Using social media to market a business requires a lot of time (no news flash there!) – particularly if you’re serious about making your efforts pay off. And it’s no secret that small business owners struggle with maintaining the consistency needed to really do social media well, so some delegate or outsource their posting and engagement to some degree.
While there’s no shame in getting a little help with your social media, it’s important that you, as the business owner, never ever divest yourself completely of being engaged. Even with someone managing your accounts, you personally need to stay in tune with what’s happening on your pages – and make it known that you are personally interested in interacting with others in your online business community.
So how do you show some love to other entrepreneurs and customers so you’re generating a steady supply of goodwill and stay in good standing?
Make sure that you – via your personal social media accounts – follow, like, circle, pin and connect with the same organizations and businesses your business social media accounts are connected with. And then follow through and interact with them as your own personal self.
And that’s important why?
You’re an ambassador for your brand.
As a small business owner, most people probably recognize you as the lead spokesperson for your brand. When you generate goodwill by interacting with other businesses, you’re projecting that goodwill on your brand as well.
You won’t overload your brands’ followers’ and fans’ news feeds with likes and comments on posts that may not be interesting to them.
This is particularly true with Facebook! I’ve already unliked Facebook business pages because they littered my news feed with that stuff. Friends of your personal Facebook profile, however, will likely have a higher tolerance for seeing your likes and comments. After all, most of their other friends are liking and commenting on posts in abundance as well.
Your personal endorsement means something.
Because businesses recognize that not all business owners are doing their own social media posting, a like, +1, or comment directly from you is more easily identified as genuine and real. The fact that you, the small business owner, took the time to personally interact demonstrates that you care. And that can facilitate stronger relationships online and offline.
Certainly, it does require some time to take inventory of the key companies and organizations your business accounts are connected with on your social media channels, but after some initial effort to align your personal accounts with them, keeping on top of it won’t be quite so bad. If you’re strapped for time – as so many small business owners are – identifying those connections is something that can very easily be delegated or outsourced. But from there, you’ll need to let your own personal sense of social savvy be your guide. There’s no satisfactory substitute for you and your voice when it comes reinforcing your personal commitment to building relationships for your small business in the professional community.
Your turn? What brand benefits have you discovered by connecting personally with other business on social media?
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Time is really the issue, but there is a tipping point. I think one has to keep at it before there isn’t a need to do it as much. That point is recognizable when somebody comes to say, hey…I was expecting to see your show/article/video. That means that the tribe is now following you as opposed to your seeking them out. (Not you personally..but “one”).
Great point, Charles! At some point, the hard work pays off (hopefully!), so that we don’t have to work quite as hard at it.