10 reasons we’re not the social media management company for you.
What if I told you this blog was originally going to be called “7 reasons we’re not the social media management company for you” … but we expanded to 10 as all the points here are relevant.
Altrincham HQ has been running for 15 years, has 800+ reviews, and has managed social media for businesses for a long time.
Our longest client has been with us for 12.5 years.
They only started with a 3 month contract.
And it’s extended since then, because we continually deliver results for them.
We tend to attract smart, ambitious yet down-to-earth business owners who want to increase their visibility, engagement and sales.
But in this blog, I want to highlight 10 reasons we’re not the social media management company for you
We’re not the social media management company for you if …you tell us that the last half a dozen social media companies didn’t work out
This is an immediate red flag.
If you tell us that one social media management company didn’t work out for you, then we’ll listen and try to understand why. We’ll look at the blockages and find the right solution for you.
If your opening line is “We’ve been through 6 social media companies and they’ve all promised the earth and it’s not worked out” then that raises big red flags that the problem isn’t with the social media management companies, but the client.
Some businesses see social media management as total relegation of duty – but the smart businesses see social media management as a true partnership.
For us social media management is working WITH a business to help their business grow. It’s not working FOR a business.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you don’t have the patience social media marketing requires
You need to be patient with social media.
You can’t expect it to work overnight.
We’ve managed the social media for businesses just starting out with zero followers and we’ve taken on the social media management for businesses with thousands of followers.
They both require patience to either build an audience or to reset the algorithm from a dormant base.
Taking people through the process of Awareness, Consideration, Sales takes time and the higher the level of commitment needed, the longer it takes.
Whilst people might buy a £4 coffee and £5 sandwich within 24 hours of following you, most purchases are more considered.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you say no to 90% of our ideas
Remember why you came to us in the first place.
You wanted a social media expert.
Our longest and most successful client says yes to 90% of what we suggest.
Social Media delivers a huge ROI for them.
On the flipside a client we walked away from recently pretty much said
- No, we won’t provide photos
- No, we won’t ask customers for testimonials
- No, we don’t want local customers as a local business
- No, we won’t listen to your expertise
I know that’s pretty hard to believe, but it’s 100% true.
In short, everything we’re going to say below comes down to one thing.
If you’re paying an expert to help grow your business, listen to their expertise, take their ideas on board and work with them to action them.
Those that respect experts generally win.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you want to micro-manage
I keep saying this.
Remember why you hired the social media expert.
You’re hiring them for their ideas, their creativity, their ability to get things done and their ability to deliver results.
You didn’t hire them to tell them what to do, how to do it and when to do it.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you routinely ignore requests for content
Expecting a social media manager to manage social media without content is like expecting a chef to cook for 40 people with no ingredients. Even with the best chef in the world, it can’t be done.
Before we even start with social media management client we’ll discuss content.
What is needed from the client?
Where do we need to bring an external content creator i.e photographer, videographer, designer
And how often we need this to happen.
Once this is agreed as part of the plan, it 100% needs to be stuck to.
And remember – a social media manager has every right to stop posting until the requested content arrives.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you’re expecting unrealistic results: aka You want Hollywood Quality on a shoestring budget
“We really like what XXX are doing?”
“Fantastic. I understand. They’re great at social media.”
“But we only have a XXX budget?
“You do realise they have 5 members of a staff on their marketing team + a photographer + a videographer + a graphic designer + a budget 100x yours”
“Oh”
We actually have that discussion all the time and if you want photography, videography, graphic design and reach then there needs to the budget it for.
A social media manager is meant to manage the social media – not handle every single piece of content and do 5 roles in one.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you don’t work on the complimentary marketing tasks
Social Media doesn’t work in silo.
It’s linked to your website, your business cards, your PR, your sales teams, your networking.
Before working in social media I ran an events company and had a career in journalism.
Because of that I see the whole marketing plan holistically and am often brought in to link social media marketing with everything else.
That will involve manage of the things above and plays a key part In the success of social media.
If you’re not prepared to do the things alongside social media than don’t expect to get the results.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you just want 1 month of social media management
Our minimum contract length is 3 months.
Not huge by any stretch.
But it’s what is needed to plan and deliver results.
If you’re looking at someone to play at social media for a month we’re not the company for you.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you want 24 hour access to us
Social Media is 24/7 – access to us isn’t 24/7.
Sure we’ve been there the phone during an emergency when a reputation crisis is going on at 9pm on New Years Eve.
But that’s rare.
Whilst most businesses understand that we have other social media management clients, deliver social media training, have meetings … and have a life outside of social media.
Some businesses feel a 4 hour week social media management contract gives access to at 10pm on a Tuesday night or 11am on a Sunday morning
If we follow the plans 99.9% of communication should be between 9-5pm Monday to Friday.
And that goes both ways – we’ll only contact a client in their spare time if it’s an absolute emergency.
We’re not the social media management company for you if … you have a bad offline reputation
About 10 years ago we used to have a pub manager come up to once a month and ask us for help with social media.
And our response was always the same.
“If you’re active on social media it will amplify your poor offline reputation as people will have more opportunities to respond. Sort out the real world business and then come back”
They never did and the business closed a few years later.
For our own mental health we won’t take on a business where it’s 24/7 rants and complaints from customers.
Whilst some businesses such as Ryanair have taken the complaints and owned them – there’s thousands more where the social media manager is on the verge of a breakdown because the MD of the company won’t change anything in the real world.
NEED HELP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Looking for authentic ways to grow your social media
Chat to us about Social Media Marketing for YOUR organisation , so we can better understand YOU and what will grow your organisation
We can only find out what is unique to your business by chatting with you
Look at our Social Media Training and Social Media Management services
We offer Social Media Training on
* LinkedIn
* Instagram
* Facebook
* Twitter
* TikTok
* Blogging
We can do this
* 121
* Corporate Workshops
* Group Workshops
* Face to Face or Via Zoom
Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk
