Hey, how are you? No, honestly… How are you really doing?
We’ve experienced a lot of curve balls over the past two years, some the size of golf balls, others, meteorites… 🥴
Firstly, it’s okay not to be okay, and it’s okay to ask for help. Who are we kidding? We’ve all been through a lot. Small businesses in particular have taken a significant hit, some sadly to the point of no return. However, I’m here to tell you that there is now, more than ever, an incredible opportunity to market your business to a wider, more receptive client base. So how does someone navigate their business opportunities in social media amongst a post-covid world? I’m here to give you 5 practical tips.
Credit: Tenor
1. Stay calm
Assess your circumstances and do not, I repeat, DO NOT overreact or jump to conclusions (although sometimes, that’s easier said than done when you’re stressed). Know that there are options for you – which don’t involve you “shaking your thang” all over the internet to create hype. *Deep breathe* “WOOSA” – now, read on…
Credit: Tenor
2. Start
It may seem very logical, but the fear or delay of starting can cripple us from ever starting at all. In an article published in the National Institutes of Health – The National Library of Medicine by Christopher J. Anderson, Ph.D, from the University of Maryland, highlights the psychology around decision avoidance, noting it as “a pattern of behavior in which individuals seek to avoid the responsibility of making a decision by delaying or choosing options they perceive to be nondecisions.” (Anderson, 2003) Although starting your social media presence can seem daunting, it is proven that the best way to learn is by doing. So start! With a bit of persistence and drive, you might actually surprise yourself with how much you pick up. And with the world set to spend more than 4 TRILLION HOURS on social media this year, be confident that the content you create is going to hit some eyeballs. You can do this! 👀
Credit: We Are Social, 2021
3. Have a strategy
When posting, your main objective is to add VALUE to your audience. Ask, WHY are you posting this content? And WHY should your audience bother to listen? Identify your target niche and engage them. Your people are your people and the right ones will follow, engage and promote your content – and therefore, business. It’s a good idea to write down your brand’s values and use these as content pillars for your social media strategy. Then do some research into which social media platforms and content, your audience and competitors are using most so that you can also implement them into your strategy.
Credit: We Are Social, 2021 & Sprout Social
4. Recruit your nearest and dearest
One of the most successful marketing tactics comes from the exposure of your friends, to their friends, to their friends… andddd you get the picture. This process of organic reach, from people who genuinely care and are invested in your brand, provides exposure to potential customers, that you may not have reached with some trending hashtags (although, I’m not dissing the productivity of choosing the right, content specific hashtags #GOAT 😮💨).
Credit: Thrive My Way
5. Find the right people to collaborate with
Let’s be clear… These don’t have to be influencers staging their feed and endorsing the next diet cookie. The aim is to find people who share similar values that align with your product/service. Who do they know, what do they know, and what can they bring to legitimise your brand.
Credit: Tenor
Once you start implementing these steps, I KNOW you’re going to feel a lot more confident in using social media as a valuable, strategic tool for your business. Thank me later (if you’re thinking of a gift, I like wine and pretty much any/all desserts).
Credit: Pinterest
