The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Battle Plan

Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay. And if you're in business, you had better learn how to use it effectively and efficiently for your marketing. 

But how do you do that? There are so many platforms. Which one should you use? What should you post? How often? It's enough to drive you crazy. Or at least spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars on some social media marketing "guru" who has all the answers.

Well, I'm here to tell you that there is no one perfect answer. Which platform should you use? The one you enjoy using. The one your target market interacts with you one. What should you post? Things that inform, entertain, and engage your followers. How often? Often enough to be visible. Not so often that your posts are competing with each other. 

So in other words...Do what works for you.

Do I have some recommendations? Of course I do! Read through my suggestions. Take what feels right for your business. Ignore the rest. Because in the end, social media should be FUN! If you find yourself dreading the time you spend there, you are doing it wrong!

The Plan

I could write a book on how to successfully use social media to market your business. But I'm busy writing a different one so you'll have to be content with this post! Which means I'm going to assume you understand the basics of social media marketing: what it is, why we use it, what terms like engagement and algorithm mean. I'm going to focus on those questions we all have. Which platforms should I use? How should I use them? And how can I do this efficiently and effectively so I'm not wasting hours every day post online?

Step 1: Determine which platforms you are going to use. Again, don't pick platforms you don't enjoy using. TikTok is hot right now and many of my fellow marketers are using it. I'm not. I don't enjoy doing videos. I found a lot of toxic people on TikTok. I really don't understand how to use it effectively. And so I'm not there. For me, it would be a waste of time better spent elsewhere.

The platforms I recommend for your social media marketing:

1. Twitter

2. Pinterest

3. LinkedIn

4. Instagram

What? No Facebook? 

Facebook is an important platform. It's the juggernaut in the social media world. And you should have a presence there. But they have made it very difficult to actually market there. Use it to build relationships and make connections. Host a Facebook group. Interact with friends and followers. But I think you'll find your business will be just fine if you focus your hardcore marketing on other platforms. 

Along with the four platforms listed, you will want to build an email list. Yes, email is a form of social media. And a list is a critical part of your success. People who opt-in to your list have indicated they are interested in what you are offering. They were willing to give you there contact information to get it. That's a solid LEAD. And if Facebook, Twitter or any of the others close down tomorrow, you still have all the contact information of your list subscribers. So business goes on uninterrupted for you, while everyone else is trying to figure out how to connect with their market again.

The last thing you may want is a blog. This one isn't as vital as an email list. But I think it's worth pursuing. It's the only other thing online, besides your list, that is totally yours. If all my social media platforms were to go away, I would simply share information on my blog and then use my list to drive traffic there. 

Twitter

Why Twitter? I can hear you already. It's full of trolls and bots. It's toxic. You can only post short little blurbs (280 characters). Yes, all of those things are true...if you let them become true. I have been on Twitter since 2009 and never once have I had to deal with trolls and haters. I simply don't allow them in my Twitter feed. And I have learned how to recognize bots. And 280 character limits have taught me to make my message CONCISE!

Why Twitter? Because your competitors are there if they are serious about their business. Because millions of people use it every single day. It's one of the busiest social networks. Because your community will become brand ambassadors, retweeting and sharing your content. And because Twitter let's you post links! Unlike FB, Twitter has no prohibition against posting links to your offers. Which makes it ideal for driving traffic wherever you want.

Twitter is easy to use. Keep your Twitter handle simple. Don't use numbers or other characters to make it unique. @MaryJo47225508 does not look professional and certainly does not inspire confidence in her business. 

You are limited to 280 characters per tweet. But you can tweet images and video. Use them!

And don't forget, you can link back to your content. If you can't say it in 280 characters, turn it into a blog post and then post the link!

You can check out some other tips for using Twitter on my blog post Twitter Tips. Or join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group for a 5-Day Twitter Challenge.

Pinterest

I love Pinterest. As we become an increasingly visual society, what better way to market than with images. But what makes Pinterest special is that each image is a clickable link. Think of it like a giant storefront or shopping mall and every image is like a window into your business. 

Like Twitter, Pinterest allows the posting of link so it's a great way to drive traffic to your website, blog, sales page, or lead magnet. And while posts on Facebook and Twitter have a very short life span, the average life span of a post on Twitter is 3 months. I have posts that are 2 years old still generating leads and traffic. 

The key to success on Pinterest is creating the right boards and then posting relevant content. Again, don't forget the video! Very few people are using video on Pinterest yet so this will really make you stand out. 

For Pinterest Tips, visit my post Best Practices for Pinterest.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has become the largest professional network in the world. This is not a social platform. What works on Twitter and Facebook won't work here. LinkedIn users are professional networkers. Does that mean they are not a market for your opportunity? Absolutely not! LinkedIn is an untapped social media GOLD MINE!

I freely admit I have not been active on LinkedIn for many years. When I started social media, LinkedIn was still in it's infancy and no one really understood its potential. I have recently revisited LinkedIn however. And I am convinced it will be one of the top social networks for business, if it isn't already. 

I am still in the process of learning how to use it well. So no...I don't have any great insights to offer. But as I learn, I share with my folks. So if you want to keep up with all my findings, subscribe to my email list. That way you'll be sure not to miss out on anything.

Instagram

Instagram is one of the HOTTEST social media networks. ALL the major influencers have an Instagram profile. You know who I'm talking about. *wink*

While I am not as active there as Twitter and Pinterest, I do post there. It is a great platform for those who are more visually oriented. And just because it is not my main platform doesn't mean I haven't learned a few things. Check out my post Instagram Tips for ideas on how to show off your brand on Instagram.

Email Marketing

I know you have all heard it.  Email Marketing is dead. Let me ask you a question. How many emails did you get today? If it was dead, do you think all those business would be wasting time on it? Not only is it not dead, it's a vital piece of your overall social media strategy. 

I have already explained the benefits of email marketing. People who have opted in to your list have basically given you permission to market to them. They have provided you with their email address with the understanding that you will be sending them stuff periodically. That list of names and email addresses (and sometimes even phone numbers) is yours. No one can take that away from you. Twitter may go. Facebook may make it all but impossible to do business without paying. But that list is yours. 

I am not going to go into a class on email marketing here. Again, that's an entire book in itself. I will tell you that you will need an autoresponder to get started. There are plenty to choose from. MailChimp. ConvertKit. I use AWeber. Quite simply, I think they are the best. I have been using them since I first started building my list waaayyy back in the the day. 😉  You can check them out for free.

If you want some additional guidance on how to build and leverage your list, I recommend the Simple List Leverage 5-Day Challenge. For $1 you will get 5 days of training from the fabulous Diane Hochman, the undisputed QUEEN of email marketing. Plus you'll receive a 30 day free trial of the marketing and training system I use everyday to build my business.

Blogging

I hope you have decided to add blogging to your social media mix. Yes, blogging is a form of social media! If you truly love to communicate and share with your tribe, you will love having a blog as a place to do that.

Starting a blog is easy. There are plenty of platforms to use. When I started 14 years ago (yes, I've really been at this that long), there were only two. Blogger and WordPress. WordPress was a bit more than this tech-challenged gal could handle. So I opted for Blogger. And I've been here ever since.

Like your email list, your blog is yours. No one can take it away from you. It's your way to speak your message to anyone and everyone. And it's a great marketing tool. Don't believe me? Just ask Ray Higdon!

As a blogger, of course I have written about blogging. Check out these posts for some information to help you get started:

Starting To Blog

Why Blog?

It's Time To Talk About Writing Blog Posts

Tools Are Great But Who Has The Time For All This?

Now that you have an idea of what tools you need in your social media marketing arsenal...

Twitter

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Instagram

Aweber

Blogger

It's time to get to work. Ready to be overwhelmed? Don't worry. You can do all of this in a few hours a week. The key is automation and repurposing content.  

First let's talk about automation. Many platforms don't like the use of schedulers. They are too easily co-opted by bots. But if you do it correctly, you can use them to help decrease the time you actually spend online posting. There are three that I have used and recommend.

SocialOomph: When I first started seriously using social media, I used SocialOomph. Basically, because it was free. But that didn't mean it was useful. It served my purposes quite nicely. Since then, it has developed and changed to keep pace with the changing world of social media.

HootSuite: From SocialOomph I moved to HootSuite. Why? Because I was told all the professional marketers used HootSuite! As good a reason as any, right? But they were a bit expensive for my budget back then, and I didn't just didn't see the need for my two little social media accounts. But if you have 10 or more accounts or work with a team, HootSuite may be for you.

Social Jukebox: Today I use Social Jukebox. It's easy, affordable, and does everything I need. And I love that I don't have to continually reschedule my posts. I basically set it up once a month (YES! I schedule a month's worth of posts at a time! How cool is that?) and then forget it. If I need to add or delete something during that time, it's a snap to go in and edit my "jukebox".  In my opinion, it's the best tool available to help you save time on social media.

Repurposing Content

One of the easiest ways to save time with your social media is to repurpose your content. What does that mean exactly? It means using one piece of content in multiple ways.

Write a blog post. Break that down into shorter social media posts. Turn the contents of your blog post into a video. Take quotes from the blog post and make quotes posts. Write your list about the content of your blog and include a link to the post. If you are a podcaster, interview some experts on the topic of your blog post or do your own show. Record an audio only of your video to download. 

The hardest part of creating content is coming up with new ideas. But if you take one good idea and repurpose it, you can create content from it for days!

It works they other way as well. As an example, I saw an image that was talking about Jibber Jabber. For some reason, it just struck a chord with me. I turned that image into a blog post about Jibber Jabber versus stories that speak with passion. And then of course, the blog became a video, which became and audio file, which became....etc, etc,  etc.

Between automating as much as you can without losing that personal touch and repurposing your content, managing your social media marketing will be a 2 - 4 hour/week walk in the park.

But Wait, There's More!

Of course there's more to learn than this. What to post. When to post. How to interact with your followers. So much more than I could ever cover in one blog post. This gave you the basics. It's a starting place for your battle plan. Now it's up to you to "sharpen the axe". You can do that here by reading this blog.

You can join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group.

You can subscribe to my email list. 

You can do all of the above!

Because I will be here, using all the social media tactics at my disposal to share my message with anyone who wants it.

You CAN do this! I will show you how!

 

Get Access to Some Great Stuff...Absolutely Free!

That’s right! FREE! I have compiled an awesome collection of stuff all designed to help you grow your business.

Some of it was created by me.

Some was created by other top marketers and given to me with permission to share with my folks.

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The Next Big Thing to Grow Your Business

LinkedIn is Going to Be THE Next BIG Thing to Grow Your Business!

Yes! Another $1 5-Day Challenge!
April 17-21!

Yes, it's true! We're hosting a LIVE 5-Day LinkedIn Experience to help you get more prospects, sales, and signups from the world's largest professional network.

LinkedIn is the #1 most trusted social media platform. We're going to teach you how to leverage it to fill your pipeline with quality professional prospects.


LinkedIn is very different from Facebook and Twitter. It is used predominantly by business professionals. Does that mean they aren't interested in your little business? Absolutely not! LinkedIn can be an absolute goldmine if used properly!


Did you ever think that maybe some of those professionals would like to have their own business but don't know how
to get started?


Or that despite their apparent success, they are looking for a side-hustle? An additional income stream?



Those folks are out there. We'll show you how to find them.


We'll show you how to set up your profile, how to write LinkedIn articles, and how to use LinkedIn Groups. (These are very different from Facebook groups!).


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Register here!

Yes...I Promote That!

I am not much of a sales person. In fact, I absolutely hate trying to make a sale. It just feels sleazy somehow. 

Unfortunately, when you're a marketer, you have to make sales. Otherwise, you don't make money. And I'm in business to make money. 

Sounds like quite a dilemma, doesn't it? Well it's not. Because I don't "SELL". I promote. And yes, there is a big difference.

When people think of sales, they often think of the stereotypical "used car salesman" approach. They equate sales with high-pressure tactics, exaggerated claims, lots of hype, and false promises. And I confess...I got my start in sales on a car lot. (Unless you count all my years selling Girl Scout Cookies!). So I learned all those tactics. And I hated them. Enough that I refused to do it that way. Instead, I focused on learning what my prospects were actually looking for in a vehicle. I tried to find them what they wanted and needed, not what would make me the biggest commission. Instead of trying to convince them to buy something they really didn't want, I showed them what I had that would meet their needs. If they bought it, great! If they didn't, I said thanks and let it go. No calling them the next day to say we had managed to get more for their trade or a better price or lower payments. I simply listened to what they were looking for, showed them what I had and explained the benefits (not the features!), made the best offer I could, and then let them make their decision. 

If they didn't buy, I often had their name and address. Which meant they went on my mailing list. Yup! I dutifully paid to print and mail a newsletter to all my customers and prospects each and every month. I had a list before email marketing took off. And every month, I sent out a newsletter full of information...about the auto industry, about vehicle maintenance, travel tips...you name it. If I could somehow link it to automobiles and travel, it went in the newsletter. Along with pictures of me, my contact info, our best deal that month, and a profile of a satisfied customer.

And it worked. Over time, I built up a loyal repeat customer base of folks who knew I would always be square with them. I even managed to land some of those who hadn't purchased initially. They came back because I kept myself in front of them and gave them value. Not just sales pitches. 

And that's the difference between selling and promoting. Selling often boils down to convincing. And if I have to convince you to join my team or buy my product, chances are one or both of us are going to wind up being unhappy. 

But promoting is different. I lay out my offer, tell you all the benefits and how it will help you, and then the choice is yours. If you agree, great! I have a new team member or customer. If not, I have a new friend and contact. And that's important. I'd rather have a happy prospect who may come back for a second look another time, than an unsatisfied customer or team member who got pressured into saying yes to something they really didn't want.

I would love to say that this all came naturally for me. That I just instinctively brought what I had learned on the car lot to the internet. But I'd be lying. Maybe it's because that's what all the "gurus" I was following taught back then. That's what my upline taught me. If a prospect says no, just keep at them until they say yes.

Or maybe it's because it took me a while to find the right mentors and coaches. But I confess...I started out as one of "those" marketers with the overblown hype and spammy posts everywhere. And I pissed off a lot of people. Lost a lot of friends. 

Until I discovered that the same methods that worked on the car lot also worked online. It even had a name. Attraction Marketing.

Attraction Marketing is simply all the things I was doing on the car lot. Providing value to my market. Meeting their needs. Giving them solutions to their problems. And when they wanted a new vehicle, they already knew I had what they wanted and so it was natural for them to come to me. That may seem a little simplistic. Of course I had what they wanted. A new car. But they wanted more than that. They wanted to be treated fairly. To not feel like they had been pressured into buying. To know someone would stand behind the sale. They didn't want a car salesman. They wanted a knowledgeable friend in the car business. 

So how did I eventually see the light? Where did I learn about Attraction Marketing and learn how to do all of that online?

MLSP

And yes...I promote that...

I am an extremely experienced user and love the tools, training, and community.

I have helped many people use this product and have helped several become EXTREMELY successful with it.

In fact, Wednesday is our free Weekly Marketing Webinar. We do these every week for anyone who wants to improve their business. You don’t have to be a member of MLSP to tune in. But I encourage you to be on the webinar Wednesday night for the help it will give your business.

Think about it…

If this is what we give away for free, imagine what we do for members!

Developing Your Video Marketing Strategy

Video marketing has never been more important. Video marketing is known to increase revenue by 49%. Imagine if you started getting 50% more sales in your business. What would you do with that increase? Would you expand your business even more? Outsource so you could focus on the tasks you find most enjoyable? Take time off to travel?

If you think about video marketing and instantly feel overwhelmed, it’s understandable. Videos can be a more complex form of advertising. But the good news is that videos can be created quickly and easily once you know what to do.

Focusing on video marketing in your business shouldn’t be done lightly. Like all business endeavors, it helps to have a plan. When you have a solid plan in place, you’ll feel more confident and find it easier to create videos. Here are a few questions that can help you create your own strategy…

Who Is Your Audience?

If you’ve been in business for a while, then you may already know who your ideal buyer is. But if your brand is new and you’re just starting out, you may not know who your product is for just yet. You need to get clarity on your ideal customer before you start video marketing. Otherwise, you risk wasting both time and money trying to appeal to the wrong audience.

Keep in mind that it’s easy to think the user of your product is also the buyer. But this isn’t always true. If you sell baby clothes, you won’t market to infants. You’ll market to their parents instead. If you sell premium software to other businesses, you won’t market to the end user. You’ll market it to the six-figure executive who makes the final purchasing decision.

How Will You Align Your Videos with Your Brand?

When it comes to video marketing, you have to consider your brand. Your videos will represent your business to your viewers and you want to make sure the tone and style match your brand.

Funny, playful videos are appropriate if you’re selling children’s toys. It would look silly if a company like Fisher Price released serious, somber videos. They would be going against their own brand and confusing their customers.

But it’s not just your tone that matters. It’s also important that your colors, lighting, and content fit with your brand. If you sell products designed for women’s health issues, then you’d probably use pink or purple in your branding and videos. If your products are designed for men’s health, you might use blue or red. 

What Are Your Competitors Doing?

It’s easy to create in a bubble without realizing it. But studying what your competitors are doing can expose you to more ideas and give you insight into what your audience actually wants. For example, if your competitors are creating videos that are longer than five minutes, it might be a sign that consumers in your niche want in-depth content.

While looking at competitor’s videos can be a source of inspiration, don’t try to copy them. Your customers love your brand because it’s unique. You bring something valuable to the table that your competitors don’t. If anything, you should use this to your advantage and announce your unique selling point proudly.

How Does This Video Fit into Your Larger Funnel?

Before you create a video, you should always consider how it fits into your sales funnel. A video that’s targeted to convince visitors to join your sales funnel is going to be different than a video you design for your premium customers.

The first video would be focused on raising brand awareness. The second video doesn’t need to build brand awareness. These people are already customers and have different content needs.

What Is Your Goal for the Video?

This is an important question to ask when you’re creating a video. Consider what you want your visitors to do after watching your video. Do you want them to subscribe to your mailing list? Buy your brand-new info product? Hire you to design a website?

Remember that your goal needs to be clear. You don’t want to create a video with several different purposes like raising brand awareness, selling your product, and growing your social media platform. With all of those goals in the same video, you’re likely to overwhelm your viewers. Instead, pick one goal per video and focus on that.

Asking smart questions before you get started with video marketing can save you hours of time and a lot of frustration. By planning your strategy in advance, your video marketing is more likely to succeed.

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How To Not Look Like Everyone Else When You Market

Can you tell what company your Facebook friend just joined by the content she's posting? Do you already know what's coming next in a messenger conversation by the opening message? Are you tired of finding multiple copies of the exact same articles posted online...all purportedly written by different people?

Me too!

Confession time...I did this myself some in the past. Buying PLR content and using it "as-is" just to get a blog post up. Copying the content of others in my companies who were doing well in an effort to be like them. Not only did that not work...it's also stealing! Posting the same social media posts as others in my industry that were receiving lots of engagement in an effort to boost my engagement. Over the course of time, I learned that was not good enough and I have since raised my standards. The results have been undeniably positive.

Today, many affiliate marketing programs and MLM companies or teams actually provide their reps with SWIPE copy...copy they've created for use by their reps to market their business or product. Yes, you absolutely should use it. No you absolutely should NOT use it 'as-is."

Here are some tips on how to make your brand shine online...even in a crowded niche.

1. Target your ideal clients: When you market to everyone, you market to no one. You already know that. But also, most of the reps in your company or players in your niche are probably marketing too broadly. If you can narrow your market and target your ideal clients, you are already one step ahead of most other marketers. For example, I am a social media marketing coach. But I target entrepreneurs in my own age bracket specifically. We did not grow up on social media and it can be a bit daunting! 

2. Emphasize your brand identity: The company I am currently part of has particular product that we all love. And so it is not unusual that we all promote it hard! To the point that now, when a new team member starts promoting, she gets encouraged to post what has become known as "the spoon post." Now there is nothing wrong with this post. It's technically a very effective post. The only problem is everyone is using the exact same post! 

If your company has images or verbiage that you like, great! Use them! But tweak them to make them your own. Showcase your brand and your voice. It's still easier than coming up with something completely original and you will stand out because you are different.

3. Repurpose content: Did someone on your team post an awesome image quote? Share the quote on a different image or just post the quote without an image. Did your company just post some amazing content on their blog? Record a video highlighting the key points of the blog post.  Or ask the author of the blog post to record an interview with you. Break the blog post up into smaller social media posts.

You can do the same with training you take or courses you purchase. Take that knowledge you have gained, put it in your own words and create a blog post. Break that blog post into social media posts. Record a video of you reviewing the highlights of what you learned. While most others in your course may not even implement what they learned, you will not only implement (because why wouldn't you!), you will use that information to create original, standout content!

4. PLR content works: If you use it correctly. Which means you have to do some revision to make it fit with your brand. Most legitimate PLR providers limit the number of copies they sell. But if even if only 500 copies of a particular article are sold, that's 500 people potentially posting the exact same content. By making some minor revisions, you can still reap the benefit of using PLR content without looking like a copycat.

Yes, you can use the replicated website and cookie-cutter posts and still make money. But if you want to really rise above all the marketing noise out there today, you have to set yourself apart. Then follow through and make those connections. Build those relationships. 

Look like the Rockstar you are!

And if I can help you at all…lets connect.