Are you going into 2023 determined to utilise your social media and build your profile to grow your business? These five tips from marketing expert, and founder of TBD Marketing, Simon Marshall, will help to inspire you and give you some practical advice on how to make the most of the apps your using.
Stick to doing two channels well
Social media delivers results, but with the way big-tech’s going, who know when an app will crash or become redundant? Twitter’s holding on by a thread, so what will you do if your one and only platform suddenly goes awol?
By doing two channels well, it’s your insurance policy. And remember to do it with purpose, ask yourself, what am I trying to achieve? Who am I writing for? Sure, your content might be similar on each platform, but you’ll need to adjust how you deliver it depending on the platforms you use.
Write for your favourite customer
You know that person who pays your bills on time? Loves your product? Respects your opinion? Recommends you to others? Talks about you and your company in their posts, unprompted? Write for her. Others who are similar to her will then come forward and want your services and products.
Don’t cast your net too wide, you’ll only get attention from people who aren’t your ideal customer. Instead, think about what problems you solve for the customers you love, and shout about how you help them.
Be personal
The rule book got ripped up a while back - we can now more openly be ourselves even on professional social media sites like LinkedIn. That has positives - we can now choose an accountant or a lawyer based on the personal chemistry that we have with them.
Picture this: you need to get a plumber. How do you source one that will turn up on time, stick to her quoted price, won’t charge you for going to B&Q to get the part that she forgot to pack? You’ll ask your friends and neighbours for a recommendation and then you’ll check it online. Or if it’s a personal matter, you might turn straight to social media. That’s why you need to be on social, with clear messaging about what you do and what it’s like to work with you.
Decide what’s off-limits
That said, being increasingly personal and sharing more of our view of the world doesn’t mean that we have to share everything. Where you draw the line is up to you. Some of my favourite people to follow on social have very clearly defined barriers: try looking at Samantha Unrau’s posts on LinkedIn. She’ll crusade on behalf of women’s rights/mother’s rights/parents’ rights but also knows when to turn off the comments. Helen Burness is an expert in legal marketing who advocates for SEND kids’ rights. But she knows when to turn off and talk a walk. Zoey O’Neill runs a web design agency, but knows when to take a digital detox.
They all stand up for what they believe in, but they are also sure where the line is for them. They also don’t overshare.
You’ll never know until you try
Try something that scares you.
If you always write plain text posts, mix it up with some of your own photography. If you rely on photos, then try a Live session or do a video. If you always have an opinion, try a poll and find out what others are thinking. Social media is a great place to get outside of our bubbles and to grow as a person.
Great things happen when you step outside of your comfort zone, and guess what if you’re doing something differently to others in your industry like using video, or hosting a live session, you’re going to stand out from the crowd.
