Social Media is not Set up and Forget it!

You have a website, or maybe you don't.  You decided you are going to create a Facebook and Twitter page for your business because everyone is telling you that you need to have one.   Well that's not necessarily true. 

In my opinion, if you are just going to set up the page and just leave it there, don't bother.  You need a social media strategy.   Here are some questions you should ask yourself when setting up your social media page.

1) Can I keep my page fresh?  You MUST make a commitment to post at least once a week.  Decide what you can post on the page on a regular basis to let your fans know that there is a living body on the page.  

Remember, social media is a CONVERSATION with the fans.  Its not just telling them that there is a "Sale" or you are promoting an event.  You can post about your business anniversaries, ask for opinions, welcome new staff members, post an article of interest, or let them know something about your industry.  If you are linking to another page, try to keep things mysterious so that they are intrigued enough to click on the link.

I suggest creating at least 25 "evergreen" posts in advance.  This way if you don't have time to think of something, you have a back-up post to let them know the "lights are still on" on your social media page.

When you get a response to a post, you must be ready to respond, with a thank you, or advice or a follow up with better customer service. Otherwise the conversation is one sided and that's boring for everyone.

2) How am I going to drive traffic to this page?  You can have the best page in the world, but if nobody knows about it, you won't get many fans.  It won't happen "Virally" at first (maybe ever).

Evaluate all your current communication with your customers.  If you have a website, make sure there is a link to facebook, if you are sending emails, the links should be included there too.  In addition, business cards,  stationary, advertisements and even the signature on your emails, should include a "follow us" link.

Once you covered the basics, then try a few grassroots ways to up the "Fans" to your page.  Ask your friends to help you increase your fan base and ask their friends to fan your page.

Create a promotion for "Fans" of the page.  A quick and easy way to get fans is always a sweepstakes.  Make sure you promote the sweeps as much as possible.

3) What are my goals for Social Media?  If you don't set goals, you won't be able to measure success or evaluate if social media is right for your business.

I suggest setting a goal for your page. For example, in the first month your goal is to get 100 fans through grass roots, followed by 1000 by promoting the sweepstakes in month 2.

If you are struggling to hit these goals, you have to either re-evaluate your strategy or decide if you want to dedicate resources to building your social media presence.  But if you are going to keep the page up,  I strongly suggest you stick with your weekly postings.

Barb's Top 10 Quotes about Social Media:

1. “New marketing is about the relationships, not the medium.” – Ben Grossman, founder of BiGMarK
2. “You can be professional while also ‘keeping it real’ with your customers. By interacting with customers in a less formal way, you’ll build a strong human connection that helps build brand loyalty.” David Hauser, co-founder of Grasshopper
3. “If your social strategy relies on advertising in social media, it’s probably better to hang on to your money.” – Taddy Hall, chief operating officer of Meteor Solutions
4.  “Social networks aren’t about Web sites. They’re about experiences.” – Mike DiLorenzo, NHL social media marketing director
5. “To utilize social media tools effectively and properly, you must absolutely generate spontaneous communications in direct response to what others are saying or to what is happening in that moment. Be yourself. Be conversational. Be engaged.” – Aliza Sherman, co-owner of social marketing firm Conversify
6. "Quit counting fans, followers and blog subscribers like bottle caps. Think, instead, about what you’re hoping to achieve with and through the community that actually cares about what you’re doing.” – Amber Naslund, Social Media Today
7. 
   “Engage rather than sell … Work as a co-creator, not a marketer.” – Tom H. C. Anderson, market researcher
8. "The most successful marketer becomes part of the lives of their followers. They follow back. They wish happy birthday. They handle problems their customers have with products or service. They grow their businesses and brands by involving themselves in their own communities.” – Marsha Collier, speaker and business author
9. “Ask yourself this question CONSTANTLY: where can I add the most value to what matters most to me and the people who care about me?” – Chris Brogan, author of “Trust Agents”
10. “Think like a publisher, not a marketer.” – David Meerman Scott, DavidMeermanScott.com