Social media marketing (SMM) can help you to maximize your voice. However, it will only help you to do this if you have a clear message that you want to get across to people. Otherwise, if it is done without a well-thought out strategy, it can be a complete waste of time.
Here are 5 ideas that will help you develop a winning strategy:
1. Share Your Links
Offline,
you can do this by publishing your SMM links on your business cards,
brochures, and flyers. Online, you can do this by adding your links to
the bottom of your emails and at the bottom of your blog posts.
2. Automate With Software
SMM
can be made much easier by leveraging the power of software. For
instance, your email provider will give you the option to add a
signature file, your blog software will allow you to use SMM plugins,
and there are a host of third-party software like Hootsuite or Leenkme
that will allow you to broadcast your messages so that you don’t have to
visit each website to post.
3. Be Careful How You Word Your Messages
Be
friendly, approachable, or humble. Even if you have larger-than-life
achievements, you should never come across as arrogant and never boast
about your accomplishments. Your power in the real world will not
reflect well in social media. Even leading politicians and world
business leaders who often stir media attention because of their
tendency toward controversial statements and self-promotion usually have
friendly, approachable, and humble posts.
4. Practice Reciprocity
Although
you may want to focus exclusively on maximizing your message, people
will respond to you if you respond to them. So comment on YouTube videos
and blog posts, do shares and likes on Facebook, and do retweets on
Twitter.
5. Be Selective
SMM
is a little like life. Just as in life, you have to rub shoulders with
people that are contrary to your values; they will show up on your SMM,
too. If they are completely negative, then you can unfriend them; if
they are merely annoying, then simply focus on posts where people share
your values. While you may think it is a good idea to be friendly with
everyone, it is not realistic. Moreover, your followers will quickly
lose faith in you if they think you actually agree with your rivals or
support the competition. It is not advisable to befriend negative people
who will use everything you say against you.
Culled from LinkedIn
