The Perfect Small Business or Non-Profit Social Media strategy? It's ...

I want so much to just reach into your social media accounts and take the YOU out of your posts!

I know you have seen a zillion articles on how Social Media is all about ENGAGEMENT, but many of you still treat Social Media as though it is just another form of advertising for you and your stuff! It?s not.

Is it because we are schooled with Show n Tell? Show what you got and tell ?em all about it? Well, please forget that!

Social Media is more suited for a Show, but Don?t Sell approach.

Here are some bad practices you see a lot of:

Bad #1:

?My goal is tons of? followers.?

That is an empty strategy. Numbers are impressive when you?re talking profits, but numbers of followers do not usually bring those profits. If there is no conversation, then there is no relationship building. And if there is no relationship building, then congratulations, you may have great numbers, but didja notice not a lot more profit?

Bad #2:

In two 15 minute periods per day:

Post my biz. Post educational info about my biz. Post about my competitor. Post more about what I offer. Post about my products. Post why you should come in today. Post a picture about my new product. Post my biz.? Engage.?Post my biz. Post my biz. Post educational info about my biz. Post my biz. Post my biz. Post my biz. Engage. Post educational info about my biz. Post. Post. Post. Post. Post. Post. ?????..

oops, why isn?t anyone commenting or liking?

Hmmmm? Try turning it around:

Pick a few times a day to spend about 15-30 minutes on each account (and don?t forget weekends have heavy use on Facebook):

Post a warm greeting from my biz. Share a story of a store experience I had or a customer?s comment. Spend time on my feed and comment on others? posts. Spend more time on feed and comment on others? posts. Reply to comments. Look for others to follow and post a compliment of their page on their page. Post something funny on my page that relates to my business. Sincerely thank my followers for following after they posted a particular exchange.? Share an inspiration. Ask a question about my fans. Mention a sale item. Engage on my feed. Reply to another comment on my wall. Share a photo of a customer wearing or using my product and post their comments and reactions. ??. Oh, I got another Like! And a comment! And a new person just Liked my page.

Aaaaahhhh, so this is how it works!

Bad #3:

?But I have to promote my business / non-profit, it?s social media MARKETING, right??

Yes,we accepted and expect you to want to grow your business, increase donations and spread the word.

But please think of how annoying it is when your favorite network TV show bombards you with 5 minutes of commercials and the show returns for only a few minutes, and then you get another slew of commercials. (example: Saturday Night Live does this a lot ? especially in the 2nd half.)

So why would you do that on social media, where people come to play and get away from it all?

Don?t wear down and turn off your followers with constant advertising.

80/20? 80/20? 80/20? 80/20? 80/20? 80/20? 80/20? 80/20? 80/20

The 80/20 rule works! 80% engagement, 20% promotion. No one will turn you away for selling 20% of the time, as long as you are truly part of the social media conversation 80% of the time.

Spend more of your time in the feeds. How else are you going to find your like-minded followers?

It?s really a lot more simple than you think! Spend more time on the feeds, and pay more attention to others. Tell stories about those involved. Lead to the why of why they came to your business or donated to your cause?

People who don?t interact with you personally do see this activity and they get to know you in a virtual way. This is far better advertising than any billboard or promotion.

That is what social media is for, for your followers to get to know you, to like you, to resonate with your posts.

This also applies to email marketing and newsletters!

What do your followers know you for?

If you can?t answer that, then maybe you should take another look at your ?social media strategy.?

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