Everybody wants to do it quickly. “How much time does it take?” is the number one question I’m asked. It can be fast and it can be easy. But first you have to invest in a plan. That can be investing time or investing money or both. Without a plan then your “investment” is about as solid as investing in the crap tables in Vegas. With a plan you are investing in the growth of your business.
What does a social media marketing plan look like? That depends on what you want to accomplish and on what social media is doing when you create the plan. Remember that this technology or medium is very much in its infancy so what works in August of 2010 might not work come November. It really does change that quickly.
So what is the easy part of all this?
The most crucial part of your plan is to decide what action or actions you want people to take. A good starting action is getting people to LIKE you. On Facebook this means to click the like button. In the olden days (April of 2010 for example) you wanted people to become a fan but it changed, just that quickly. Now you want them to LIKE you.
So folks say liking isn’t enough. I say that depends on your plan. Once they’ve liked you, you can communicate with them more directly. If your company or purpose is based on a particular event such as a charity run, then getting them to click the like button might be enough because now you can share information with them about the event.
Other actions that could help you get what you want out of social media:
- Fill out the form to sign up for your newsletter (now these can be put right into facebook)
- Click through to your web site
- Click a link to a coupon or social media only special
- Call you directly from info on your profile
- Make a comment on your posting
- “LIKE” a particular post
- Start a new conversation
- Respond to a poll question
- Post a picture
- Post a video
- And the list goes on and on . . .
Now we’re to the easy part. Once you’ve got your goals and your desired actions, engage your friends / fans / followers accordingly. It really doesn’t take much time with a plan – or if it does take a lot of time, it does so because it’s paying off for you.
But don’t forget to measure the results. If they aren’t turning out as desired, then it’s time to revisit the plan.
Want help? That’s what we do. Call 303 368-2245 ext. 4 to get started.