In her LinkedIn article, BELAY’s CEO, board member, co-host of the One Next Step podcast, and author Tricia Sciortino addresses a relatively new need and demand for businesses everywhere: social media.
Relatively.
Sure, social media is nothing new, per se, but for businesses who want to remain competitive, communicative and connected to their audience, prospects and targets, it’s become much more than a Tweet here and there and some icons in the footer of our websites and emails.
In fact, that doesn’t even qualify as ‘having a social media presence’ now. Because what was once satisfied with some scraps every once in a while has become a full-time job. Even a cursory Google search yields an exhaustive list of social media marketing companies, departments, careers, and even degrees and certifications.
Simply put: It’s not a hobby or a pastime anymore.
But if you’re a small-to-medium business, the thought of hiring someone to manage your social presence seems lofty at best, and decadently impossible at worst.
But consider the findings of a 2019 study on the state of small business marketing:
- The most common platform for building brand awareness was social media marketing, which consistently outranked all other mediums
- The foremost opportunity for gaining new customers is – again – social media marketing
- 73 percent of respondents reported they would increase spending on social media
What really stood out from the study, though?
“... while social media continues to be a challenge for many small businesses, it can also help small businesses grow their audience and push customers to their site—but only when executed well.”
“But only when executed well.”
So while SMB owners worry that they can’t afford to have someone dedicated solely to social media, they really can’t afford not to. Why?
Because when you think about how social media has – at least in part – leveled the exposure playing field, its opportunities are endless for SMBs to increase brand awareness and new customer gains, and all without paying-to-play like in the traditional advertising and marketing media days of yore.
So Tricia asks us to honestly ask ourselves: Have you noticed that you …
… need help managing Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms?
… need help producing and scheduling content?
… need help responding to online inquiries, getting feedback from clients, and sharing customer success stories?
Sure, many business owners would likely answer ‘yes’ to those questions and still manage just fine. But what if a social media manager could take you from managing ‘fine’ to managing ‘great?’
5 Signs You Need Social Media Manager – STAT
A social media manager can help you manage all of your unique social media needs – which can be varied, extensive and exhaustive – and build a strong online presence to get you back to what you love most: running and growing your business.
Do any of these ring (too) true?
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You're not social-media savvy.
To do something well – not ‘good’ not ‘OK’ but great – you have to understand it. But, admittedly, you don’t so it’s not top-of-mind.
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You miss messages.
Whether it’s a Facebook message about one of your products or a Twitter mention you missed from a week ago, you know it should have been addressed sooner – as in ‘within-five-minutes’ sooner to earn the new ‘very responsive to messages’ Facebook badge.
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Social media is an afterthought.
As with most things on your to-do list, those you don’t enjoy or understand are often relegated to the way bottom. However, it’s virtually impossible to gain traction in your social presence without proactive execution of a well-thought-out strategy.
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You already work 40+ hours.
We know – if you’re a business owner, 40 hours probably seems like a light week. Being an owner is time-consuming – and there just aren’t an extra 30 hours a week left to manage social media.
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You're not reaching your targets.
You’re just not converting enough people, gaining enough new followers, or advancing your campaigns.
You need help.
A BELAY Social Media Manager Can Help
You know those menacing red-number notifications and deafening cacophony of ‘pings,’ ‘dings’ and buzzes from your phone, tablet, and computer as prospects and customers alike all engage with your social media?
Our Social Media Manager can handle that.
Or what about when you see no new notifications and are instead met with the deafening silence on all your social media accounts?
Yup, you guessed it: Our Social Media Manager can handle that, too.
This new service line will help our clients take their social media presence to the next level by managing their social channels, engaging with their audience, and tackling their scheduling to help them stay ahead of their competition and make lasting connections with their community and target audience.
Ready to learn more? Check this out. Need to know what, exactly, a Social Media Manager can do? Check this out. Not clear on how a Social Media Manager differs from a Social Media Assistant? Check this out.
Ready to reclaim countless hours a week? Contact us today to get started!