Top 5 Social Media Questions – Answered

Thinking about getting social

Which platform should I focus on?

I always answer this question with a question – Are you currently using any social platforms?  Do you use Facebook to keep up with grandkids or old friends? Are you using Pinterest to find DIY ideas? Do you use Houzz for decorating tips? The list goes on – I would start with the platform that you are currently comfortable using. This will shorten your learning curve and you can invite your connections to like your page.

The bottom line here is that no matter which platform you are on, you should be able to find potential clients that need your services… It’s just a matter of connecting with them.

How do I find potential customers?

No matter which platform you are on the formula is simple – share information that is important and relevant to your potential clients. This puts you in a position to be viewed as the expert in your field.

People want to work with the best.  Make sure connections can quickly see that with reviews, recommendations and great info.

I’m not a writer and hate to be on camera, can I still be successful on social?

Yes! The trick here is no matter what you post make sure you are speaking to your potential clients. Sharing lists, best practices, or frequently asked questions (this post 🙂 ) are always well received and easy to write.  Can’t come up with your own content, give your point of view on someone else’s.

If you don’t like to be in front of the camera maybe you can be behind the camera and viewers only here your voice.

There are many different options when it comes to content. The most important thing you have to do to be successful is to put in a consistent effort and be patient.

How much time do I have to spend on social?

The time issue always comes up. I know you don’t have enough of it – none of us do. But you make time for what is important to your business. Social has to be on the short list. There isn’t a magic number that I can give you and say if you put in “X” amount of time you are guaranteed success. That’s not how it works.

Put in what you feel comfortable with – if it’s 15 minutes a day – great just commit to doing it everyday and overtime you will see results. By “overtime” I mean more than a week. Social is a long-term plan it will take at least three months before you really start to see any traction

Are there any social media tools that I should be using?

Yes there are, more than I can list. Some of the ones that I use regularly are –

  • Bufferapp.com
  • Canva.com
  • PicMonkey.com
  • Hootsuite.com
  • Feedly.com

For a closer look at the social media tools I use – click here –

Your turn – do you have a social media question that you want answered?

Do you have any social media tools that you can add to the list?

Post your comments below – Thanks!!

LinkedIn Posts That Will Cost You Customers

Are your posts costing you clients?

If your posts are anything like the ones below that I can guarantee they are!!

Worst LinkedIn Posts

LinkedIn isn’t Facebook, it’s not business causal and it’s definitely not a dating site –

Sounds like common sense right?

Yet more and more people are sharing posts like the above screen shot.

Denis Butchko and I collected what we think are some of the worst posts you will ever see…

Some I wouldn’t share on any platform.

Watch this short video and let me know what you think – You know I love your comments.

Wishing You an Awesome 4th of July!

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4th of July is Saturday and we are all hustling to get “it” done…

With everyone being so busy I thought today would be a great day to Thank You for being part of my community.

I’m truly humbled that you allow me to share my thoughts and ideas with you.

Thank you so much for reading!

I always try to give you value in these posts –

Today rather than working on your business lets work on your BBQ –

Check out Bobby Flay’s Perfectly Grilled Steak and Honey & Beer Glazed BBQ Chicken.

We are all entitled to unwind and have some fun.  Enjoy it!

Wishing you and your family a Happy & Safe 4th of July!

6 Hour Social Media Strategy

6 Hour Social Media Strategy

According to Social Media Examiner –

25% of Small Businesses Spend 6 – 10 hours

each week on social media marketing.”

I asked my network what they thought – many of my followers responded that even if they had that time to spare – they wouldn’t know what they should be working on.

That got me thinking what a 6-hour social media strategy could look like –

To keep things simple I’m going to focus on 3 platforms – Facebook, LinkedIn & Houzz.

8:00 a.m.

  • Post to Facebook – Share a tip / cool photo / ask a question

20 mins

12:00 p.m.

  • Respond to any comments on your Facebook post.
  • Scroll your Facebook Feed, see if there is anything that you can comment on.
  • Scroll your LinkedIn Feed, see if there is anything that you can share or comment on.

20 mins

4:30 p.m.

  • Respond to any of your Facebook or LinkedIn comments. If no comments, find something to comment on.

10 mins

8:00 p.m.

  • Scan the Houzz discussion board, see if there is anything for you to comment on.

10 mins

This strategy gives you an hour per week of cushion… You can search for more content worth sharing, create your own or have a glass of wine… 😉

There is a lot time allocated for responding and interacting with your network. That’s one of the most important things that you can do –

“Focus on listening and responding not shouting at your community”

The above times are suggestions, pick whatever times work for you. I try to “check in” every 4 – 5 hours when I can.

Once you get into a rhythm you can alternate your posts between the different platforms.

You will also be surprised at how much you can do from your phone while you’re waiting on line at Starbucks or watching TV.

I wrote this post for all of the naysayers out there that tell me they don’t have time for social media.

Having a social media plan doesn’t have to take up your entire day.

If you would like to learn more about social media –

Click Here to register for a free social media course taught by myself and Denise Butchko.

I help my customers build a social strategy that creates authority, social proof and generates the leads that they want.

 

Skipping This Simple Step Could Be Sabotaging Your Social Media Efforts

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Did you know that –

Photos account for 62% of all brands posts, and 77% of all engagement.”

-Simply Measured

It’s more important than ever for you to not only include photos in your posts, but to make sure they display properly.

It only takes a few minutes to resize your photos and yet so many companies aren’t doing it.

If you’re not a graphic designer and don’t have any idea of how to use Adobe Photoshop – I strongly suggest using Picmonkey.com. This totally free site will help you resize your photo in seconds. I have been using it for years and never downloaded a virus.

Unfortunately every platform does require a different size image – some like squares or rectangles, they have different heights and widths…

How many times have you scrolled your Twitter feed and only been able to read half of that quote or seen part of the pic. Twitter moves so fast that if you can’t catch their attention, your audience will just keep scrolling.

According to Bufferapp.com –

“Tweets with images receive 150% more retweets than those without.”

I can’t think of anything that can increase your batting average more than a properly sized photo.

But how can you keep all of the sizes straight?

Glad you asked –

Denise Butchko and I created a downloadable cheat sheet for you to keep as a reference. Click here to get the cheat sheet.

If you have any questions about social media or how I can help you with your efforts please don’t hesitate to send me an email at richdemarco@optonline.net.

Happy Posting!!