Social media can seem overwhelming. Let’s face it, if you are running a business, you are really busy running the business, right? Have you ever thought, “I just want someone else to do it for me!” You’re in luck. Just like other projects in your business you can train your staff to use social media to create relationships with your customers and get your business out there.
Here’s how to get your team ready for the social media front lines:
1. Start with a recruiting session.
Depending on the size of your team, you might be able to hand select this team or you could ask for input from your managers. Be strategic. Look for passionate, tech savvy people who are skilled communicators.
Tell people what you are doing and why. Try a script like this.
"Our vision for 2013 is to reach out to more fans, build partnerships and attract more people to our brand. We are getting on Facebook and are looking for passionate, tech savvy team members who want to join us."
2. Plan a training session.
When you have a handful of people committed to your social media team, schedule a training session. These meetings are most effective when everyone can see the same screen. If your team is local, your training session could be done in training room with your computer screen projected. If that is not an option, use an online webinar service provider with screen sharing options. The best free resource for screen sharing is Skype or anymeeting.com.
3. Create your presentation.
Cover each of these topics:
- Your purpose. The most effective way to use social media is to build relationships with your customers. Your purpose might be to create a community of fans who love what you do and happily spread the good word.
- Set frequency expectations. Plan to have a few posts each day. Depending on the size of your team that might mean that one person posts one time per day or maybe just a couple times a week.
- Set content expectations. The biggest social media question is “I’m on Facebook and Twitter, what do I say?” You really have to know your target customer but use “e-cubed.” E-cubed is educate, empower and entertain. Consider your ideal target fan and brainstorm posts that they would find educational, empowering and entertaining.
- You are a commercial interior designer. Your target is decision maker at a development company. They might find “how ‘green’ design innovations are impacting the bottom line” educational and empowering. Post that.
- You have an antique furniture shop. Your target is an interior designer. It might be entertaining and educational to know the history of the piece or it might be empowering to know how to restore the piece. Post that.
- Determine your ratio between relationship building and self promotion. A common issue to address beforehand is how much relationship building posts you want in comparison to how much self promotion would you like to see. I recommend the 80/20 rule - 80% relationship building and 20% self promotion. That ratio will help you achieve your goal of creating communities of fans who love what you do and happily spread the good word.
- Give admin access. Giving your team members admin access will allow your team to create posts as your business rather than their personal profile. Your fans will only see your business profile picture instead of the individual person’s picture. If you would like to know who the post came from and to encourage ownership, ask your team to type “-their name” after each post. To set up admin access you will need their personal email address that they use to login to Facebook and they will need to “Like” your business’ Facebook page.
4. Develop social media guidelines.
Require that every team member read, sign and adhere to your established social media guidelines. You are allowing your team members to communicate with fans on your behalf and want to make sure they uphold the brand standards, represent your business in a favorable light and maintain ongoing contact with you regarding concerns or progress.
You are busy running your business. Put these steps in action to lead your team to your social media goals: reach out to more fans, build partnerships and attract more people to our brand.