Preparing your business for social media
Marketing is like conversing with someone and building a relationship with them. Social media marketing, through that lens, is like casual conversation or small talk. It might seem silly or insignificant at the time, but those conversations build friendships.
Mindset and approach are crucial elements of any successful social media strategy. However, doing social media well as a business isn’t just about following all the best practices, being consistent, and posting promotional offers. While those things are still important, they won’t make your social media a valuable marketing tool.
Root your social media strategy in the purpose of social media, not the purpose of marketing, and you will have more engagement, drive more people to your value offers, and grow your business.
Start gathering stories, not ad copy
The #1 mistake businesses make with social media is treating it solely as advertising. Part of the reason social media is such an effective tool for reaching an audience is that the viewer has permitted you to communicate with you. Your followers follow you because they believe you will add value to their lives.
However, they aren’t on social media to be sold to. People are good at sniffing out targeted ads or cheap promotions and scrolling past them. Of course, there is a time and place for a harder “sell,” but you must first earn people’s trust by delivering great content.
Storytelling helps bring the social back to social media. Instead of shouting at people to buy a product or service, tell a story. Tell about your customers, those working within the business, or the product itself. For example, if you’re a coffee company, instead of using your social media to say, “Come buy this cup of coffee,” try saying:
“Here is where your coffee comes from.”
“Here are a few reasons drinking coffee can make you feel great.”
“Here is the barista who made your coffee.”
“Here is a customer who drinks our coffee, and here is their story.”
Though it may seem counterintuitive, you’ll gain more subscribers, sell more products, and convert more customers with this method. When you give the viewer a glimpse into your world and invite them in with information relevant to their interests, they begin to envision themselves as a part of that world. By starting a conversation, we create a relationship, build trust, and gain followers who become customers.
Treat social media as an ongoing relationship, with stories sparking the best conversation. Don’t view social media as a billboard, commercial, or traditional advertising platform.
Understand and speak to your audience directly
So don’t try to be for everyone. You are not for everyone. You’re probably not even for most people. That’s a good thing; it means you’re solving a real problem for a real person—your ideal customer. Define who they are, what they want, what problems they face, and what their success looks like.
For example, if you’re a local brick-and-mortar bookstore, don’t worry about appealing to someone who lives in a different state. If your community has inside jokes, tell those jokes in your posts. If someone in your community accomplished a big goal, celebrate them publicly. If some friends started a book club that meets in your store, feature them.
By understanding your customer, you empower yourself to communicate with them with empathy, wisdom, and practical support. Find your niche and speak with your personality to that audience. Don’t use vague or general language to try and engage everyone. Also, don’t worry about maximizing your likes and followers—you need the right people to pay attention.
Progress is better than perfection
If you agonize over creating the “perfect” post all week, it might look cute on your grid, but it won’t get you the traction you need to build an audience or drive engagement. Your posts don’t need to be studio-quality, editorial perfection. You don’t need to worry about every post saying the exact right thing. You don’t have to be perfect all the time.
It’s easy to look at other social media accounts from bigger businesses with better budgets and think that’s the level of quality you need to rise to. Don’t be fooled! Quality and style will come with time and practice, but consistency and honesty are the most important things, especially early on.
Focus on posting a small piece of your brand story and identity regularly, and the overall picture will be richer. Organic growth takes time and consistency to form connections. If you don’t show up, you won’t see that growth. Keep up the momentum.
Generate enough weekly content for regular posts that match your brand identity. However, don’t get so caught up in the idea of perfection that you chicken out of posting. Version one is better than version none.
Share your purpose, don’t sell your product
People don’t want the thing you do or make—they could get it anywhere. What they want is how it will make them feel, where it takes them, and who it helps them become. So your unique selling point is rooted in your ability to understand precisely what problems your customer is trying to solve and leveraging your product to help them do that.
People don’t want to buy a drill—they don’t even want to buy a hole in the wall. They want to hang something on their wall to create a home for them. People don’t want to buy a vacuum—they hardly even want to buy a clean house. Instead, they want a safe place for their family and friends to gather, eat, and play.
6th Ave Homes is a real estate company we launched and grew with much help from our social media strategy. We could have said, “Come buy a house from the best real estate company,” but that’s vague, debatable, and frankly, no one cares. They’ve heard it a thousand times from a thousand different businesses.
Instead, we say, “We know you want to be original. You don’t just want a house; you want a home that feels like you.” Suddenly, we're painting a picture instead of selling a company or product. We don’t mention our value offer—buying and selling real estate. Instead, we focus on its purpose: uniqueness, comfort, and belonging.
Talk about your mission and core values. These are essential assets to your business. If you don’t have them, you need to create them. If you have them, use them, discuss them, and invite people into your story. People want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They love supporting brands with a clear purpose and those that give back to their communities. So your messaging should always emphasize the “why” for doing what you do.
Tell people why you do what you do, and you will endear them to your brand beyond simply liking your product. After all, which do you want more—a one-click customer or a lifetime follower who will keep coming back and telling their friends?
Lead with purpose. Don’t let your content be monopolized by what you sell.
Document, don’t create
The idea of posting consistently on social media can feel intimidating. You may wonder how you could create meaningful pieces of content multiple times each week without eventually running out of ideas. However, there is a simple way around this mental block: document, don’t create.
Remember, you’re sharing the story of what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. You’re already creating something with your business. Social media is all about documenting and sharing what you’re already creating. Don’t overthink it. Your audience wants to know the real you.
By documenting your business, you establish an authentic image of your brand rather than creating a fantasized production. In doing so, you will connect with more people who need what you already bring to the world.
Start by documenting your journey—the things you do daily, the genuine parts that make up your business, and the things you’re passionate about. Don’t overanalyze what to post so much that you never post anything.
Don’t prepare your business for social media alone
Sometimes, business owners and those running it can be too close to the company. It’s easy to lose sight of your purpose, play the comparison game with other social media profiles, and overthink what it takes to succeed on social media.
So if you’re reading through our series on social media and thinking, “This sounds great, but I could never accomplish this—I’m way too busy,” then schedule a meet-up with us. Our talented social media strategists and content creators are ready to help you grow your business and share your stories.
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