At the end of a focus group with professionals active in various industries, we came away with the following tips / recommendations for small businesses:
- Create a mission statement that will inform your message and strategy
- Know your audience
- Learn where your audience is most active (what platform)
- Conduct research – know your niche market and competitors
- If your product / service serves multiple niches, use a mix of platforms (channels) and messaging
- Be relevant to your audience
- Be persistent and consistent
- Start an email list first then drive your subscribers to your social media
- Start with basics and continue to build
- Start with one platform you’re most equipped for
- Engage with your audience and respond promptly to questions and comments
- Put passion in your messaging
- Add value don’t just sell
- Post quality content that interests your audience
- Create content that drives people to your website
- Block off time in your calendar for content creation
- Use a mix of product / service promotions and industry articles
- Use a scheduling program like Buffer or Hootsuite
- Plan your posts in advance – build an editorial calendar
- Always use @ and #
- Be local first
- Use high quality pictures
- Use videos, including live video
- Determine one clear action you want your audience to take
- Be open minded, always experiment
Simona David Consulting 