Time Is Money
…and that remains true when it comes to social media marketing.
Is your business finding that the day is slipping away with too much time being spent on social media interactions and postings? Well you’re not alone! With technology readily available to us it is easy to fall into this time trap.
We have just 24 hours a day to be the productive, and when you add other things like meetings, sales calls, customer service, ect. that creates a tight schedule. Your business needs to get focused in order to make the best use of that time while online.
Social media is a necessary ingredient of your marketing, and is now the main vehicle for making new professional connections, leads, and sales. Depending on your niche you may have the most activity on networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn and Instagram. In order to stay in the game your business needs a specific strategy that is not spread out too thin across so many different channels.
How do you make the most of your day with social media marketing?
The answer is having a specific schedule that is planned out ahead of time. Let’s take a look at a few ways that marketing can become most effective.
1. Power down each work day – This sounds so simple, but can be a challenge to turn off that smart phone, tablet and computer when doing other tasks such as a lunch meeting or developing ideas for your business. With too much technology always being used you and your employees will start to experience burnout, which is a killer for creativity. By unplugging from devices and doing things like taking a walk, a short work-out, or even reading a book you will receive more focus and clarity throughout your day.
2. Create a set schedule – There are a number of online calendar resources available, such as Google Calendar, Teamup, and HiTask, which will help organize and keep track of your business activities each day. Amber Rae has written a great article about this on Fast Company, in which she shares her own strategy of creating a “Work, Play, Fit, Push” board that she hangs on her wall:
Rae points out that, “it’s all about experimenting to figure out what works best for you.” Visual schedules can be a good way to stay focused despite distractions that may come your way.
3. Develop lasting relationships – While this takes time on social media it is well worth the daily effort to get to know your fans and followers. Through engaging, sharing, and encouraging your business will receive positive responses in return and begin to trust your brand in an online world that is full of fake accounts and spammers. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to compliment someone and applaud others for their achievements such as a new book or event. Add a personal touch by following up with key contacts by telephone, email or if possible at in-person meetings. Offline relationships build directly into a business’s online presence in a powerful way.
4. Post content that helps others – When your business knows the needs of its target market and audience it is much easier to write and schedule content that will be effective. This also eliminates wasted time that involves guesswork on what to create.
5. Set scheduled boundaries – A good practice online is to communicate with your social networks at certain times of the day, and respecting the schedules of your connections as well. If you run a business from home set aside specific time for friends and family, and most importantly for yourself.
6. Take the time for editing and adjustments – Social media can be a place for errors and copyright infringements. When sharing information and images your business will save correction time in the long-run by evaluating before posting. Get permission for article references, images, and videos, and thoroughly edit any scheduled content before it goes live.
Technology and social media are moving quickly, but that doesn’t mean your business has to fall behind the eight-ball. By following simple scheduling tasks your marketing will be more credible, focused, and engaging. Learn what works best for you and your team, and make a set plan that is open to change when necessary for optimal results.
Susan Gilbert
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