Slay Social Media - Managing Social Media as a Business Owner/Entrepreneur

Have you experienced the social media time warp? I know I have – There have been occasions where I logged onto Facebook, knowing that I need to create a post for my business. And before I know it, two hours have passed and all I have done was checked out videos of cute animals, amazing recipes, or the latest political memes… Sound familiar? As small business owners and entrepreneurs (with the possibility of having a family), your time is limited. So how can you effectively use social media as a marketing tool by just spending an hour in your daily routine?

Impossible, you may say. An hour or two every day (if you plan to take the weekend off) to brainstorm ideas, develop content, and publicize my content… That sounds unlikely. I will tell you, “Yes, it can be done!” The key is to map out a system. One that works for you where you have chunks of time blocked out. For me, it is an hour before my family rouses or an hour after my family is asleep. I will grab whatever beverage I need (admittedly sometimes it will be a glass of wine for inspiration), set a timer for 50 minutes and get to work at my desk by scribbling in my notebook or going to my trusty laptop. When, in your day, will you be able to focus? When is a good time where you will get at least 30 minutes of uninterrupted time? Where will you be able to work best? What do you need to focus? Which medium to you work best on? Once you have a system, there are five activities that need to be done for effective social medial management.

Developing a road map. The most common question I get when assisting business owners with their social media strategy is, “Which social media channel is the best one to use?” I always then respond by asking which one your customer, both existing and potential, is using. It is also important to consider which one you will enjoy most. Once you answer those questions, take some time to develop a content plan. This will help you focus when you are collecting or creating content. I recommend doing this for a month in advance (for daily postings) or a quarter in advance (for weekly postings) See my examples below. However, remember that this is a living plan – Always evaluate this road map every so often to ensure your content will be fresh or relevant.

Sample of road map for weekly postings

Sample of road map for monthly postings

Collecting or creating content. Now that with an idea of what you need or want to post and which social media medium you will be using, you can set forth to gather and create content. While I love developing my original content, there are times I will find existing content that speaks to me or states the same thing as I am trying to say. When you have that scenario, use the existing content to save yourself time. BUT always credit your source (you wouldn’t like someone ripping off your content, would you?) and say something meaningful about why you are sharing or retweeting the specific content. Also, it is important to find a balance between using other people’s content and creating your own content – After all, you want to showcase your personal branding and uniqueness.

Scheduling posts. Technology can be a nightmare or a bliss. If your full time job is not a social media manager, then you may find it very helpful to subscribe to a posting service where you can schedule your postings in advance. Often not, these services also include analytics that provide you a better understanding of how your content is received. Here are some of my favorites: CinchShare (for Facebook), HootSuite (for Instagram), and Rignite (best if you are using multiple platforms).

Promoting content. How often do we see a product that truly markets itself? Not too frequently. If you want your audience to notice your content (or even take action), you have to market it! Consider tagging people you know who will be interested, mentioning it in groups you may be involved in, sending an email out, etc. The key here is to get the word out! Even though you may be focused on one social media platform, you can use other social media platforms to promote what you have to say. Case in point, you may be reading this post now because you are on the Fierce & Fabulous (F&F) email list, in the (F&F) Facebook group, found this link through Twitter or Instagram, and/or tagged by yours truly.

Interacting with the audience. Last but not least, engagement! Social medial is a two-way street and all about building a community. You can’t just post amazing content and call it a day. Respond to every person who took the time to comment, share, or like. You never know how your response and interaction may open new doors or windows.

My dear business owners and entrepreneurs, I hope you find these tips useful. I shall leave you with this sample schedule from Rignite. Until next time.

Yours truly,

Christina
Christina Guerrier

About Christina: Christina is a business consultant who has worked alongside with companies, ranging from international for-profit corporations and non-profit grass root organizations. Armed with over a decade of experiences and a MBA degree, she will be able to provide strategies and guidance for your startup or growing company. Having a mind for the big picture, she can also look at you business to help you seize new opportunites as well as determine changes that may be needed. As her personal motto to be a woman for others, Christina offers a host of services to empower business owners as well as individuals - Some of her services include business consulting, business plan development, business writing, logo design, website design, resume and cover letter building. Connect with her at christina.guerrier@gmail.com to get your journey started!