Do you Periscope? Blab? Instagram? Facebook? Tweet? Snapchat? YouTube? …
It seems like every day direct sellers and small business owners are being encouraged to be on the next big social network. It can start to feel like if you’re not posting, tweeting, snapchatting, live streaming, etc. all day, you are setting yourself up for failure.
But then how will you ever run your business?
The fact of the matter is that it’s not about being on every social network that’s out there. What matters is connecting with the right people, with a specific goal in mind. Social networks can help you do that. But you don’t have to be on all of them to be successful.
It makes a lot more sense, especially if you are a small business, to understand where you can reach a lot of potential customers. Perhaps it’s on Facebook, if Gen X or Boomers are your market. Perhaps it’s Snapchat or Instagram if you want to reach Millennials. And on and on. But think about where you can engage the right people in the limited amount of time that you have.
I volunteer with a local food pantry. One of our most powerful tools to reach the community is Facebook. When we need donations, we know that if we post photos of empty shelves in local community Facebook groups, and use the tagging feature in Facebook to alert community advocates, we can count on donations pouring in within hours. By understanding the features of the network you want to use, and how you can use them most effectively to reach the people you want to reach, you can gain the results you are looking for.
Remember, social media for the sake of social media is a waste of time. Your use should be guided by the results you are looking for (be specific!) And using one tool well where your potential customers are is a lot better than mediocre use of many tools. You have a lot to do. Make the most efficient use of your time possible.
What social media tools bring the best results for your business? How are you using them well? Would love to read about your experiences in the comments.
