Social media gives you a chance to create, share or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities.
Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn – the list of social media goes on and on with different platforms providing ways to connect and interact with people and potential customers.
Explore the 13 page instant and downloadable toolkit to understand how social media can help you.
Remember:
- Stories can engage us and become memorable communication tools.
- A story is by far the most powerful means of communicating a message.
- We are hardwired to decode the messages that are contained within them.
Use social media to explain:
Who are you:
Do you have particular qualifications and that give you credibility within your industry? Have you got good quality images of you ‘in action mode’ as a stylist, chef, plumber etc so you can use the photos on social media? Don’t forget to tell your followers and fans on social media so they can understand more about you and build a rapport. Steven Bartlett has a great social media presence to explain who he is so take a look.
What do you sell:
When a fan or follower comes across your social media profile, it’s highly likely that they may not know much about your products and services. Don’t be afraid to convey what you sell without being pushy or giving hard sales to share your story of success. See Sinclair London via Instagram for great visual examples
Where do you sell it:
is your business linked to a particular place? Is the location of your business unique to what you sell – eg a distinctive cake recipe that hails from your town. Be proud and promote your business in your area. The Langham London via Instagram is great at sharing images that depict a London experience.
Who do you sell it to?
You audience is key to any messages you share. Who are they? What profession or job do they do? What do they enjoy doing in their spare time? What is their age or gender? These questions may seem useless or even obvious – but until you’re able to understand your audience, how can you connect with them? Cosmetic brands like L’oreal can be found via Snapchat communicating effectively to their ideal customer.
If you’re trying to decide what content to share, use a social media content content planner. This is useful for you to plan and create the videos you can share on Instagram stories for example. The content planner will also help you to increase and reach more.
Grab these ideas for content and advertising when you download the social media comms toolkit.
Louise is a media, marketing and communications specialist with over 20 years experience working in TV, Radio, print and online media for BBC and Commercial brands, businesses, and services.
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