Likes, comments, shares – oh, my! 

Social media marketing is a daunting operation, to say the least. But, not to worry, I’m here to give you 5 tips on what NOT to do (and how you can correct these common mistakes). 

Keep reading, girlfriend! It’s about to get real. 

Mistake 1: Showing up inconsistently.

Raise your hand if you’re guilty of posting for weeks at a time, only to go completely silent for months on end. 

You have to stop doing this! Social media is not the place to “ghost” people, especially as a business owner.

You want to show up regularly so that people can get familiar with your brand and remember it when they’re in need of what you’re selling. 

Post three times a week, minimum. If you can’t commit to that, post one time a week and work your way up from there. 

Mistake 2: Thinking “anyone” can manage your social media pages.

I hate to break it to you, but your teenage daughter cannot manage your social media pages for your business. Just because she has 10,000 followers on her personal account, doesn’t mean she can achieve the same results for your business account. 

Some of you may think your part-timers can handle your pages, but the problem with this is they are typically less consistent due to odd work hours and turnover. 

Hiring someone who is knowledgeable in sales copywriting, graphic design and social media trends is key to getting the results you want online.

Mistake 3: Not setting social media goals.

Why are you posting on social media? Why? 

You’d be shocked at how many people don’t know the answer to this. So many entrepreneurs post blindly, thinking it’s something that has to be done because others are doing it…

But handling social media this way will only leave you frustrated and confused, like that  411- pain commercial (please tell me you’ve seen it, LOL)!  

You need to set S.M.A.R.T. goals, so that your efforts won’t feel fruitless. Here are some examples of broad social media goals:

• Direct people to your website.
• Get more leads and email signups. 
• Increase conversions to content like podcasts, webinars, blogs, etc. 

Set social media objectives each month and measure your results. 

Mistake 4: Trying to target everyone. 

I have found that some business owners attempt to reach “everyone” on social media, instead of focusing on a specific group of people. 

This isn’t productive. You want to tailor your content to a specific group of people so that they know exactly who you’re talking to.

It’ll also be easier for people to refer you to others in their network, based on who your “perfect client” is. 

If you don’t have a target audience, it’s time to hone in on this area of your business. 

Mistake 5: Focusing on vanity metrics alone.

Are you caught up in the amount of followers you have? Don’t be. 

The truth is, the amount of followers you have doesn’t matter if they aren’t the right people for your business. Think about it…you don’t want bots or fake accounts following you. You want people who would actually buy from you to follow you! 

The same goes for likes and comments… if you’re not getting 100 likes, that doesn’t mean people aren’t seeing your posts. A lot of people are “lurkers” on social media, meaning they just scroll and consume content without ever dropping a like or comment. 

While it’s good to keep an eye on these metrics, it’s important not to let them get the best of you. 

Final thoughts

I hope I’ve provided some clarity in the murky waters of social media. It takes practice, patience and a desire to continue learning the craft. And if you’re not up for the challenge, I’d be happy to take this marketing operation off your hands. Send me an email at Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com or visit our Let’s Chat page to learn more about our social media packages.  

As always, thanks for reading my blog, y’all! 💙

The wedding industry took a big hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is exactly why now is the time to get serious about social media marketing for your wedding business. 

People are searching for wedding inspiration regularly using social media sites. 

I personally have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to wedding inspiration and I know for a fact I’m not the only one, *cough, cough, wink, wink*.

Keep reading to learn how you can best use social media for your wedding business.

Social media platforms for the wedding industry

Not sure which platforms your business should be on? Well, I’ve already mentioned one…

Pinterest

Pinterest reaches a bazillion (yes, I said bazillion) women each day and let’s face it – women are primarily the ones involved in the wedding planning process. So make sure you take advantage of this woman-dominated platform if you’re not already. 

Instagram

Sixty percent of couples go to Instagram for wedding inspiration, according to a study done by Wedding Academy Global…That’s a huge amount!! 

It makes sense, seeing as Instagram is primarily a photo-sharing app and you get to see all of the gorgeous wedding photos taken by some incredibly talented wedding photographers. 

Facebook

Facebook still dominates in the social media world, so you won’t want to miss out on this popular platform. Plus, it’ll be easier to reach the moms of the brides and grooms, who are more likely on Facebook than Instagram.

Social media trend: It’s all about the reels!

You probably guessed it, but Instagram Reels are trending right now! The reach for reels seems to be climbing at rapid rates, so it’s time for you to hop on that bandwagon. 

Create short, impactful videos to entertain and educate brides and grooms.

If you’re a wedding venue, you could do a video walkthrough of your venue and add some text that includes facts that make your venue unique. 

If you’re a wedding dress retailer, you could create a reel with multiple videos of all of your favorite wedding dresses in stock. Your call-to-action could be “Tell us which dress if your favorite!”

I hope this helps get your creative juices flowing.

Social media theme ideas for the wedding industry

Lastly, I came up with a list of themes to include in your social media strategy. If you haven’t read my previous blog, Time-saving tips for social media, then I’ll explain the importance of themes (briefly): 

Themes help you save time because it’ll allow you to focus on a particular topic, instead of bouncing all over the place. 

Here’s a list of themes to include in for your wedding business: 

• Selecting the perfect venue
• Wedding attire
• Budgeting for a wedding
• Wedding decor
• Biggest wedding day regrets

These are just to name a few. Work with me and I’ll come up with a lot more.   

Final thoughts

Alright, so that’s the dealio on strategically using social media for your wedding business. 

If you loved this blog, then you’ll love my free guide on Social Media Strategies for Small Businesses. It’s perfect for entrepreneurs who want to build relationships using social media but don’t know how. Click the link to get your free copy today.

As always, thanks for reading my blog, y’all! 💙

Goals. We all have them… But how do some people achieve their goals and others don’t?

I believe it all comes down to strategy. If you have a plan in place, your odds of achieving something you want are much higher. 

I’m here to share my personal goal-setting strategies to help you reach the future you want.  

Keep reading to find out what they are. 

Goal-setting tip #1: Write your goals down. 

Here’s how Like It Marketing came about…Once upon a time, on a couch tucked away in a quaint townhome… Alright let me stop playing around. 😄 

Like It Marketing started with what Nick and I like to call our “couch conversation”. We sat on our couch and dreamed up a social media + photography company that would help us bring in extra income on the side. At the time, we didn’t know it would become my full-time career. 

Nick had the brilliant idea of creating an “action-item list” with our plan to make Like It Marketing a reality. I quickly drafted a Google spreadsheet and listed everything we talked about. But, I knew we had to take it a step further than that. And that brings me to goal-setting tip #2…

Goal-setting tip #2: Set deadlines (and stick with them!). 

 

It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something, but it’s another thing when you add a sense of urgency to your plans. Deadlines help you stay on track with your goals. 

Each day, for four straight months, I checked my “Action-item” spreadsheet to see what the next item on my to-do list was. 

Like It Marketing launched right on time, thanks to this simple goal-setting step. 

Keep in mind that you can always adjust your deadlines, if absolutely necessary, but try to stick with them if possible.

Goal-setting tip #3: Tell someone your goals.

Tell your spouse, tell your kids, tell your best friend, tell your mentor – tell someone about your goals! 📢

Saying your goals out loud makes them feel more real and helps keep you accountable. 

Now that you’ve told someone what your plans are, you’ll feel more obligated to achieve them versus keeping them to yourself. 

You can even ask that person you told to hold you accountable by checking in on where you’re at in the process.

Goal-setting tip #4: Two words, vision board. 

According to a quick (and totally credible) Google search 🤣, a vision board is a visual representation of your goals.

There’s something special about seeing what your goals may look like. 

Some people create physical vision boards (think back to school projects when we put stuff on giant poster boards)… For this project, you’ll probably need the following:

• Magazine/news articles
• Photos
• Crazy scissors
• Glue
• Stickers

And whatever else your creative heart desires. Another option, for the more tech-savvy folk, is to create a digital vision board. There’s a few ways you can accomplish this. 

#1. Pinterest – Use this social media app to create your vision board. You can “pin” posts that speak to you. For example, maybe your goal is to purchase your dream home in the next five years; if that’s the case, you’d find a pin that looks like your dream house and you’d “pin” it to your board.

#2. Canva – Another option is to create a desktop vision board using a user-friendly graphic design tool like Canva (my friend Coach Mona G gave me this idea). I created one recently during Mona Giordano’s weekly online event, The Direct Connection Network Meeting. I’ve shared it all with you here (see above).   

Goal-setting tip #5: Mark completed and CELEBRATE!

This may be the most important tip here. So many people neglect to celebrate their wins, but the truth is they deserve to be celebrated!! 

You worked hard to accomplish your goals and having a little incentive at the finish line will motivate you to accomplish even more. 

Here’s some ideas to help you celebrate:

• Go out for a celebratory drink with your spouse or friends (or both)! 
• Buy something on your Amazon Wish List. You have one of those, too, right? LOL. 
• Share your success on social media – specifically LinkedIn – if you completed a certificate, got a degree, or something of that nature. 

The opportunities to celebrate are endless. Do what makes you happy. 🙂 

Final thoughts

Alrighty, so that’s 5 tips to help you set your goals this year.

Which one do you like the most? I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

Share this article on your social media page so you can come back to it later (and help maybe help someone else). You can find the share buttons below. 

As always, thanks for reading, y’all! 💙

 

If you’re reading this in December of 2021, you may be prepping for the new year. This is a time to set goals and make positive changes in your business. 

One thing you may be considering is hiring a social media manager to handle your business accounts in 2022 (and if you’re not, I highly recommend it). 

If this is the case, congratulations! 🎊 You’ve made a decision that will not only save you a ton of time, but a social media manager will help you build your brand and make a lasting impression in your community. 

For those of you who haven’t worked with a social media manager before, here’s a rundown of what to expect and how to make the most of it. 

Onboarding

When you first reach out to a SMM (social media manager), they’ll likely ask to hop on a “Discovery call” or “consultation” to get to know you better. 

They’ll ask questions about you, your business, what services you’re looking for, what your goals are, etc. Be prepared to talk about your business and social media goals. Be open and honest, so that the two of you are on the same page. 

If you decide to hire the SMM, the next step typically involves the proposal and agreement. They’ll send you a list of services they propose, along with a legally-binding contract for you to sign and return. You might receive your first invoice at this point, seeing as most SMMs require payment for services upfront. 

Afterwards, you may be expected to fill out some client intake forms. SMMs need access to your social media accounts, branding assets, marketing photos/templates, and more, so make sure you have these files readily available. 

Once you’ve completed all of your “homework,” you’ll be contacted to set up a kickoff/strategy call! This is where the fun begins. ☺️ You’ll get to discuss post topic ideas, themes, and any other questions that you might have at this point. 

Social media management (project details)

If you’ve been managing your own social media accounts up to this point, you know how much work it is (if you’ve been keeping up with it). 

A good social media manager will create a content calendar that is tailored to your business. This involves a ton of details, including: planned post dates, post captions, graphics, hashtags, themes, and more. 

To create content for your business, they’ll have to research your brand and industry; SMMs are excellent researchers! 🤓 Some will have a regular strategy call with you to keep up with your company announcements, events, specials, etc.

After content is created, they’ll send you the content calendar for your review. This shouldn’t take you too long, as the SMMs have already done the majority of the work. All you’ll need to do is check their work and mark your feedback + approval. Once approved, they’ll schedule the posts. 

Lastly, the SMM will engage with your followers. This means, they will make sure to respond to any post comments. Some take it a step further and like/comment on your follower’s posts. 

This is the gist of their responsibilities, but I’m sure I forgot to include a few things.

Reports and regular check-ins

Another part of working with a social media manager involves getting reports and check-ins. 

The SMM will regularly check on how your page and posts are performing, so that they can adjust their strategy accordingly. 

In your social media report, you’ll find information on your follower count, reach, engagement, limitations, recommendations, and more. You’re not expected to do anything with this report, but feel free to reach out to your SMM with any questions or suggestions you may have. 

Another thing to expect is regular check-ins. Personally, I like to chat with my clients once a month to see if they have anything new going on, like upcoming events, specials, etc. 

How you can get the most out of social media management

While your SMM is capable of managing your accounts entirely on their own, there are a few things you can do to help with the process. 

1. Show up to any and all meetings on time. Their time is valuable, just like yours.
2. Respond to their emails in a timely manner, even if it’s to say you’ll get back with them. 
3. Take lots of office photos and videos to help make your social media page reach the maximum number of people (and share them with your SMM)! 
4. Prepare for monthly check-ins by having this information ready: Company updates/announcements/milestones, upcoming events, promotions/specials/discounts, employee anniversaries/birthdays. 
5. Provide honest feedback on their social posts, especially if you strongly like or dislike something; that way they can learn your preferences. Remember that you can provide constructive criticism without being mean. 

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, your social media manager wants what’s best for you; they want to see your business bloom. 

While it’s not easy to let go of control, it is worth it. 

You can trust us to run your social media accounts here at Like It Marketing. We’re 100% committed to providing you with quality service. 

Contact us here or send us an email at Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com if you’re interested in getting started with social media management for the new year. 

As always, thanks for reading, y’all! 💙

Imagine this: You’re lounging poolside in the sunny weather with a cool breeze touching your skin – not a care in the world. You’ve taken off the entire week and you have trusting employees who are managing your business while you’re away. No cell phone, no laptop — just a good book and a drink in your hand. 

Dreamy, right?

Unfortunately, you can’t make this dream life your reality without putting in some hard work. Your business has to grow for you to make it here. So, what are the key ingredients to growing your small business and ultimately living your best life? To be honest, I’m still trying to figure this out. But, here’s what I’ve been doing to grow Like It Marketing so far… 

#1: Build a name for yourself.

Alright, so I wasn’t the popular kid in school, which is why I may be having a hard time with this one. But, I feel like I’m on the right track with my efforts to make myself known. 

Here’s what I’m doing (and what you should be doing, too):

Networking – Whether in-person or online, you better find yourself mingling with as many people as possible. But, not just any people… Find out where your target audience hangs out and start hanging out in those places! 

Social media marketing – If you’re not a fan of showing up in-person, show up online (or even better, show up in-person AND online)! Social media is one of the best ways for you to build brand awareness and the great thing is – you can do it in your pajamas. *Digital high five*. Come up with an awesome strategy and get to posting regularly, friends! Here’s an article I wrote about the importance of social media for business, if you need more convincing. 

Getting positive client reviews – Let’s face it – when you have ZERO reviews online, your brand looks a little sketch. No one wants to work with a business with no social proof. This is why you should be asking for client reviews regularly. BTW, Google favors companies with a lot of high ratings. 

There’s plenty of other ways to build a name for yourself, but these are some of my main areas of focus right now. 

#2: Never stop learning. 

Learning doesn’t stop the day you graduate high school, trade school, or college. 

You should always pursue learning opportunities, regardless of how many degrees/certificates you have. Things are constantly changing, which means you have to keep up with the times and be adaptable. 

Here’s some ideas: 

• Enroll in some community college classes or online courses (like lynda.com). 
• Listen to podcasts; during your commute, while cooking, in the gym, wherever you can think of. 
• Read professional development books. 
• Attend workshops and conferences.
• Research competition and see what they’re doing. 

The more you learn, the more valuable and irreplaceable you will become. 

#3: Build your tribe.

I hate saying “build your tribe” because it sounds so cliche but people say it for good reason! 

When you surround yourself with the right people, your business will flourish. 

You may be wondering, where do I begin? 

First, it’s going to take a lot of support from your family and friends, so you’ll want to start there. Find out who is really there for you and keep them close. They will support you during the ups and downs that come with entrepreneurship. 

Next, seek out a mentor (or a few mentors). Find a person who is doing or has done what you do. The more experience they have, the more insights they can give you. Meet with this person regularly to ask them questions and get advice. Also, have them hold you accountable for things you say you are going to do. 

Another great way to build your tribe is by attending masterminds. Find a mastermind group you can join and show up regularly. You can learn a lot from other business owners, even if they’re not doing exactly what you do. Plus, these people can relate to you more than most. 

Final thoughts

These are just a few things I’ve learned while working for other people and working for myself. As a new business owner, I’m still learning a lot about this topic and would love to hear your thoughts. 

What do you do to grow your small business? 

Send me an email at Tonya@LikeItMarketing.com

Thanks for reading, y’all! 💙