There are business lessons that are so so important that I repeat them every single day
As it comes to the end of 2015 these are the snippets of advice I’ve given to every single 1 of the 200+ people we’ve trained in Social Media this year
Success comes from doing the right things repeatedly – so take this to heart – print out the headlines below, stick them somewhere that you look at every day
RETURN ON EFFORT IS THE KEY
I hate to break it to businesses out there – but with Social Media you really do get the results you deserve
When it comes to results from Social Media, you are literally getting the return of what you put in – i.e the return on effort
Businesses get results from Social Media because they work hard on the right things
Equally
It’s a return on effort when you turn up once a day / week / month and still expect results from social media
It’s a return on effort when you don’t know how to use social media, dabble through and never get training
It’s a return on effort when you get training and then go back to what you used to do
Social Media is hard work and while so many businesses are asking the question – what is the return on investment from Social Media? Less are prepared to speak about return on effort and putting in the hard work
Remember no one ever achieved success by putting zero effort in
BE HUMAN
Businesses are so scared of being human that in 50 years when we all turn into cyborgs, the cyborgs will actually be more human than most businesses are on Social Media in 2015
There are corporates out there ran by grey haired men in suits employing 1000s of customer facing staff on 20k a year who are encouragedto be friendly and personal – but when it comes to social media don’t want a trace of humanity or personality on Social Media
There are small businesses networking face 2 face because “people by from people” , but when it comes to Social Media turn into the hard sell salesman from hell
You can’t be afraid to celebrate what makes your business unique and special
You must hero your staff and your customers
They’re the people you invest in and who invest in you – Believe!!!
ADD VALUE NOT NOISE
Your job on Social Media is to spew out so much crap that it could fill a landfill site
“Add Value Not Noise” is at the heart of a great Social Media Campaign
While being present every day on Social Media is important for brands, what they post must make people think or it must make feel
It must not be an act of adding something for the same of adding somethings sake
Look at the biggest marketing campaigns of the year – John Lewis “Man On The Moon” or Warburtons Giant Crumpets advert – they made people cry and laugh in equal measures
And just because you don’t have a £7m or £25m budget doesn’t mean you can’t make people feel – you can make people feel on zero budget
And if you can make people feel you can make people buy
BUILD YOUR NETWORK TO BUILD YOUR BUSINESS
You don’t have be a charity to be charitable – helping those businesses around you is a massive contribution to the local community
There’s a cliché in networking that “Givers Gain” and it’s a cliché because it’s true
If every single day of your life you wake up with the intention of helping others then the help will come back to you – it might not be direct from the person you help, but it will come back 10 fold
Social Media is a massive opportunity to connect those around you and help others – help those people that you Meet > Like > Know > Trust
The first thing I do each day and the last thing I do at night is actively refer work to others and ALL businesses should do the same
Make your role of a one (wo)man referral machine – refer and help others so much that haters accuse you of a clique. You’ll sleep soundly knowing you’ve helped more people in one day than they’ve ever helped others in a lifetime
SELLING IS NEVER SELLING IF YOU’RE HELPING PEOPLE
Selling or being braggadocios is not something that sits easy with people
Helping people is something that comes natural to kind and generous people
The definition of selling is “give or hand over (something) in exchange for money” and small businesses offer so much more than just a transaction – we’re helping people, enriching lives and giving solutions
Remember Selling is Never Selling if you’re helping people
So go out there with the view of helping people rather than selling to people – it’s a small change, it’s semantics, but it’s a seismic difference in mind-set
LEARN THE LESSONS ABOVE AND LOTS MORE 121 WITH ALTRINCHAM HQ
If you want to chat to us about an effective marketing plan for your new business
Please call Alex on 07806774279 or email alex@altrinchamhq.co.uk