photo credit: Jason A. Howie via photopin cc
Social media is the most popular form of connection for businesses today. Email still has its place and value in marketing, without any doubt, but it’s not nearly as visible as social media. The opportunity to build an entrepreneur’s platform is squarely focused on social media… but there’s a problem.
Many entrepreneurs try to cut corners in social media by hiring a social media manager or a marketing firm to run their social media. This isn’t just building a Facebook page or creating a Twitter account; this is a complete hands-off, “here’s my password and login, just post whatever” approach to social media.
And it’s obvious!
It doesn’t sound like you. It doesn’t speak with the same voice of authority as you speak. Sure, it may sound close on occasion, maybe even undetectable to others, but you’re diluting the authenticity that your audience expects from you as an entrepreneur. Your audience will find out, and you will realize how much credibility you lost.
I don’t make it a habit of managing another entrepreneur’s social media. Whether it’s an author, speaker, life coach, or any other dynamic name personality, anyone managing their social media other than those individuals is the very definition of anti-social media.
Multi-member companies should have a dedicated social media manager, preferably their key person of interest, but if you’re a solopreneur or even a small business, you need to own your social media.
Social media is an investment. To build value into your audience, you must take the time to be yourself on social media. It’s easier than you might expect to build a strong following over a short period of time, but it takes hard work.
Your followers expect to hear from you when they choose to follow your platform. With a little coaching and a small investment of time each day (less than 30 minutes), you will be amazed at how much value you will find by investing in the people who choose to hear from you.
When I help launch a new social media account for a brand, it’s my job to empower them with the right information. I don’t just hand someone the keys to a car; I also teach them how to drive really well. I combine a variety of blog posts, ebooks, articles, and other resources to coach them through the best approach to their new social media account.
Being an engaged voice on social media is a skill worth developing, not a chore to be farmed out to someone else. I can give you the coaching and resources you need to be at your best with social media.
