Trends, Clicks, Organic Reach…What Is This, Junior High?
Do I really need social media marketing for my small business?
Remember your junior high cafeteria? Of course you do.
I remember trying soooo hard to fit in… convincing my mom we just had to go to Benetton because if I only had the right sweater everything would be okay.
It was not okay.
No matter how hard I tried to chase the latest trends, the popular kids just weren’t going to give me the time of day.
Sound familiar?
Social media is a lot like junior high.
Everyone’s just learned how to keep their true feelings bottled beneath a shiny, thick gloss of pretty or cool.
And then there’s the bullying and vitriol between different cliques.
Everything changed for me in junior high when I finally surrendered. I gave up on trying to get the popular girls to like me, or even just be nice to me.
I said what-ever (in my best Valley Girl), wore what I wanted to wear, sat at a lone table in the cafeteria and read my book.
And then something truly unexpected happened…
Lorna, a smart, kind, rule-following, homework-loving girl (like me) appeared at my table one day and asked what I was reading.
Within a week my table was full of other dorky, outcast weirdos and we were laughing and actually having fun together, while also comparing thoughts on the most recent algebra test.
How to Survive Thrive in the Cafeteria of Social Media Platforms
1. Temper curiosity with purpose
As business owners, we can get sucked into the glut of sensory stimulation on social media and forget why we’re there in the first place.
It can be tempting to walk by the boys’ table to ogle or check out the popular girls to see what they’re wearing, saying, and eating (or not eating).
But we’ve got to remember why we’re there in the first place—to find OUR people.
2. Avoid fear-based tactics
The junior high cafeteria is full of fear-mongering innuendos and outright threats.
By the same token, the easy road to social media marketing is to play on people’s FOMO.
But fear breeds desperation. And think about it… do you really want your clients coming to you out of desperation?
Maybe you do. Maybe that’s what you’re good at… dealing with desperate people.
But for me, I want to find clients who are open and ready to receive what I have to offer. Who are attracted to the help I can provide, not desperate for me to fix it all for them.
Because what desperation breeds is expectation. And there’s nothing more draining than a demanding client with high expectations.
3. Be mindful of your time and resources
Ask yourself, what’s truly important to me?
When you’re chasing trends and fads and looking for approval, it’s easy to forget your own values.
When you’re on social media, ask yourself if the time and money you’re spending are actually furthering your business goals.
Everything you do on social media (as your business) should either:
spread YOUR message,
connect with potential clients, or
create community
4. Be yourself
Create content in YOUR voice, not chasing a trend or an algorithm.
It’s really important to take the time away from social media first to get clear about what your voice is.
What truly is your message?
For some insight into that last one, check out my self-guided journal 21 Days to Awakened Marketing.