It’s evident at this point that Social Media is a necessary “evil” for your business. 
Every single company has it…all the way down to your local real estate agent. They’re tweeting, pinging, poking, and all sorts of good stuff. The question for every small business owner, though, is with everything I have going on, how in the heck am I supposed to be able to keep up with Social Media too?
Of course, you have two options here. If you’ve got the money, and you know some trusted individuals you can outsource too, go for it. There’s a catch here, though. If you’re outsourcing to a large company who gives your account to someone who’s not qualified, who doesn’t understand your business model, and doesn’t necessarily have any interest in your business…well, you can imagine just how “social” they’ll be. Not to mention, they could potentially end up damaging your social posture by posting things that aren’t in line with your business methods or ideals. That’s not to say there aren’t qualified companies who take on limited numbers of accounts per employee to ensure your account is taken care of to its fullest potential. If you’re lucky enough to fine one of these, and the costs are right, you’ve now figured out one of the best business management ideas ever…DELEGATING!
Now, let’s say you’re like most small businesses out there, and you can’t allocate the funds for Social Media outsourcing. How do you tie in Social Media to your everyday operations? Because it does need to be done pretty much every day. Consistency is key with Social Media.
We’ve come up with a formula that we’ve found works for most small businesses, and that’s this. You need to set aside 20-30 focused minutes for Social Media every day. During that 20-30 minutes, you’ll want to do the following.
- Respond to any direct messages you’ve received on Facebook
- Respond to any @replies or direct messages on Twitter
- Approve new Facebook and LinkedIn friends
- Check your blog for any comments that need responses
- Post something that is fitting with your businesses’ online posture on your business Facebook page
- Respond to any messages on your Facebook wall and you businesses’ Facebook page
- Wish Happy Birthday to any Facebook friends
- Twitter any recent blog posts or articles you’ve written that you feel add value
Remember, the trick with Social Media is to add value. It’s not about selling. Obviously you can’t complete all these tasks in 20 minutes every day, so you’ll have to spread it around your week to get it all accomplished.
Yours In Success,
Scott Jay Ringle
