Spotlight on Social Media
A Report from the Trenches
On Wednesday, I attended the Small Business Expo at the Dallas Convention Center. I thought it would be a great opportunity to network and the seminars seemed custom-designed to take me to the next level in my social media savvy. Social Media was only one of the areas covered. There was everything from payroll services, to salesperson coaches with lectures and booths, but my focus was social media. I'd like to share some of what I learned.
When the day was over, I realized most of the speakers assumed everyone in their audience wants to be a professional social media influencer. According to the speakers, we all want Coca-Cola, Sephora and Prada to call us to represent their line and suddenly get rich from it. We've all heard of people that do just that - right? But really, is that what you want? If that is what you want, I can give you the name of some potential coaches. If you just want to do better at social media for your business, maybe I can help.
Reaching Your World, Instead of the Whole World
Announcement!! I really don't want to be a mega or micro inflencer. Exactly why in the world do I want with One Million or even Ten Thousand Instagram followers? Exactly what would you do with that many followers. Just juggling them all would take a staff and you wouldn't have time to pursue the real job you love and are committed to.
My goal is to help my local clients get more business from local customers. My clients are real estate agents, piano teachers, massage therapist, construction company owners, craftsmen, artists, etc. Their potential clients are right here in their neighborhood, across the street and around the corner. How is some social media coach in LA, with tens of thousands followers from around the world going to help me help my clients?
Once I shook off the hypnotic spell of laying down several thousand dollars for coaching, which would turn me into the next micro-influencer, I was able to focus on the tidbits and snippets the speakers were dropping in their seminars.
Would it be cool to listen in on a weekly call from one of the social media mavens? Sure it would, but then I started thinking about how much my clients would have to pay me to cover the cost of the privilege and allow me enough profit to buy some groceries. In truth, everything anyone needs to know about social media is on the internet somewhere. I just need to take that hour once a week, to Google around and do some YouTubing. I'll be way ahead of the game and I'll save my clients money.
Consistency, Engagement, Relationship and Authenticity
And there's the big four. After seven hours of seminars, that's what it boils down to: consistency, rate of engagement, relationship-building and authenticity. Which begs the question, how can you possibly be authentic with One Million Followers and develop real relationships which engender a high rate of engagement? Well, before each of the day's seminar was over, each speaker admitted, in more or less words, you couldn't have an authentic relationship with 10,000 to a million people. You're just supposed appear as if you do. Who wants to be that person?
What you can do is post consistently, engage your followers, build relationships and be authentic with the people in your sphere of influence - the ones who are most likely to do business with you. If that's what you want to do, then I can help. Did I learn some tricks of the trade which might be helpful to you? Sure I did and I'll be sharing that information in the days to come, but for now be consistent in posting, engage with others in comments and likes, develop a real relationship with as many as you can and be authentic in what you post - and I'll be glad to help.
Consultations are always free. Call me up and let's talk about your social media goals - or we can meet over coffee, if that suits you better. You may walk away with a to-do list you feel good about or maybe you'll hire me to do some of it for you. Either way, you'll be closer to your goals and that's what matters to me.