3 Months of Social Media Marketing Grew my Business

Small business owners—especially MWBEs—often wonder if social media really works. As a MWBE small business owner myself, I’ll tell you this: before you ask if it works, you must first ask yourself what your goals are.

Do you want to use social media to:

Raise awareness of your event, service, or product?
Get people to join your email newsletter list or visit your website?
Establish connections with prospects or partners?

These are just a few examples, but the truth is that there are countless uses. No matter your goals, in order to increase business with social media you must be strategic and consistent.

I increased my brand awareness and connected with dozens of qualified prospects—with just three months of social media marketing. Here are a few do’s and don’ts that small business owners should consider for social media success.

Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing.

DO use social media as a way to educate your target audience about matters that are important to them. Your prospects are searching for answers to their problems. I recommend creating content and sharing other credible and relevant content.
DO use social media to give your potential customers a sneak-peak behind the curtains insight into you and your brand. Let them know more about your mission, values, causes that you care about, and how you are helping that cause.
DO tastefully share personal updates. Statistics show that people like to see photos—more than videos—and updates of people they are interested in doing business with in the future. Social media is for connecting, so make sure you demonstrate that you are human.
DO model profiles of other successful business owners or mentors who are strategically using social media to connect and engage with their targeted audience.
DO make time to engage and connect on social media. Consistency and engagement are essential to success.
DO use social media as part of an overall strategy (marketing plan) to communicate with your target audience.
DO create private groups to share information with your clients or potential customers. Sharing is important, but make sure you get to know your audience one-on-one. Sometimes a conversation is more valuable than a broadcast.

DON’T overshare personal news when using social media for business. It’s okay to share updates about your involvement with charitable causes or community/networking groups, but don’t share anything personal beyond that.
DON’T share junk or “fake news.” Be purposeful about the content you are sharing and confident with the sources of information you pass along.
DON’T trash talk or spiral into a rant about politics or other matters. If you are adamant about sharing your views, remember to keep it professional.
DON’T be haphazard about your posts. Make a marketing plan with a calendar and be sure to optimize your posts—use the correct #hashtags, post at the optimal days of the week/times of day, tag/mention the right accounts, and proofread.

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