Social Media Best Practices
If the statistics in “Are You Using Social Media?” have convinced you to start social media marketing, here are some best practices to keep in mind:
#1. Social media marketing may seem free (there is no fee for starting a blog or creating a Facebook page or Twitter account), but it will take up some of your time – and we know that isn’t free (unless you are willing to work on social media on your off hours). Take your average ticket price (maybe $20) and use that as an hourly rate. If you spend an approximately 5 hours on social media in a week, then that cost you $100.
#2. For social media to work, you need an audience. Building up fans or followers will take time, so don’t expect to have an audience of 100 or more clients or potential clients right out of the gate. You may want to employ some of your more traditional marketing techniques to get people to your social media pages in the beginning (advertise in newsletters, on your website, on business cards, etc.) Be patient in the beginning, the hard work will pay off. Example: With consistency and diligence, NSI acquired over 1,000 members of our Facebook Group over a two year period. It has become an extraordinary tool for communicating with our customers.
3. Don’t forget your branding and your message! Your social media sites should be an extension of what you have already built into your business. Images, language and tone should match your website, print materials, even your salon decor. With everything linked together, your business will look more cohesive and your communications will be stronger.
4. Be professional and proof what you post on a social media site. When representing your business, this is not the place for foul language, abbreviated language (no “u” in place of “you”) or random, irrelevant information. Your clients don’t care that you just “ate the best Sesame Chicken EVER”. Your site should include useful and educational information about your product and your services. This is a chance to showcase your expertise in your trade, so take advantage of it!
5. Whatever social media you decide to employ make sure you commit to regular updates. For a blog, that means writing a paragraph or two every week or twice a week, preferably (no less than every other week). For Twitter or Facebook, you should shoot for daily or every-other-day updates.
6. Don’t just advertise, build trust and provide informative, educational content. If you use social media to simply hawk your services and special promotions, you aren’t using its best feature – a two-way conversation. Allow customers to ask questions and provide intelligent, informed answers. Explain the purpose of natural nail prep and why you use the tools and products that you use. Customers will find this information very interesting and will feel more comfortable trusting their hands and nails in your care. After all, you have use social media to present yourself as a knowledgeable expert in your field.