Small Business Advice: Why You Need Social Media Support

Social Media is integral to your business. I can see the eye rolls. I can hear, “Everyone and their mom has a Facebook account so obviously I know what I’m doing.” When I say, “I get it,” I honestly do. I’ve also owned a small food business for the last three years and I know every struggle that small business owners encounter on a very personal level. When you’re up to your eyeballs in all aspects of your business, it can be hazy trying to determine what needs more attention, because all of it does.

In the first few months of business we were the fortunate benefactors of free social media advertising. However, once those sponsored posts and ad campaigns ended, I sang to myself “you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.” I spent the next year trying to repeat the same success.

The Rabbit Hole of Research

If you haven’t already, do a Google search for “Small Business Marketing.” You’ll find there are plenty of tips and techniques for improving you marketing. You’ll find information about when you should be posting on social media, and even more specifically which platform. There’s a lot of great information out there, however, it’s changing rapidly. With the introduction of a new app or platform comes a new way for presenting information to the public, let alone your target audience. I am an avid researcher; I’ve been up till 3am reading up on every “expert tip,” signing up for free memberships to social media scheduling tools, adding my email address to newsletters or considering the investment toward a new webinar. We live in an age of instant gratification and a remarkable amount of information at our fingertips. The problem lies in sifting through it to find the current and relevant tips for your specific needs.

HELP! I Need Somebody

Looking back on the first set of decisions made when starting my business I recall the importance of employing professionals. I knew there would be several things I would need to accomplish myself. But I could never be an attorney, CPA, or even a plumber. Yes, there’s a YouTube video that might show me how to unclog a drain. However, is it worth the time, energy and risk to attempt a “fix” on my own?

When you’re immersed in scheduling, staff needs, product development, quality control, payroll, and putting out fires, it can be a time crunch to come up with engaging content to schedule. I look back now and see how I should have employed more help sooner. Don’t fall into the trap of “doing it all” and make use of the resources available to you, including hiring a social media professional. In the long run you’ll find you’ll find the value of having help.

Know the Value of Your Time

You’re everything under the sun when it comes to making sure the business stays afloat. I’ve already established how stubborn I can be by detailing the amount of time spent on research. Honestly, I can’t even begin to calculate how much time was spent trying to create a low-cost workaround for an e-commerce issue. Then, a few weeks ago I read how You’re Better Off Working at McDonald’s Than Working in Your Business. Just the other day I read, If You Want to Feel Better, Spend Money on Saving Time. Because I know both sides, I know the value of having someone to turn to for additional support. You’re never short on tasks, so know where your strengths lie and follow-through there, while allowing for someone to support you in social media, blogging, getting more engagement and just focusing on creating content.

Finding Value in a Social Media Professional

• You can negotiate what services they will provide based on what you can afford.
• Their time is devoted to already knowing and applying the techniques best-suited for your personal needs.
• They can determine the social media platforms that will get the most engagement and drive sales.
• Their budgets include the use of all the tools for efficient social media posts.
• They can promote or boost posts as part of your service agreement.
• Content that is clear, clever and cohesive to your brand is top-of-mind to them.
• Together you’re a team, with the common goal of success for your business. They only succeed when you do.

Read More:

• Forums in a World of Social Media Support