Social media management: Win the fight for control once and for all!

Reading time: 4 minutes

Just because social media is on 24/7 doesn't mean you have to be. I've too, felt the need to always be connected in case something new comes up. While social media is  always 'on' and new things are always coming up, it usually isn't urgent.

The TRUTH: Social media doesn't have to be the insatiable beast we have come to know.

Follow these 3 tips to successfully manage your social media networks, maintain your sanity AND improve productivity in the process!

Tip #1: Know your purpose

Being on social networks is different than actually being productive with them. To be productive, as with any aspect of marketing your business, you need to have an identified purpose for what you are doing. This is otherwise called an objective. 

Setting objectives is a challenging process but it is essential. If you want to make the most out of ANY marketing activity, defining your purpose by setting objectives is a must. Social media is no different. 

Here are some sample objectives:

• Reach new audiences (as measured by new likes)
• Engage audience with brand (as measured by comments or shares, retweets, repins, etc.)
• Encourage action (be specific - more sign ups for a newsletter? more downloads of a free tool?)

Identifying why you are on social media in the first place goes a LOOONG way to making it work for you, and not the other way around. Remember, the key is to make it measurable.

Tip #2: Set a time limit and stick to it 

Social media can often feel like the demanding child that is always begging for attention. It keeps calling you, drawing you in to it's vortex of time-sucking. Yes, I did just make that up. ;-) 

The point is, YOU have to take control over your time by setting a time limit and sticking to it. Sure, you will feel like there is so much more you could have done when that buzzer rings, but the reality is, while social media never turns off, neither the world nor your business will end after you log off. 

A very wise and web-savvy marketter named Lynn Terry taught me that you ABSOLUTELY can get what needs to be done in 15 minute blocks of time per social network. Do this as often as fits into your routine or lifestyle. Ready to give it a try? Go!

HINT: You know that purpose you defined earlier? This is where having a purpose comes in handy. Now you can make the most of your time online by focusing only on those activities which support your objectives. Which leads to the next point...

Tip #3: Make a list of your daily (or weekly) social media "to-do's" by network

Make a TO-DO list for each social network you are actively engaged with. This helps keep the distraction-clicking to a minimum, boosting your productivity. 

For example, make a list of keywords relevant to your business and purpose. Keep this list handy, and perform searches each time you go online. When you find interesting things, share and comment on them.

More examples of objective-oriented tasks for social networks:

• Want to extend your audience and reach? Find 3 new people to follow each session. Comment on their content, say hi' and introduce yourself.
• Look specifically for content that you can share on other networks (this is dual-use time because it fuels your need for content elsewhere, ie. find article links on Twitter and repost them as a status updates on your own Facebook page. Include the article link for your readers and voilà! You have new content to engage your audience/followers)

POP QUIZ: Have you noticed that a lot of the activities are related to engaging via commenting and sharing? 

This is important because you want to provide VALUE to  your audience and also contribute VALUABLE comments to other ongoing conversations in established communities where your audience hangs out. This is important because it makes your business (BRAND) look good. By not only 'selling' yourself and your business, by offering more substance through engagement and content, you are creating a more personal and valuable connection to potential customers. And isn't that what we, as business owners want?

For more on the value of building relationships, what I call VALUE MARKETING, and why it is the KEY to establishing brand loyalty, check out my other blog post about why you should be building relationships, and NOT selling your business.

Best of luck, 

Nancy

PS: Want to receive more one-on-one help with marketing  your business? Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheRoguePeaMarketing

Why YOU are your own best social media 'expert'

Crown courtesy of Clker.com

I realize the title of this post might elicit some scoffing, followed by thoughts along the lines of "How can I be a social media expert? My background isn't in marketing or advertising!!" And rightly so; knowing how to best use social media for your business may not be your forte, but that is only part of the social media equation.

The other key part of social media is content; RELEVANT content. Relevant content is what makes Tweets, posts, updates and pin boards resonate with your audience. So what is relevant content? It is the bit of news, the photo, the thought of the day, the link to an article that will seize the attention of your audience. It is what makes them click instead of scrolling, read instead of scanning, notice instead of ignoring. It provides value and in doing so, makes the time they spend engaging with your business worthwhile to them. That is what will keep them coming back, thereby keeping your business top of mind. Content has the potential to affect the overall experience with your business and it contributes to your business's overall image, otherwise known as your brand.

So, going back to my initial statement, I'll ask now: who best to guide the content part of your social media presence than you? After all, you know your business, you know what your customers value, and the keys that guide your business inside and out. Embrace that knowledge and utilize it to your benefit.

Cultivating the knowledge

The key is knowing how to harness the knowledge you hold about your business and developing a sixth sense of sorts to be able to recognize what can be turned into valuable social media tid-bits. It does take a bit of practice, but once you start looking for things in this light, the more easily you will recognize them. Not all posts or Tweets will be zingers, but take heart: one of the beautiful things about social media is the ability to experiment, adjust and keep trying different things until you hit your groove and see what resonates most with your audience.

Summary: Sit down and think about what news and information is valuable to your customers that is related and complements your business. Start scanning blogs, news sources and online magazines for ideas that can add value to your social media presence.


If you would like to learn more about how to manage social media for your business, The Rogue Pea Marketing offers a combination package that includes a 1-hour consultation, a 1-hour personalized training session with training guide, and a custom strategy for your business. Contact me at info@theroguepeamarketing.

Nancy

UPDATE Learn & Work session: July 31

THIS SESSION HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER 2013. A DATE WILL BE POSTED AS SOON AS IT IS CONFIRMED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN THE MEANTIME, DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME!

UPDATE: Topic selected

The topic for the Learn & Work session on July 31, 2013 will be:

Social media: I have a social media account; so what's next? 

The session will discuss developing a social media strategy, different ways different businesses can benefit from using social media, and how to keep it manageable. In the workshop portion, participants will discuss their own businesse's social media presence and we will work towards establishing an outline for a plan and cover the essentials for managing your brand online.

If you are interested in attending, please register in advance by emailing info@theroguepeamarketing.com

Cost: $40 + HST = $45.20. Receipts will be provided.
Date: July 31, 2013
Location: boardroom, TD Canada Trust at Huntmar Road and Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m  OR 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. is preferred. Please indicate your preference when registering.

Please note that there is a maximum of 12 spots available for this Learn & Work Session. 

Social media for small biz: a blessing and a burden?

Social media is a godsend for small businesses. It is has helped to level the playing field with the 'big guys' so to speak, at least when it comes to exposure in the marketplace. Social media has made it easier for small business owners to get out there and show their off stuff to the rest of the world. But one thing that perhaps is not as obvious when diving into the world of sharing, posting and Tweeting for the first time is the investment of time required to maintain a social media presence and the absolute necessity of having a strategy right from the start.

Choices, so many choices!

The abundance of social media channels and communities out there is astonishing and can be downright overwhelming. Even just considering the cream of the crop 'top tier' sites that are the equivalent of social media monarchy, it's easy to be confused by which to choose for your business, and unfortunately strategy becomes a game of eenie-meenie-miney-mo or the decision to just "do it all". But the process of deciding which social media platform to use need not be so anxiety-provoking.

Just because there are many choices out there doesn't mean your business has to do it all. Sure, social media can be a wonderful tool but it is not a 'set it and forget it' kind of deal that can be left alone after setting up an account. That is why I'm a strong proponent of a less-is-more philosophy especially for small businesses whose resources are at a premium. Rather than trying to have a Facebook page, Twitter account and Pinterest boards, for example, I prefer to guide businesses through the process of elimination to find out which 1 or 2 tools will work best for them based on their business goals and go from there. Choosing the best fit is paramount to the successful execution of a social media strategy that will lead to long-term success.

I know that this approach may inspire some initial feelings of apprehension that opportunities are being missed by choosing one platform over another and that the competition might get an edge by having a presence on multiple platforms, but in all my years of working in professional communications one of the consistent truths I have learned along the way is that ultimately, quality trumps quantity almost every time. Customers and clients will appreciate the more genuine sentiments conveyed through your messages and the consistent effort to stay in contact with them via a carefully selected social media channel than an inconsistent presence on several different sites because it is too difficult to manage them all. This is where the strategy comes in. It will guide what you post, what your measurements for success will be and most importantly, keep your efforts on track.

A manageable presence is the secret ingredient for success

After establishing a strategy, keeping your social media manageable is the next most important factor in the success of your social media efforts. This is why it is so important to scale the strategy to fit the size of your business. Much like the chance of sticking with an exercise program improves significantly when it fits your lifestyle, managing a social media strategy will only work if it is built around the resources and time you have to invest in maintaining it. Unlike other promotional tools, social media requires an ongoing commitment. While this may seem daunting, keeping it manageable makes it do-able and translates into something that can be sustained over the long term. Luckily there are many free tools to help with this such as Hootsuite, which offers an ever-expanding roster of services to help scheduling social media updates. Consistency and quality are key to making the most out of social media for small business.


Summary: Don't feel like your small business needs to be everywhere! Carefully selecting social media tools based on your business goals and then scaling the strategy to reflect the real-time commitment to maintain your presence is key to long-term success.


Interested in learning more about how to build a social media plan for your business? Email info@theroguepeamarketing.com. 

From the back burner to front and centre 2.0

So the very last post on here was heralding a new step in my professional career with the launch of my freelance writing business, Simple Communications. That was a definite momentum changer and step in the right direction however, fastforward a year, and now I'm in a whole new place, facing a new challenge - one that I'm so excited to embark on. I am launching my own consulting business that combines my passion and expertise for branding and marketing communications strategy-  The Rogue Pea Marketing. My niche is helping small and medium-sized businesses thrive by offering a combination of training and educational resources along with customized strategic advice to address branding, marketing communications and social media management.

In speaking with small business owners, I've come to realize that there is a glaring need for trustworthy and affordable advice that addresses the unique challenges small business owners face when it comes to marketing and 'getting the word out' as one such owner put it. These businesses face very different challenges and I'm very excited to meet these entrepreneurs, to learn more about what it means to own a small business and to help them achieve their goals and reach the success they envision for their companies. I want to help them become The Rogue Pea that stands apart from the pod!

My approach is based on the philosophy that better understanding and knowledge leads to better decision-making. As such my services offer a combination of education and custom consulting. In the near future (hopefully as soon as the end of July), I will be offering 2-hour training sessions/workshops for small groups of business owners. The first half of the the session will consist of a presentation I will give on a specific topic of interest, (ie. branding and why it is important for small business). During the second half I will moderate a workshop to discuss issues and questions that attendees bring to the table about their businesses, relating to the presentation topic that day. I feel this approach promotes a friendly and comfortable exchange of ideas - ideal circumstances to foster creativity and problem-solving.

My website will be up and running in the next month or so but for the time being, I will be posting regularly on this blog. Posts will include my take on a particular aspect of branding or marketing, or maybe a link to a valuable resource with a bit of information as to why it is useful.

All this to say, I hope you will stick around, subscribe to my blog by submitting your email (at right) to be notified of updates, and share your comments as we go along. Thanks!