10 Tips for a Successful Social Media Strategy

Hey Business Owner,

If social media seems like a terrifying enigma to you, you’re in the right place. If you know how to use social media, but can’t seem to monetize your posts, you’re in the right place.

I have been managing social media accounts for all types of businesses for the past 6 years, and all of the strategies have commonalities. Below, you’ll find my 10 tips for creating a successful social media system regardless of your business type. 

10 Tips to Create a Successful Social Media System:

1. Know your brand. Just like any marketing campaign, it’s important to know your brand. How do you want your potential and current customers to see you? What colors do you prefer to associate with your marketing? For example, I use the same color schemes and fonts for each client I work with. If my client is a hardware store, I’ll use more neutral colors. If my client is a dog grooming boutique, I’ll use a light, bright palate. 
2. Start the conversation. You have a unique knowledge of your product or service, but do your clients know what that is? Don’t be afraid to share tips, tricks or fun anecdotes that help your potential clients see your business in a new way. For example, if your company primarily restores and creates signs, but you also draw and paint portraits, why not showcase that? No one is going to buy the product if they don’t know you have it.
3. Let us get to know you. One of the most successful campaigns I run with all of my clients is a virtual meet and greet with people behind the scenes. People want to know you, so show them! How long have you been in business? What inspires you? What was the last show you binged? Become more real, less staged.
4. Post, post, post. Long, short, medium length. Text, images, videos. Post it all. Don’t be afraid to post too much or not often enough. The algorithms of all social media platforms are always changing, but (appropriate) posts won’t ever get deleted. The best way to determine how your clients best interact with you on social media is to throw it all out there and see what sticks.
5. Be consistent. The easiest way to be consistent on social media is to schedule your posts. There are free and paid options for this--I use Buffer, Hootsuite or Sprout Social with my clients--depending on your budget and desire for results. Sit down for an hour or two each week and decide what you’re going to post, then schedule it.
6. Balancing sales and value. You want to offer a mix of the three on all platforms. Obviously, you want to sell your products or services, but you don’t want to spam your followers with ads constantly. Balance your advertisements with posts answering questions or a timely tip (for example, preparing your lawn for spring if you’re a landscaper). Show that you want to provide value to your customers, not just make the sale and move on.
7. Build community. My clients are always involved in their community in some way, whether it's volunteering, fundraising or networking. Share that stuff! People want to know you’re invested in others. They also may want other ways to get involved or build their skills. To bring up the landscaper example again, maybe you’re also involved in a gardening club or know someone giving garden talks. Let your people know! If you’re a realtor who works with an amazing electrician, photographer or mortgage broker, sing their praises! Don’t be afraid to endorse people who you believe in--they’ll be more willing to send an endorsement your way, too.
8. Sprinkle in paid advertising. Paid ads are tricky and usually require a decent investment in order to reach the right audience. Since I work primarily with small businesses, I recommend boosting posts on Facebook to start and seeing if investing in advertisements on multiple platforms feels right from that point. (If you’re interested in learning more about paid ads, send me an email and book a free consultation.)
9. Utilize free design tools. When you post on different platforms, it’s important to make sure the photos and videos you’re posting will display correctly. Canva is my favorite tool to make sure the dimensions of my posts are correct. There are a ton of free and paid templates available to use and download. 
10. Ask for help. If spending time developing your social media strategy still seems like too much, or you simply don’t want to do it, that’s more than ok! That’s why I’m here. Social Media Marketers are here to help drive traffic to your business by working virtually to make your pages shine.

Having a presence on social media is necessary nowadays, but having a successful social media strategy isn’t something every business owner has invested in. that doesn’t have to be the case for you. You don’t have to rack your brain trying to come up with catchy posts or polished ads--you’re the one in charge. 

Find out how easy it is to get your social media pages running the way you want them to without stressing yourself out. If you’re not ready to hire extra help, send me a message to register for a 2-hour virtual workshop to develop your stellar social strategy. 

Use the tips above to get yourself on track and I promise, you’ll begin to see more traction on your pages in no time.

Best wishes,

Alexa