfully move people through the sales funnel, we need to build strong relationships. This makes it easier for people to want to do business with us.
It’s really a question of discipline and having a good strategy in place. Know what you want to accomplish each week. Write a list of information that you want to disseminate and then use the appropriate tool to get the message out. Remember, it’s not about selling product/services, it’s about building those relationships and providing value.
Start your morning each day working on your business rather than in it. It doesn’t take that much time to check your social media profiles, respond to people who are trying to connect with you and give them the information they need to say YES to you and your business. Ultimately, people buy from people they know, like and trust.
If you need help, then consult with a Social Media Specialist to get a strategy in place both in terms of where you should be spending your time online and what kind of content you need to be putting out there.
The key to success here is consistency. Stay focused, be diligent and keep your eye on the prize. It will pay off in the end.
What do you think? Share your tips with me. I love getting feedback. Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. What a great way to leave a link back to your own blog!
Until next time,
Joanne
Yes Karen, you are so right! Asking your readers what they would like to read about is a great tool. Using the ‘Question’ feature on your Facebook Business page is also a great way to poll your readers and get some great input. Good for you for scheduling it into your calendar. In doing so, you are putting a priority on growing your business. You are doing great!
Kind regards, Joanne
Great reminders Joanne – I have found myself saying these things over the past year however I also have learned to go out and ask people what they want to hear about or I think about what has come up with clients or myself over the past week. As for time – I book it into my calendar and don’t get frustrated with myself if I get it to you on Tuesday or Wednesday. I just do it!! You are a great support – thanks!
Thank you Robin…well if there was one person who should be allowed to complain about being short on time, that would be you!
You are one busy lady but you are doing so very well in the social media space and the results are there to prove it. Keep up the awesome work! 
Everyone should check out http://fitnessforce.ca to see the kinds of things Robin is up to… Kind regards, Joanne
Well said Joanne….once again. Thanks for the reminder about time. I appreciate the quote you shared and will certainly keep it in mind the next time I find myself thinking that I haven`t got enough!