Social media provides tools to humanize your brand

It’s no longer good enough to have a few web pages that tell about your business. To stay competitive and lead your industry, you must have a solid content strategy plan to market and grow your business. Content should be delivered in many different ways to provide potential clients with a variety of ways to engage with your business.

Social media is how we stay in touch; how we stay in front of our clients, and more importantly, how our clients choose to stay engaged and informed. Social media is a powerful way to connect and to build relationships. The key is to understand the tools, determine what you want to accomplish, and craft a strategy to reach your goals.

Craft a social media content strategy plan

Remember, social media should be a way to connect with your client. Focus on creating a human connection that extends beyond social media.

Identify your audience.

Know who you are speaking to; know their concerns and understand their frustrations.

Identify your goals.

Know what you want to accomplish. Be clear and define your brand to be distinct and unique.

Identify how you’ll measure success.

Executing a clear, consistent social media strategy requires commitment of resources – whether it be time, money, personnel, or a combination of all three. Knowing clearly what you are trying to accomplish and then identifying how you’ll measure success will ensure that your resources are being spent wisely. Understand that for this to be successful, being agile and quickly focusing on what works will ensure your plan evolves over time into a successful tool for your company.

Identify obstacles.

Know what it is that is holding you back. Is it time? Then find the right person to execute and run your campaigns. Fear? Then find a consultant to help you create a plan you feel comfortable with. Only when you know what it is that is stopping you can you find a solution to help you move forward.

Evaluate!

Periodically stop and review your results. This is the time to evaluate what you’ve done, identify what is working, and improve upon your plan.

Now what?

Executing a successful content strategy plan takes commitment. But sometimes a little bit of research is in order before you begin.

Are you new to social media? Then monitor successful people and companies on the various social media apps. Learn from what they are doing right – or wrong. Make a list of things you like- and those things that you don’t like. This can help you craft your own messages.

If you don’t have time for that, hire someone to sit down and talk with you about what makes sense for your business and has the most potential to reach your target market. A social media expert can help you execute your plan within your guidelines and scope.

Marketing online is now more important than ever. Understanding what you need to do is the first step to crafting a successful online marketing strategy. The next step? … get started! Make 2013 a banner year for your business!

Focus Your Message to Boost Your Results

Get access to our Brand Worksheet: Your Customer Journey. You’ll find valuable insights when looking closer at your ideal customer and their journey to working with you. Take your insights into creating more focused, clear messaging to attract the right customers.