Dip in & discover social media

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Dip in & discover – Debunking myths about getting started in social media

By now, even the most reluctant small-business owners and managers realise social media is not just for the kids or the Kardashians: it can build sales, buzz, reputation and community. But… they just don’t have the time for it.

Social-media specialist Amy Mullins, who has developed social media campaigns for brands such as NAB, Origin Energy and CUB, has a radical message: don’t make the time.

‘I hear that objection very often and I say, you don’t need to “make time” for it,’ says Mullins, who will deliver a social-media workshop at the Centre for Workplace Leadership’s Future of Work annual conference in April. Mullins has segued from working with blue-chip corporates to the not-for-profit sector, using her social-media skills to boost the visibility of women leaders in the media.

By its very nature, she says, social media resists being mastered as a science – it is made to dip into and discover.

‘You actually fit social media in around your schedule. Scroll through your Twitter feed as you’re waiting in line. Check your Facebook on the train. Always be on the lookout for great content during the day and post it then or later. You don’t need to make an appointment; it just becomes second nature.’

Small businesses that do social media well

• Doughboys Doughnuts

• The Hungry Workshop

• Coffee Nomad

• Margaret Zhang

How to work social media

Designers, architects and the fashion world have embraced the likes of Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram, as have big corporates with similarly big budgets.

The payoffs in brand engagement can be enormous. Witness the rise of Triangl, a Hong Kong–based online-only bikini retailer with no marketing budget. In its second year, it chalked up $25 million in sales by diligently targeting fashion bloggers and tapping into the Instagram craze for celebrity bikini selfies.

But many small businesses whose products or services are not visually focused are often bewildered at the plethora of platforms, apps and potential information overload. And without a big budget or the resources to hire a specialist, many write the whole thing off. Yet with its blend of agility and immediacy, social media is perfect for experimentation, which can work in their favour.

‘Small businesses may be lacking in resources compared to large companies, but you don’t have someone from five levels up saying what you can and can’t say,’ Mullins says. ‘You can be more innovative and responsive because you don’t need approvals.’

Consumers have also come to expect this agility from firms. Using social media to bypass traditional customer-service channels often means getting a faster response, because the conversation is conducted in public. While this can mean a sometimes uncomfortable level of exposure, Mullins believes the risks can be easily managed. As long as users conduct themselves online with the same courtesy and professionalism they would use in face-to-face interactions, many blunders can be avoided (don’t simply tell a customer, ‘you’re wrong’, for example).

Know your stuff

Knowing your own brand, audience and objectives are fundamental in setting up a social media presence. Different platforms lend themselves to certain outcomes such as driving sales, building awareness, and cultivating positive brand advocates.

‘Facebook is very visual, and if you’re not on Facebook, some people assume you don’t really exist,’ Mullins says. ‘But it has its challenges in that not everybody sees your posts. You’ll have to pay to boost a post’s visibility in order to ensure that people who follow your page will see them. In Twitter, content is much shorter but you can extend it with links, images and now videos. It’s also very useful if you want to engage influencers or reach journalists.’

It is not always necessary for a small business to hire a specialist, and Mullins cautions against being put off by social media evangelists who insist there is a science to social media engagement. ‘Going on your own personal journey, discovering your audience and what content works for your business is often better than starting with a polished, comprehensive campaign.’

Make time early on

There is, however, a caveat to her maxim that you don’t need to schedule ‘social media time’ each day: ‘You do need to make time at the beginning to set up the account and get your bearings. Once you’ve got the foundations there, it’s all too easy to streamline it into your work life and business. The most important thing is to find out who your community is. Once you’ve set up an account, look around and listen. The greatest motivator to keep “doing social media” comes from experiencing the excellent returns for yourself.’

Amy Mullins is presenting an interactive session ‘Using Social Media’ at the Centre for Workplace Leadership’s 2015 Future of Work conference.

More details www.workplaceleadership.com.au/events/futureofwork

Follow Amy on Twitter @Get_Shortened

 Elisabeth Lopez