One of the great things about owning and running a business these days is the boundless opportunity. In the past, your clients likely lived very close to you. Now small businesses can have clients and customers all over the world!
I’m often working with people across the globe, and my recent book launch for Jumpstart Your Marriage and Your Money had a bigger splash because I was using social media to reach out to partners, influencers and potential readers.
Social media at its best can introduce your products and services to a wider audience. At its worst, though, it can be a time-sink and a distraction. The key is using it wisely. If you’re looking to master social media without taking over your day, here some of the best tools and tips I’ve found.
Tackle One Channel at a Time
There are so many options and channels out there for small businesses to be a part of. One way you can stay productive and avoid being overwhelmed is by tackling one channel at a time. Give yourself at least a month to get into a rhythm before you add another one.
Limit Yourself to Two or Three Channels
Yep, less is more. If you don’t know where to start, begin with your market. Where are most of your customers coming from? Which social media tools do they love to use? Finally, which channels are a good fit for you? Looking at the data, you should be able to choose two, maybe three channels, to focus in on for your business.
Batch Most of Your Social Media
Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter can eat away at the clock so if you need to, put yourself on a schedule. Batch your posts so that they’re being shared throughout the day without them having to constantly interrupt your deep work. As you complete the ‘meat and potatoes’ of your business, you can check in with your social media channels from time to time. Jump in with insights, comments, or just interact with the community.
Try out the free trials and options, but don’t be afraid to upgrade. If you’re looking to make professional looking visuals for your posts, Canva is a fantastic option. I also found Buffer, Boardbooster, and SmarterQueue to be well worth the small investment.
While most businesses have seasonal or one-time promotions, the vast majority of your business is “evergreen”, meaning its useful to your customers and clients throughout the year. Make sure you’re keeping that material in front of them by using tools like MeetEdgar and Smarter Queue to on an automatic rotation.
Lead Potential Clients and Your Fans to Your List
Social media is a wonderful way to introduce your business to a wider audience and give customers a peek of your personality. However, if you’re looking to grow your business, you have to develop those relationships and conversations. By far, your email list is one of the most effective ways to build that connection.
Don’t Forget Related Tax Deductions
You may be using the internet to check in on your social media channels or a special computer software to design posts for your channels. Don’t forget that you can deduct your expenses that are directly related to your business at tax time. You can track your income and expenses year round using QuickBooks Self-Employed and then easily export your information to TurboTax Self-Employed at tax time.