There are hundreds, if not thousands, of studies and sources out there devoted to analyzing every recipe for promoting a brand or business. While the verdict is still out on the perfect formula to use, we can all agree that more is not less when it comes to tooting your own horn and that none of us want to be that one-upper.
Everybody knows a one-upper or has been held hostage at a party by someone who will just not stop going on about themselves. And, I’d be willing to bet the farm that you didn’t walk away from that self-hype fest with bated breath waiting to hear more. The same is true on your social media platforms. Notice I said platforms, with an S, plural. That’s important, but more on that later.
For now, let’s talk about how to walk that very thin line between overhyping yourself to the point of mass unfollowing, and leaving your audience with an appetite for more, and there are 3 easy steps for perfecting that process.
- Know Your Audience
The #1 rule in marketing, sales, and persuasive writing is to know your audience. I’m not talking about Google Analytics stats and numbers, but actual people. Get involved with your followers. They know you’re a business, so they know you end-goal is to sell them. It’s not a secret. But, you’re not going to get your followers to that end-game goal if you’re treating your social media platforms like a brochure and white paper dump space.
Before your audience is going to jump in and want to know more about you, they have to feel connected, and they’re much more likely to engage with you if you’ve taken the first step to get to know them. Give ‘em a like, post a comment, retweet, share their post and let them know you’re there. This gives you an opportunity to see what interests your audience and to determine what type of messaging and language speaks to them most. Part of perfecting your self-promotion game is to take the spotlight off of yourself for a bit.
2. Leave Them Begging for More
Ok, you’ve gotten to know your audience, and they know you’re there. Now what? Now is the time to flex your skills and share your knowledge base with the masses.
Your branding is important, but what speaks more loudly than countless posts with your logo is actual helpful information, even if it’s not your own material. Sharing links to processes and information that relate to your business and that pique the interest of your audience is crucial. Also, mixing in outside content with your own material relieves some of that pressure you feel to be in a constant state of content creation.
3. Pace Yourself
You know not to post too much about yourself, and you’ve identified some tactics to gaining followers and fostering interest in your brand. Awesome! Careful, though. It’s super easy to get gung-ho and go all in with these types of posts, but you have to be careful not to overwhelm your audience. Pace yourself. Create a schedule.
There are countless tools for social media management, and they all include calendars. There’s a reason for that. Give your audience a little time to take in this incredible content and insight you’ve shared with them.
On the other side of that coin comes the need to stay consistent. Not posting nearly enough is just as bad as overdoing it. This is where scheduling comes in handy again. If you plan out your content calendar, you’re less pressed to come up with meaningful content for last minute posts, which makes for much richer, targeted material on your social media profiles. Profiles—plural. Just like you need to measure out when you post, you need to make sure you’re spacing out where you post. We all have our favorite social media platform where we’re most comfortable with the mechanics and aesthetics, but each of your clients and prospective clients has a favorite platform, too, and it may not be the same one you hold supreme. Make sure you’re not missing out on potential followers by limiting your interactions and posts in the same ol’ place.
Every brand and business is as unique as their individual followers, and each business has their own goals for success. Make sure you’re tuned in to those goals and have them in mind when you’re building your social media calendar. Keeping in mind your goals and knowing the best practices for reaching those goals through social media is all you need to do to master self-promotion.
