I need help with social media (and other frequently used statements and questions)

The world of social media and digital marketing can quickly get overwhelming. As a small business owner, you don’t have a lot of extra time, but you know you “need to do social media” because that’s what everyone says. If that scenario describes you, but you’re not sure where to start, we understand! Below are some of the questions our clients ask us when they’re getting started. Feel free to contact us to ask more or to have a (free, we promise!) phone chat about your goals and what you’re currently doing (if anything). We’ll help you hash out a plan based on your business and its goals. If you’ve ever secretly (or not-so-secretly) cursed social media or wondered what social media is, you’ve come to the right place!

What is it exactly that you do?

I help small businesses figure out what makes sense to market their business online. Thinking about a website, Google business page, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest… There are so many places to tell the world about your business and what you do, but not every one of those places works for all businesses. My goal is to help small business owners who are overwhelmed with knowing they “need to do social media,” but don’t have time to make it a priority. I help business owners like you figure out what places online are the best for your business and help you make a plan for that. For some businesses, I help them get organized and make a plan, and they implement it on their own. Other businesses have decided they don’t need to learn how to do it, and they just want to pay me to take care of it. Each business is different, so I will work with you to decide the best plan for you!

I know I need social media for my business. How do I get started?

This is the million dollar question; the one where everyone gets stuck because they don’t know what to do. I’ll list a few basic steps to give you an idea of a plan, but I encourage you to set up a time to chat with me. We’ll spend an hour chatting about your business and your goals, and I’ll be able to give you a good idea of what your digital goals should be and some steps to reach those goals. From there, you can decide whether to do so with the help of the resources on my website, if you want me to train you in how to do the things you need to do on your own, or if you want to hire me to manage your digital accounts each month.

1. Based on your business goals. decide which platforms to use (A platform is just a place to do marketing online, like Facebook, Twitter, or a blog).
2. If you haven’t already, create those social media accounts.
3. The platforms will prompt you to set your page up with a profile picture (typically your logo), a background photo, etc. Follow the steps and you’ll be in good shape.
4. Start posting things like sales, promotions, helpful tips for your audience, behind the scenes photos, etc.
5. Sit down once a month and look ahead two months. What dates/events do you want to include in your posting that might take some work to setup ahead of time?
6. Assess your posts every quarter to see what are the kinds of posts that are most popular with your followers.
7. Call me if you need help, get stuck, get overwhelmed, or want to ask questions. I’m here to help you be successful!

I have a Facebook and an Instagram, but I rarely use them. Can you help me?

Of course! Businesses often start with Facebook and get an Instagram because someone tells them they should. Facebook is a pretty universal platform for businesses to use to engage with their fans and followers. Instagram is a great platform for some businesses to use. Both might not be the best fit for other businesses. The best first step is for us to talk about your business and what you want to get out of using social media. We might decide that you don’t need a Facebook, but that we want to do a lot with your Instagram or vice versa. When we make that plan, we’re going to do so thinking about the time you have to commit to maintaining it in the future so that you don’t end up getting overwhelmed in a couple of months.

Someone told me I need to send an email newsletter to my clients. How do I do that?

Email newsletters are a great way to stay in touch with your clients or customers. You can send coupons, notices of sales, photos of your merchandise, and so many other things. It’s great to have a name and email address, but even if you don’t have people’s names, we can get you started sending emails just with their email addresses. There are regulations in place about needing people’s permission to add them to an email list and emailing them. Don’t worry, I know the rules! Together, we’ll create an email marketing calendar based on the seasonality of your business and what you want to tell your clients. There is a lot of information you can get from email reports about your clients (like what links they click, when they open the email, and whether they unsubscribe). Each email we send will get us more information that will help us plan for future newsletters.

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a social media platform that is centered around photograph. Unlike Facebook, you cannot include links to a website in the words you write with the photo. It’s designed to feature great photos and tell stories without being overly salesy to your followers. You can post video, multiple photos, edit your photos, and write creative captions to accompany your pictures. If you are in an industry that isn’t necessarily supported by good photos, you may not need an Instagram. I’m happy to give you the pros and cons and help you decide.

I don’t have time to focus on social media, and I’m operating on a small business budget. Is it expensive to hire you?

Like you, I’m a small business owner who has bills to pay. I wish I could offer all my services for free, but I’ve got to put a price tag on some of them. I offer lots of advice on my own social media channels and my website for business owners who want to manage their own social media. I also have monthly packages of varying sizes that allow me to help small businesses with their social media and email marketing each month for a price that fits in their budget. I encourage you to not let the fear of the money stop you from reaching out if you need help. Let’s talk and see what we can work out! If you want to find out more about hiring someone to manage your online presence, check out this great (very comprehensive) article from CoSchedule about all the things to consider when hiring a social media manager. It’s a long read, and some of it may not apply to you, but it’s a great detail piece!

Do I need a website to be a successful business?

Nope. You do not need a website just to have one. Websites aren’t terribly expensive, but they do cost money and need to be maintained. If a website is not part of a specific strategy to grow your business, save yourself the money, the hassle, and the stress. If you want to talk about whether or not you need a website, let’s talk. I can help you decide!

I have other questions.

Great! Email me, call me, or fill out the contact form, and I’ll get in touch with you. Together, we will make a plan that is manageable for you and fits in your time frame.