If you think social media is just for brands that sell Instagram-worthy products, it's time to reevaluate.
When used correctly, social media can be a great tool for all companies, even those serving other businesses.
In fact, social media can be especially useful for those that sell knowledge-based services as it provides a great opportunity to demonstrate your expertise and build trust with prospective clients.
Now it's true that many independent service providers are faced with budgetary and resource limitations, but building a strong social media presence is accessible to businesses of all sizes.
It really comes down to finding the right balance of what works for you and what you can commit to on a consistent basis.
#1 Go where your ideal clients are
Once you have staked your claim for expertise on a given subject, it’s important to publicly demonstrate and communicate that expertise to draw clients into your orbit. But for this to happen, you must show up at the places they visit – whether that’s online or offline.
The number one rule to remember about social media is to focus all your energy on the platforms your ideal clients are using. Don’t worry about following the latest fad. Trends are meaningless if the wrong people are seeing your content.
And just as a side note, if you’re reluctant to post content yourself, there are still benefits to be gained from social media by engaging with the content your ideal clients are posting. This is because it helps to build familiarity.
If you do eventually interact with these people on a one-to-one level, they will feel like they already know you.
#2 You don't need to be on every platform
Although a lot of so-called marketing gurus make this claim, the idea that you need to be on every social media platform is a myth.
Having a presence on all the platforms is a much bigger undertaking than you may first think and could quite easily equate to a full time job.
As small service providers have limited resources it’s not really sustainable to post regularly and interact with people on multiple channels.
Making the most of social media is all about consistency – which takes us onto our last point.
#3 Go all in on one or two social media networks
The real trick to getting the most out of social media as a solo service provider is to pick a single platform and be consistent with how often you post content and engage with other people.
If you work in the business-to-business space, there is a good chance that LinkedIn offers the best opportunity to attract clients.
There is no other social media platform that compares to LinkedIn for B2B marketing. It has a powerful search function and it’s easy to identify people by their job title and employer.
This makes targeting much easier than other platforms where personal details can be kept anonymous.
Conclusion and action point
To conclude, using social media (specifically LinkedIn) can be a great way to attract clients when the approach is right.
Doing social media the right way ultimately comes down to consistency, so focus on what's achievable for you considering your resources and work schedule. It’s much better to master one channel than be spread thin across multiple channels.
Remember, your main goal is to build an audience of people who value your expertise and fit your ideal client profile.
The action point for today is to go on LinkedIn and spend 15 minutes doing a combination of the following:
- Use the search function to locate your ideal clients. Do this by filtering based on their job title, geographic location, and company size. When you find someone that looks like a good potential client, send them a connection request.
- Like and comment on some content in the main LinkedIn feed.
- Write a post, or share a tip or helpful resource your target market would find valuable.
