Creating a constant stream of content that engages and attracts followers for your business can be a challenge.

Without a plan you can be left wondering what to post, when to post it and why you’re posting in the first place which can lead to frustration for both you and your potential customers.

Many get this wrong with a “spray and pray” approach and trying to be all things to all people. Or even worse, letting the pressure of not knowing what to post stop you from posting at all.

You need a plan.

Implementing a solid social media marketing strategy can turbocharge your lead flow and customer acquisition.

Here is a 5-step action plan to take you from “winging it” to “killing it”:

Step 1: Get clear on who your ideal customer is.

This can be your current favorite customer or your best customer. Who do you like serving? Where do they hang out online? (FB, IG, etc) What kinds of words do they use to describe their problem? (Hint: ask your existing customers)

Once you have that clarity, imagine yourself speaking directly to your ideal customer when creating posts and videos. Doing so will naturally attract the right type of lead to your content.

Step 2: What do you want your customer to do?

About 1/4 of your posts should include a clear call to action (CTA). Examples are; schedule an appt, call for free estimate, etc.

I recommend directing people to sign up for your email newsletter for many reasons.

Step 3: Schedule

Pick the days that you want to post (and stick to it!). Start with something manageable like three days per week. Once you get into the habit of regularly creating content you can work up to 5 days per week and ultimately, post every day to stay top of mind to your audience.

Step 4: Pick your “Content Buckets”

Creating content on the fly and hoping for inspiration is hard. The best way to make sure you always have things to post about is to create a few content categories or “buckets” to draw from.

These will be specific to what you do and who your customer is but here are a few examples:

1. Customer Success Stories - Tell a story of a customer that had a problem you solved or share your best Google & Facebook reviews. Screenshots work great for this.
2. Before/After Transformations - Post two simple photos or videos side-by-side of the service you performed for a customer. One photo of the condition before you performed the service and one when your work was complete. Showcase your best work so people can visualize what it looks like to work with you.
3. Behind The Scenes - Show the preparation that goes into your craft, workplace contests or competitions, your employees interacting, some friendly office debates about local sports, etc. Keep it light, friendly and on-brand. People buy from people they know, like and trust.
4. Seasonal Maintenance Activities - Show how to properly maintain the thing that you sold or installed. Ex: How to lube the garage door tracks, replace the furnace filter, clean dryer vent, etc. Those types of posts encourage repeat business because you end them with the CTA of “If you would like us to do this for you, call to book an appointment today.”

Step 5: Action

Take the photos & videos throughout your workweek, write the posts and publish on your schedule. Remember, you don’t need to sell in every post. Shoot for a 3:1 ratio where three posts add value by entertaining or informing to one post that has a call to action.

When you have the process down, start looking for things that you can delegate or crowd source among your team. Have technicians that you send to jobs? Task them with taking before and after photos and videos. Have a customer service rep? They gather customer testimonials/reviews and contribute to the story. You can also hire marketing help or outsource it to a marketing agency like my agency, Riverbend Marketing.

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That should be plenty to get you started creating content around your business.

Social media and email are powerful tools for your business growth when used properly. Commit to the process, stay consistent, have patience and let me know if you have any questions!

-Dave

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Need help creating a social media & email strategy for your business? Book a free discovery call with me.​

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