Aziza Green is our newest cool person discovery - she's got her own website launched a few months ago that's all about marketing, content and social media strategy for small business. Helloooo, way up our alley! We wanted to share one of her fun posts with our Network of Dreamers here. Thanks for sharing Aziza...
Does your social media marketing hang over you like a dark shadow? Your posts are agonising to get out and then, after all that effort they just sit there, unnoticed and unliked.
Social media seems so much easier for others, but for you the experience could be compared to gouging out your eyeballs with tablespoons. Well, step away from the spoons down and listen up. I’ve got SIX down to earth tips for having fun with your social media for business.
1. Remove the “filters”
Social media is designed for creativity, expression and sharing. Stop worrying about what everyone (or anyone) will think about that post and just post it. So many of us censor ourselves to the point where we all start to look and sound the same online.
We play it safe and it’s so very boring. I’m not saying be unprofessional, nor am I suggesting that you just say whatever you want on your business channels – but if you have a personality (I’m presuming everyone does) then show it. By all means, edit and weed out bad grammar and bad photos. Do your best and then let it go.
2. Laugh at yourself
I think there’s nothing more attractive in an individual than a healthy dose of self-awareness and the ability to laugh at one’s own foibles. Some of my favourite people to follow on social media share their kooky behaviour/obsessions and invite others to chuckle with them. This works particularly well for those of you with a personal brand, such as coaches, creatives, trainers and the like.
You don’t have to be a stand up comic, but you can certainly seize those spontaneous moments when you get it wrong and feel the urge to LOL.
3. Celebrate
If you’re in a creative slump, take a moment to celebrate something. Did you nail a personal goal this week – tell your community about it. Did you hit a target such as a number of followers or a number of referrals? Are you totally #winning right now in business? Is your eyebrow game on point? Share the good news. Everyone loves to celebrate and your feel good vibes will rub off on others. In fact, my posts with the highest engagement are often celebration posts.
Feel like you don’t have much to celebrate right now? Why not take a minute and think about something or someone you’re grateful for and celebrate that thing or that person.
NB. Remember that celebration posts work best if used sparingly. If you’re totally #winning every single moment of everyday you could become kind of annoying to the rest of us mere mortals.
4. Make friends not followers
If you treat your followers and customers like an anonymous mass they will become… an anonymous mass. We humans are social creatures, created for community and connection. So treat your community like a community. Ask them questions, respond to them, have a laugh with them, take an interest in what they’re interested in.
Not only will this differentiate your a brand, but it will make your work more fun too.
5. Make others feel special
Have you ever been to shop where the sales rep basically ignored you? Yeah me too. And I made a deep inner vow to never buy anything from that horrible place ever again because – I didn’t feel very special dammit.
Compare that experience to when a sales rep or business owner is so cool and so nice to you that you basically give them your wallet and say, “have whatever you want, just promise me we’ll still be friends in the morning.”
Treating people as individuals, making them feel important, feels really good – and it’s good for your bottom line too.
6. Focus on what you find interesting
Don’t pretend to be interested in what you think your audience cares about. Focus on what you find interesting. Maybe you’ll lose some followers, but that may not be such a bad thing. You want your audience to be engaged and interested in what you’re interested in. You build authentic connections by being authentic. Try it out and see what happens.
This post originally appeared HERE. Aziza Green specialises in marketing strategies for small business. She is a digital marketing specialist, who is equal parts strategy and soul.