I am on a mission to devise a social media plan for Meetings Northwest, LLC. In the beginning I understood that we needed one, but I had no idea how to implement a realistic plan for a very small business. After much research, I am still baffled by how much time people put into social media.
In today’s world – one where people expect information at their fingertips, it is important that businesses (especially small ones) have a presence in this evolving information marketplace. But how does your business stand out from the others? While I am still trying to figure this out, maybe a simple plan is the answer. From there, we can build with confidence rather than being overwhelmed with the endless possibilities. Obviously, if you are reading this you have Googled the same things I have a zillion times “social media plans for small businesses” or “how to create a social media plan.”
In my next few blog entries, I am going to outline how to put together a social media plan for very small businesses.
Everyone essentially says the same 7 to 10 things; here are my top 8:
- Define your social media goals
- Understand your audience
- Define the media you will use (aka LinkedIn, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
- Write something relevant, leave out the sales pitch
- Be consistent
- Connect back to your website
- Know your competition
- Make a content calendar
Okay, so yeah, you tell me I need to do all of this stuff, but how do I do it and how much do I do? What do I have to say that is relevant? How will I get followers? (You can’t even have a business Facebook page until you have 100 followers.) So now what – Right?!?! I just want someone to say, “Okay, this is what you do.” So . . . here you go, I am telling you what you need to do.
TIP: For your Facebook business page, get your friends to like it, get your employees’ friends to like it and then hopefully it will reach the 100 likes capacity quickly enough.
Define goals of social media.
Meetings Northwest, LLC is starting a social media plan to respond to our clients, grow our client base, and get more movement on our webpage. Three goals – great, move on!
Your goals may vary depending on your business, but when it comes down to it – everyone is trying to reach more people to get their message, product, or service out to a larger audience. So once you define your social media goals, you will be ready for my next blog.
Understand your audience and define the media they use.
….Stay tuned until next time and work on defining your social media goals.
Kasey B. Wright
About the author:
Kasey B. Wright is a small town, small business kind of girl with nature in her heart. She grew-up working long hours at her parents general store in amazing Joseph, Oregon – Google it, oh wait, here’s a link – visit! Really- Arts, Camping, Resort on Wallowa Lake, Mountains, 52 high lakes, Gorgeous! Enough with the free advertisement, but truly it is amazing – Google it! Now days, if not twiddling away on her iMac, painting, or mentally re-designing pretty much everything, she is outside with her family enjoying all of the adventures that lay beyond her front door (which in Missoula are abundant and basically start within a five-minute radius of her house). Her family, a husband of whom she met as a freshman in college (architect – I know two designers and yes, nothing ever gets done), our dog (neurotic first child wire-haired pointing griffon), cat (shelter cat – maybe the most adjusted member of our family), and toddler twins (girl+boy) in chronological order, keep the adventure alive! Oh yah, fish too (rarely claimed).
