Social Media - Making It Work, For You

Are You On the Bandwagon?
Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, blogging. Social media is all the rage. And, yes, it’s changing every day. The question is, are you on board? And can you keep up? Whether you’re just getting started, are ramping up your efforts, having the time of your life or are completely overwhelmed – you can comfortably and gracefully both enter the fray and stay above water.

The biggest barriers to social media success typically are lack of time, lack of focus, and lack of content. But with careful planning – and that’s hugely important - you can start strong and sail a successful course. Before jumping in with both feet, however, below are a few time-tested tips to help you make the most of social media and maximize your investment. For some, we’ve included an interesting link for further reading. We thought they were awesome and insightful!

1)      Ask a few key questions. The omission of this critical step is quite often the biggest mistake we make. We know you want to hit the ground running. But think for a moment. What’s your mission/purpose/goal? Who are you hoping to connect with? And why? The answers will serve as your starting point and as a compass for all future outreach. Think both short term and long term. Who are you approaching and what is it that you hope to gain/achieve/accomplish? Is it sales, connections, reviews, recognition, etc.? And, just as critically, what do you have to offer them? An honest assessment now will make all the hard work ahead easier and all the time invested more fruitful and more fun.

2)      Identify your target audience. Research where you’ll find them and how you’ll best connect. Go online, surf the web, talk to peers and colleagues, visit the different social media sites and get a feel for who goes where to find information, to engage, and to interact. For busy professionals, your prime outlet might be LinkedIn. For a fun-loving crowd, it might be Facebook. For a visual market, Pinterest tops the list and for those with information to share, blogs are the go-to resource. Who have you targeted and are you engaging?

3)      Map it out. Too often, we invest a ton of time and energy to the above and yes, it’s all in our head. At least for the moment. But write it down, put it on paper, maybe even make it visual with the latest mind mapping tools. A day from now, a week from now or a year from now – you won’t have the same vivid recollection.

4)      Prioritize. Your wish list undoubtedly has assorted prospects and mediums. Be realistic. You can’t do all at once. And that wouldn’t be the most effective approach anyway. Identify the outlet – or 1-3 - that best serve your needs, tap into your specific audience(s), showcase your strengths and spotlight you at your best. Start there and build.

5)      Start small. There are few who step into the spotlight and get an instantaneous, immediate deluge of followers, fans or favorites. We know you’re excited but be strategic and be patient. The whole purpose of social media, after all, is building relationships - which just naturally grow richer over time.  Don’t rush it. You might scare potential prospects, friends, and colleagues away.

6)      Be real. Let your personality shine. Be professional, be respectful, but be real. Revisit Step No. 1 for a moment and remember who you are, what sets you apart and why you’re embarking on your social media campaign in the first place. Let these answers consistently guide you.

7)      Make it meaningful. “They” come looking for “something.” They come in search of a product, a service, or expertise. They initially heard or saw something somewhere and are “testing” the waters. You either have what they’re looking for or - perhaps - you don’t. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Better to connect with those who want you, need you, and couldn’t live without you than to have 10x more followers but no real interaction, engagement or interest.

8)      Give them what they want.  Some want to have fun. Others want the latest news, tools, research, quotes, etc. You know your audience. And yours is different from everyone else’s. Give your audience what they want and take time to monitor what’s going on with colleagues and competitors - it’s the best gauge of what works, what’s tried and true, as well as what sets you apart and makes you unique. Play. Discover what works. Only time will time. Tip: Stats, by the way, do show that photos are a perennial crowd pleaser – look at any newspaper, magazine or billboard and see where your eyes are immediately drawn. And, as we noted in an earlier post, infographics mixing visuals and text are THE hot thing.  

9)      Revisit and reassess. What’s working and what’s not? Are you loving it? Do you need to do things differently? Are you ready to grow? Remember, there will be ups and downs. Enjoy the good times, savor the moments. And when you encounter problems, work to fix them, quickly. Hopefully, the good times outweigh the bad. If not, consider shaking up the way you’re doing things. Maybe you need more hands on board, or prefer to outsource. If you’re overextended or want to be more efficient, there are range of time-saving organizational tools to help manage multiple mediums, schedule posts in advance, later track results and also plan for the future.

10)   Relax and have fun. All relationships take work. But, in the end, they should be worth the time invested. Take a moment to celebrate your successes. Identify what works well. Look into new areas of opportunity. Most importantly, enjoy the process of connecting with your community. That’s what sent you on this chase anyway. Now, smooth sailing as you chart your own course!

Petr Kratochvil

Loving every minute of it
To truly be effective with your social media outreach, you have to have a specific plan and commit consistent time, resources, focus and attention week after week, day after day, word by word. Carve out a set amount of time, remember who you're trying to reach, what you're hoping to achieve and give them what they want. Like all good communication and all healthy relationships, it's a two-way exchange.

Reality: We were at a standstill until we tackled Step Number 1. After that, we've loved every minute. And our stumbling block wasn't too little copy or ideas, but rather an abundance. Once we mapped it out, it was perfectly attainable. Before, it was overwhelming.

Question: What has been your biggest social media struggle? Or secrets to success?