A killer social media strategy is a great thing. It helps build your brand, generate leads, and position you as a pro. But as a literal social media marketing pro, I’m begging you not to put all of your business eggs in the social media basket.
Think about every big brand out there. They exist beyond social media. They’ve got a great website, strong print and web marketing, powerful product and service lines, and great customer service. They’re everywhere. They do the social media thing for sure, but they don’t just do the social media thing.
As I always say, social media marketing is one piece of the larger puzzle – and it can’t pull its weight properly unless all the other pieces are there as well.
Here are the other must-have pieces in your business jigsaw.
A website that’s built to convert
You have a website – great start! But unless it’s designed to turn looky-loos into sales, that website is just an expensive business card. If your website has been on autopilot for a while, it’s time to go through it with a fine-toothed comb to make sure it’s doing what it’s meant to. Look for:
-Intuitive organization and flow – is it easy for people to get the info they need?
-Powerful landing pages – are you funneling people to the right products or services?
-Solid SEO – is it ranking well on Google for the keywords you want it to?
-Strong communication – does it answer the five “W”s?
-Conversion rates – how many people are taking the next step vs “bouncing” from your site?
A great website is an absolute must. Dig deep into your site analytics to see where traffic is coming from, what people are looking for, and how they’re using your site. If traffic is low but conversions are high, it’s time to figure out new ways (like social media) to get people to your site. If traffic is high but conversions are low, then your awareness strategies are doing their thing, but your website isn’t.
An ever-growing email list
It’s fun to watch your Instagram follower numbers climb. But the truly important number is the # of email newsletter subscribers. Email lists are powerful for a few reasons. First, they’re full of people who have moved beyond the “vaguely interested” stage of your sales funnel and are seriously considering investing in your product or service. Second, they’re yours. I’ve talked about this a ton, and I’m going to keep saying it: social media followings are great, but they’re owned by that social media platform, not by you. Your fave social media platform could shut down tomorrow, taking all of those followers and their details with it.
If you’ve been focused more on growing your followers than your subscribers, this is your wake-up call. Newsletter subscribers are not only more likely to convert, but having them on your list also means you have their contact details forever. Go make that newsletter happen!
Shamelessly putting yourself out there
It takes time to build trust between you and a potential customer or client. Generally, it takes six or seven touchpoints for someone to go from vaguely interested towards taking some kind of action. (Obvs this varies a bit depending on your category and price point.) In addition to your social media presence, make sure you’re making public appearances, pitching to publications, and putting your best foot forward with a mix of virtual and in-person meetings or events. (Here’s how to get those media placements.)
When you’re doing this, don’t forget to think in terms of repurposing! Use that magazine clip as a way to pitch yourself to a local TV station, and vice-versa. Grab a clip from that radio or TV interview and upload it to social media. Add photos from a professional event to your media kit. The attention and interest you get from this kind of outreach will keep snowballing, and soon you’ll be someone who gets constantly approached for your expert input or advice. Love it!
Need help putting all the pieces together?
Look, I get it. There’s a lot that comes with running a business or consultancy in the 21st century. But being heard over the noise takes effort – and strategy. If you’re ready to convert like a boss but need help balancing all the different pieces of a sales strategy, Oh Snap! is here to help. From a website and social audit through to helping with those newsletter signups, we can help you put it all together. Let’s talk!