Leverage Your Business With A Social Media Marketing Plan

Social media is a powerful tool. It can help you grow a brand new business. But it can also be a giant pain-point. Which is why having a social media marketing plan is crucial for business success.

Figuring out the right tools to use to leverage your business on social media has been something I have been “studying”, if you will, over the past 9 years.

So I have learned a thing or two about how to use social media to leverage your business so you can make more sales without feeling cheesy!

Where To Start

When I started my professional organizing business, using social media to share your stuff was relatively new. Bloggers and celebrities were using it to show what they were using or writing about. But there wasn’t a huge emphasis on using Instagram or Facebook for marketing a small business yet. 

So I was sharing content on social media as a way to build up my portfolio. Sharing pictures of before and after client jobs.

Now, more and more small businesses are starting solely on social media to build a following. Then they create websites and shops.

And while I understand that they don’t want to invest in some of the more “techy” pieces of running on online business, I think it is a misstep to not start with a website first. 

Capture Users With A Website

While social media is great for building a following, it is not your website.

Your website is 100% yours. It is not controlled by an outside force like social media is. So if there is an algorithm change, your website is not affected like your social media feeds. 

If you truly want to leverage social media to grow your business, you need to direct people to your website. Not your Instagram feed.

The website is going to be how they connect with you. Your website makes you look like a real business. Your Instagram feed makes you look like an influencer.

So if you want to build a business, then you need a website.

Adding An Email List

Another factor in marketing is capturing people’s emails.

Because we all know that we don’t “own” our social media followers information. Unless you have it in your own email list service.

To get people to sign up for your email list, you need something that will make them want to join.

I have many options of free guidebooks, planners, and printables to help entice people to join my list.

Once they join, I send them free, quality information in an email sequence. Then I offer them a product based on the freebie.

But I use social media to get people on my email list and over to my website.

Social Media Marketing Plan

Which is how you are going to build your social media marketing plan. To drive traffic to your website…and email list!

While the vanity metrics (aka follower count) may look nice, nothing beats a high conversion rate.

So your goal with social media marketing is to get high conversion rates of people viewing your social media content to going to your website and joining your email list.

This is the skeleton of your social media marketing plan.

Where To Start

But how do you start thinking about this plan?

It all starts with goals. What do you want to achieve with this marketing plan?

While a lot of companies think they need to start with “brand awareness”, I have to challenge that starting point.

While “brand awareness” is nice, it isn’t going to get you sales. Or customer reviews. Or email subscribers.

“Brand awareness” just gets your name out there.

So if you really want a solid social media marketing plan, I would suggest having a goal that grows your email list and builds brand awareness.

This way you aren’t focusing on just one rather narrow objective. Building your email list will help you gain customers. Will give you feedback on your products. And will build brand awareness.

Get To Know Your Audience

Most marketers tell you to “research” your audience. And it always felt so cold to me.

So I did things differently. I asked my current followers, email list, and anyone who read my blog, questions.

I had rather generic questions. And really specific questions.

I used this as a way to truly get to know my audience. Because no matter how much “research” you do, you cannot get to know people on a truly personal level.

Create Interactive Content

You know your audience. You know your goals. So now it is time to create content that is interactive and engaging.

And when I say interactive, I mean things like:

• asking questions
• this or that
• behind-the-scenes
• favorite things
• how to
• tutorials
• transformations
• before and after

When the viewers of the content can interact in some way through answering a question, commenting on things shared, or feel like they are a part of the process, you are going to see higher conversions to your email list and website.

Plan Out Your Content

After you have made your interactive content, plan it out.

I prefer a scheduling tool like Metricool. You can plan out your content, schedule things for different platforms, and be able to repurpose your content easier.

Put Your Social Media Marketing Plan In Motion

I am a big believer in writing things down. So to start your social media marketing plan, you need to write down everything.

Write down all your social media numbers, conversion rates, email subscriber numbers, web traffic views, etc.

Then write down your goals.

Get to know your audience. Ask them questions. Engage with them.

Create the content to drive traffic to your website, email list, and any other areas you are looking to convert.

At the end of the month, check all the metrics. Compare to where you started. And tweak things for the following month.

I prefer using a systems audit to keep tabs on everything.

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