Where do we even start?

The first thing to consider is not which social media platforms you should use or even what you're going to say... the very first question you want to ask is, "Who is my target audience?"

After you know that, and you list out all the specifics that you can, you can then ask, "Where does my audience hang out?"

You see, you don't need to worry about being on all social media platforms. All you need to know is where is your audience.. that will give you the answers of where you should hang out too!

Not Everyone is Everywhere

You can't be on all the social media platforms all the time, and neither can your audience! What we find is that once you've identified your audience, we can match up the platforms that are used by your audience, and maximize your time on those channels.

Start Slow

I totally understand that your time is limited and just the thought of adding one more thing may be enough for you to put it off indefinitely! Instead of that, let's just start with what you can do.

So... what can you do? Could you spend maybe 5 or 10 minutes per day? ...or maybe 20 mins per week?

Figure out what you can do, and stick to it. Make it a normal part of your routine. Maybe 5-10 minutes in the morning, and another 5-10 mins in the evening?

Determine what you can do consistently and build it into your schedule.

Become a Native

The best way to start to develop a social media following (on any platform) is to spend consistent time in that environment... Learn how the natives talk, what they're talking about, and how you can contribute to the conversation.

Think of it like a room of people who are already in the middle of a conversation.

You definitely do NOT want to walk in and just start yelling "buy my stuff!! buy my stuff!"

You want to instead join the community that already exists, and slowly develop those relationships.

Follow Like-Minded People

Start by following other people that are in your same space and industry. Also follow people in adjacent industries, looking for referral partners.

Like & Share

The easiest and fastest way to build up your own channel is by supporting other people's!

So in your first week or two, just look for other people and posts that you agree with. If you like what they are saying, then LIKE the post. If you REALLY like what they are saying, and would even say it yourself, then SHARE their post! Doing so will cross-post it to your own wall and spread it to your followers.

After spending a week or two doing this, you'll naturally be attracting people to you that will support your message and posts moving forward.

(We'll talk about an amazing business principle and concept called "reciprocity" in a future article!)

Your Homework

So, here's your homework for the next two to three weeks...

• Who is your target market?
• Which (1-3) social media platforms do your audience use the most?
• FOLLOW like minded people.
• ...if you like what they say, LIKE their post.
• ...if you REALLY like what they say, SHARE their post.

That's it.

Follow, like and share for your first two weeks.

You're getting to know them, and giving them a chance to follow you back.

You'll add more value and invite their comments and engagement in your next steps.

Stay Tuned!

If you NEED this info even faster, reach out to me... we offer a "social media workshop" to train your whole team on how to use social media to boost your business.

Jump in!

Also, please leave us a comment below.. are you using social media? ...either personally or for your business? What are you finding that works for you? ...what doesn't?

...the conversation continues below!