Finding the time for social media is one of the hardest things, I often hear business owners say. You know that you have to find the time for social media because it is important for your business, but you just want to find the simplest, smartest way to get it going, then be consistent and get it right. I hear you.
“Everything worth doing is worth doing well.” This is so true. Why bother if it is just going to be another time-waster or worse yet, your money goes down the drain? I have yet to experience any time or money wasting, though it is enticing to sit flicking through YouTube channels and spend hours trawling for interesting content — business-related or not.
You started your business because you have a passion for it and you believe that you are darn good at it. Right? (Your answer here should be a big yes!) That’s the first step to getting your mind around fitting it all into your busy schedule. You need to focus on your passion and share it. Trust me, your story will resonate with an audience out there that is just dying to hang on your every word.
Simplify your social media activities. Build the content your audience would love based on the business and passion you have — think back to when you started. Usually someone will relate to your passion and there you have it — a share-worthy, relevant content stream. The more of this you do, the more of it will come to you. Always start with the “who” in mind. Social media has a great sense of karma. What you put into it, you will get out of it. Social media is very reciprocal, and if you go in with the right intention of providing help, your audience will lap it up.
Make a small time commitment to it. I know you’re expecting your good content karma to yield an audience of brand ambassadors. But first you need to be committed to your social media efforts. Your time is valuable; but it is the investment in your audience that will keep them coming back for more. Commit daily to tweeting, connecting on Facebook, sharing on LinkedIn, being inspirational on Pinterest and get that weekly blog post going, too.
Sharing is caring. Make sure to share the things that relate to you. Your audience may, in turn, give the creators of that content a reason to take a peek at your work — and then pay back the favor. Share content from your influencers and even your competitors, and you will soon be seen as an authority in your field. Soon those connections will become important to you, and you’ll be drawn back time and again to share new content with your followers.
How are you making time for social media?
Once you have built this recipe into your daily tasks, it will get easier and easier every day — perhaps even addictive. I look forward to seeing your daily updates in the social media sphere. Don’t forget to connect and join in the conversation.
Tam Jackson works with business owners wanting a consistent digital footprint, to extend their reach, with a professional online presence and turn their conversations into prospects. She works with award-winning fashion, hair and beauty brands and businesses and recently spoke at the Professional Hair Live show in Manchester, U.K.
