Let’s face it… you’re busy, and you’re a one person show. You don’t have the budget to hire an employee just for social media. And if we’re being honest, you find it really hard spending the money on a social media manager, or a marketing manager, or whatever they’re called these days.
But, you know this social media thing isn’t going away so it’s time to jump on the band wagon or get left behind (and lose sales).
So.... what do you do?
Do what you do best!
Be an entrepreneur.
Dive in and take over. There are a ton of resources out there that can help you with social media. From the very basics like creating a profile to the more in depth Facebook advertising, analytics, and Messenger bots (yes, that’s a thing).
So in an effort to make your life just a little bit easier (because no one wants to waste hours searching Google), I’m sharing a few of the resources I’ve found helpful. This is in no way an exhaustive list as I haven’t explored every depth of the world wide web, but this will give you a good starting point so you can enter the social media game.
Facebook Blueprint Bet you didn’t know Facebook has all kinds of free resources to help you navigate their incredibly complicated world! This beautiful hidden gem has a ton of training videos that can teach you everything you need to know about Facebook for your business. (Bonus tip: Facebook also owns Instagram, so a lot of the information you hear about Facebook algorithms also applies to Instagram)
Social Media Examiner At first glance this doesn’t seem like the most reliable resource, but trust me, they are second to none. Not only do they produce a ton of reports, their articles and other resources are the best I’ve found. They provide clear, step-by-step instructions for how to do pretty much anything.
Social Media Today This is a great resource for keeping up on the latest social media news. With our connected world changing so quickly, it’s important to keep up with all the trends and changes to social media to make sure you stay current and not fall behind. They also have some pretty great insights and how-to guides.
WeRSM Another great resource for social media news, but they don’t stop there. They cover a wide range of topics.
All of these resources have eNewsletters you can sign up for so you can get tips, tricks, and resources right to your inbox.
Okay, truth time.
Marketing when done properly takes time and effort so you need to put the appropriate amount of time into it (and every business needs to be marketing themselves, whether you’re a plumber, a retailer, or a service provider).
You’ll only get out of it what you put in. And before you starting coming up with excuses why you don’t have the time, save your breath. I get it. I know you are working 57 hours a day, 10 days a week, 500 days a year. Being an entrepreneur isn’t a full time job, it’s a lifestyle. So, just like everything else you are doing for your business, marketing needs to be at the top of your list. It’s how you get sales. It’s how you build a brand. It’s how you gain loyal customers. Even if you’re already at capacity and can’t take on any more work, you need to do some marketing because it’s way easier to say no to potential customers than it is to beg for them when business suddenly comes to a screeching halt.
Now, if you’re still with me after that come to Jesus moment, here’s the good news. There are people you can hire to do this for you. So what you need to do is sit down and figure out what will cost you more - taking your time to learn these skills and do it yourself, or hire someone else to do it for you?
The argument can be made both ways. I believe social media accounts are best managed by the owner of a business, or someone very close to the top. And this is why - your social media presence and your marketing is your brand. (Side bar: if you don’t think you need a brand, think again. Take a look at Sticky Branding to learn why)
Your brand is who you are. Consumers want to see the person behind the curtain. They want to know what you believe in, what drives you, what inspires you, what makes you laugh, what makes you cry. They want to know there is a person behind the business. That’s what will get them hooked and make them loyal to you. And because you can’t fake that kind of authenticity, you need someone you trust and someone close to the business to put out that kind of content.
Now, if after all of that, you are still saying you can’t possibly find the time to manage this yourself, and you don’t have an employee that can do it, it’s time to bring in a social media manager. The good ones will learn everything they can about you and your business, and market your brand for you. They’ll know how to show the person behind the curtain, even though it’s not them.
At the end of the day, my approach is simple. I want to set you up so you (or an employee) will eventually be able to manage your social media presence yourselves. While some people would tell me I’m not doing a good job at landing long term clients, it’s not about me. It’s about you and your business.
So I want to teach you (or your employee) what you need to know, give you the tools to succeed, and send you off into the world to do it on your own!