7 Steps to Successful Social Media Marketing

Many clients have asked me the "secret" to social media marketing success. I always tell them, there is no secret, but you need a strategic plan. 

My advice, use my 7 Steps to Successful Social Media Marketing. 

1. Every business is now in the publishing business. 

You must create and share interesting and relevant content with words, pictures, and video. People are looking for solutions, for help, for opportunities to learn, and to share. Create authentic and meaningful relationships through relevant content that helps their life.

2. Social media is about creating strategic conversations that lead to meaningful connections. 

The goal is to create community. We can only talk in person to a limited number of people, however, social media allows us to listen to hundreds, and sometimes, thousands more, respond, and demonstrate who we really are and what we stand for.

3. Whenever we post we must ask ourselves some tough reminder questions:
a) Why would anyone follow us on (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc)?
b) Why does anyone care about this content?
c) Why are we posting this content? What is the action/outcome we want?

4. How can we engage our followers?
a) By posting relevant and interesting content that is meaningful to them 80% of the time. (Do self promotion only 20% of the time)
b) After posts ask questions that prompt engagement. (Have you tried this technique? Let us know how it has worked for you? I suggest a list of about 25 stock questions ready to be asked).
c) Offer incentives for participation. Before TurboTax was well known, the brand ran a contest on YouTube for the best rap (yes I said rap) music video about the product and gave a cash award. The brand had hundreds of entries and thousands of views.

5) Respond to posts quickly. We wouldn't leave a potential or current customer waiting at our business or on the phone for several hours or days, so why do we do that on social media? How and when we respond is seen by current and potential customers.

6) Find out your Prime Time: As you post you will begin to see when prime time is for your followers on a specific platform. In some cases it may be weekday mornings, in other cases it may be 3pm-9pm. Look for reach, shares, and comments, as these will give you clues to your prime time.

7) Be repeatable, relevant, and inspiring.