If you’re a small business just starting out, odds are you’re a one-man band. You’re in charge of everything from the day-to-day operations
This is why the easier it is to come up with marketing content, the better.
Why should I focus on social media?
There’s a simple answer to this question. It’s affordable. The biggest benefit of social media marketing is that you can spend as much or as little as you want. $1,000 or $100 or even $10, there’s a social media platform for you.
The other reason social media is beneficial is because you can change course whenever you want. The trouble with things like television, radio or print advertising is you have to develop the advertisements before they air. That usually means weeks of planning and editing and if you need to change course, it’s back to the drawing board.
With social media, you can change in a matter of days or hours. If one marketing campaign isn’t working, you can alter your target audience, or you can change your message. You have a greater ability to make your marketing campaigns work for you.
How do I make my business look like a big deal on social media without spending a lot of time?
1. Target the right people.
The really cool thing about social media advertising is that you can be super selective about who you target. For example, if you’re trying to get your product sold at Walmart, target anyone who works at Walmart and lists their occupation as marketing or buying. Your advertisements will start showing up on that person’s news feed. The more they see your product, the more they’ll start remembering your company and the more they’ll think you’re a big deal in your industry. Best of all, it’s only a few extra clicks to target a specific audience when you’re posting your ad.
2. Cross promote your content.
Some people are Facebook users. Some love Instagram. Find a way to cross promote your content on a number of platforms, that way you’ll reach a larger audience and you’ll look like you have a presence on multiple social media platforms. When people are talking about your content and can find it on a number of social media sites, you look bigger. Best of all, there are apps (think HootSuite or Buffer+) that help you post on multiple social media platforms at once. That way, you’re not doing all that extra work.
3. Connect with industry influencers.
Every industry has someone who’s a powerhouse on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. That’s the person who finds a shoe or lipstick that she loves and then posts a pic on Instagram. Suddenly, that company is flooded with new orders. You may not be able to afford the powerhouse, but there are certainly smaller industry influencers that would be happy to post about and tag your product in her posts if you send it to her for free. It’s an ideal way to grow your business because you’re doing the initial work, but someone else is doing all the posting for you. It is content you can retweet, repost or share to your heart’s content.
4. Download the apps and turn on notifications.
This one isn’t as easy as my other suggestions, but it’s super important to making yourself look big. All of the major social media companies have apps for your mobile device. You want to download those apps and turn on the notifications. That way you’re alerted immediately when someone sends you a Facebook message or tweets you a question or asks for a pricing quote through Yelp. Responding quickly is a great way to make your company look big and is more likely to make a sale.
5. Hire someone.
As you get bigger and start to establish your company more, there’s nothing wrong with asking for help. There are a number of small businesses out there that specialize in social media (Intentionally Inspirational is one of them!). Those businesses are priced just right for a small business owner. When you can afford it, outsourcing part or all of your social media may be the best thing you ever did for your company. It helps you maintain your presence online without giving up your precious time.
All of these ideas are designed to make sure you’re maximizing your results while spending as little time as possible actually managing your social media. It’s an essential part to most modern businesses, but it can also be time-consuming. It’s important to keep a work and time balance so your business can keep growing and moving forward.
Written by Erika Towne
This is great stuff. More people are realizing the value of social media in their business and helping them integrate is becoming as lucrative market.