“Just because everybody uses social media doesn’t make it a useful marketing tool.”

1. Allocate Your Time

Make sure you have the time and energy to commit to keeping up your social media.  It’s better to do one platform well than 2 or 3 poorly.

2. Keep the Message Fresh

Make our message a bit different for each platform, don’t just cut and paste the same content.

3. Respond to Comments

Some pundits tell you to never respond to comments. In fact the opposite is true. You should respond to every message, if possible.

4. Control Your Message

Admit when you’re wrong, ask for help when you need it, refer to others more knowledgeable than yourself, and celebrate your uniqueness. You are in charge of your message.

5. Be Generous

Be generous with your knowledge, ‘share the stage with others’, try to solve someone’s problem.

6. Solve a Problem

Don’t be a ‘hard sell’, it turns people off. Offer to work with them to solve a problem they have.

7. A Time to Sell

On the other hand, don’t ‘give away the baby with the bathwater’. There is a time and place to sell your product – if you intend to stay in business for the long haul.

8. Leverage Your Knowledge

In a small company you are key to the vision and delivery of services. Don’t try to grow to fast and hand over the reins too soon.

9. Measure Your Results

Measure! Measure! Measure! If you don’t know how well your company is doing on an ongoing basis you may be in for an unpleasant surprise some day. Monitor how you are doing so you can take advantage of opportunities or change course before a problem occurs.

10. Use a Variety of Social Platforms

Test for the social media platform and message that is best for your company. Messages should not be stagnant and should change over time. Keep an eye on your budget.