How to Respond to the Border Bully

I started network marketing back when it was all about home meetings or "seminars" at hotels and restaurants. I frequently traveled for these in-person events. I loved meeting new people and connecting with friends when I traveled.

But my husband at the time was not always supportive. He comes from an older generation (yes, he was a BIT older than me). He had a much different upbringing. He didn't approve of a woman out alone at night. He thought it was dangerous.

Whenever I had an event to attend, he would pepper me with questions. “Who’s driving? Is your friend coming? Where will you be and when? Who will you meet up with?”

Responding to a border bully—even a well-meaning one—can be a challenge. You want to stay kind without losing your cool. Here are a few tips to help you out…

Look for the Nugget

I knew I could easily dismiss my husband's concerns. I could try to negate everything he was saying. But instead, I looked for the valuable nugget in his concern—that someone should know where and when I would arrive at my destination.

I recommend thanking border bullies for their input then answering their questions. “But only give enough information to be kind. I told my husband who I was meeting. I also gave him the phone number of a friend ot two who was atending with me as well as the contact information for the location the event was being held at. He was comforted but not overwhelmed by the details of people and places he did not know.

Ask for Support

Most border bullies just want to support you. They may show this by asking lots of questions (like my husband) or pointing out potential problems, and giving you unsolicited advice and suggestions. Don’t get upset or walk off in a huff when this happens.

Instead, you could patiently say, “Oh, thanks for letting me know about that issue. If you were in my shoes, how would you solve it?” By following up with a question, your loved ones feel like you value their opinion and they’re more likely to become your biggest cheerleaders.

It’s OK to Walk Away

Sometimes, a border bully can’t be supportive. No matter what you say or do, they can’t understand why you’re following your vision or chasing that dream. They may make cutting remarks or constantly make you question yourself.

If someone can’t respect your dream, it’s OK to walk away. This might mean limiting your time around that person, keeping your dreams to yourself, or avoiding contact for a while. This doesn’t mean that you don’t love the border bully; you’re just limiting the impact they can have on your goals. Border bullies are easier to deal with once you know what to say and do. Let them know that you hear their suggestions or concerns and thank them. They’ll feel appreciated and heard.

What Motivates the Border Bully?

Border bullies are the ones that want everything to stay the same. They don’t want you going after that big promotion, writing your book, or launching a brand new business. For every solution you come up with, they offer three obstacles.

Border bullies can make your life frustrating. But stopping them can sometimes be difficult. It can be helpful to identify the root cause that’s making your border bully act out. Here are three common reasons people respond to your dreams negatively…

True Concern for You

When I was stationed in Hawaii, my sister came to visit. She loved the islands. She found a job, met her future husband, and decided to stay instead of going home once her vacation was over.

After some discussion, we decided she would live with me and help with my daughters while my husband was deployed. Perfect plan. I had help with childcare. She had a place to live until she got established. But out mom was terribly upset and worried that something bad would happen. She kept coming up with “what if?” scenarios. What if I suddenly got transferred and my sister had no place to stay. What if my husband returned from deployment and decided he didn't want my sister staying there. It didn't matter what we explained to her. She had another possible reason why it might not work.

Like my mom, the border bullies in your life might be the ones who are closest to you. Because they love you, they’re more likely to resist change for fear it will negatively impact your life. They want to see you stagnate rather than be hurt.

Co-Dependency

My friend Laura battled alcoholism for years. On her thirtieth birthday, she decided to turn her life around. She started taking positive steps by attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, reaching out for support, and talking about her journey.

When Laura’s husband began to reactive negatively to her changes, Laura was bewildered. She spoke with a counselor and asked, “Why is someone who loves me trying to sabotage my sobriety?”

As Laura shared more about her relationship with her husband, the counselor suggested that he might be co-dependent. When she's drinking, he gets to step in and be the hero. He fixes the problems her substance abuse causes and without her alcoholism, there’s nothing for him to do.

Fear of the Unknown

When I retired from the Navy, I wanted to go back to school...in my forties. I'd always had a passion for science, but when I was first attending college, money was tight. Although the Navy had always been part of my plans for my future, the cost of college caused me to enlist rather than finish college and go after my commission

But now that I could afford to go, especially since my employer had a tuition assistance program, I was eager to start again.

Unfortunately, my husband wasn’t supportive. He pointed out that I would be taking time away from the girls again, which was one of the primary reasons we had retired when we did. He reminded me how old I would be when I finally graduated and how difficult it would be to get a job in my chosen field at that age.

My husband actually meant well. He was worried about the unknown and all the things that could go wrong. As an OTR trucker at the time, he knew he wouldn't be much help if something happened. He didn’t want to see me struggle to find employment or once again grapple with the overwhelm of home, work, the girls, and now college. 

It’s exhausting dealing with a border bully. But you don’t have to let yours throw your dreams off track. You can respond to a border bully in a way that’s both patient and kind.

Have You Ever Heard Of A Border Bully?

In the book, The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson, the main character, Ordinary, discovers he has a dream and decides to pursue it. But the land Ordinary lives in is filled with people who prefer to stick to the status quo, so his dream chasing makes them uncomfortable.

As he is leaving his land to pursue his dream he runs into Border Bullies. These are people who love him and want to protect him, but perhaps their concern is more about protecting themselves. If you suspect you’re encountering Border Bullies in your own journey, here are three common signs to watch for…

Border Bullies Want You to Play Small

When you're chasing a dream, you're going to make other people uncomfortable. If no one in your family has ever owned a business, then trying to start one may cause your loved ones to worry about you.

They care and are well-intentioned but they keep pointing out all of the reasons you can’t do it. They might say the economy is bad, that you’ll never earn enough, or that your idea just won’t work.

Border Bullies Keep You from Growing

You’ve been trying to lose weight for ten years. Now, you’re beginning to see some success. You’ve shed a significant amount of weight and you’re starting to feel good about yourself. Your weight loss has given you confidence and energy.

But now you’re hearing concerns from family and friends. They downplay your accomplishment, make unsupportive remarks, or flat out tell you that you’re bound to gain all of that weight back.

What you have to understand is that border bullies aren’t just worried about you—they’re also worried about what your action says about THEM. If you bust out of the usual way of doing things, what does that say about everybody who stays where they are? Understand that your loved ones may feel judged or abandoned.

Border Bullies Fill You with Doubt

You spent years working hard to get out of debt. Once you had achieved that, you started saving up to spend a year living in Italy. You’ve been preparing for your trip for a few weeks. You’ve looked into courses on learning Italian. You bought a guide book so you’ll know which sights you want to see. You’ve applied for your passport.

But now here come the doubts. Your friends are always telling you why you can’t go to Italy for a year. Maybe they insist that you’re an adult and it’s time to act like one. Maybe they tell you that your goal is unrealistic or dangerous.

What you have to keep in mind is that stepping out of the ordinary will freak out the people around you. They’ll feel sad about the idea of you leaving or worry that you’ll forget about them. So they begin tossing roadblocks your way in the hopes that you’ll abandon your dreams.

It’s draining to deal with border bullies. Fortunately, there are a few solutions that can help put their minds at ease and give you the peace you need. In the meantime, you’ll want to grab a copy of The Dream Giver and read it to get a full picture of what it’s like to encounter border bullies.

How to Build Your Social Media Audience

You can have the coolest meme, the most amazing video, a blog post full of over-the-top value...and if no one is seeing it, it's irrelevant.

I've talked repeatedly about B-E-S...Build, Engage, Sell. And of those three, building your audience is most important. And there are plenty of people out there telling you how to do that...including me, of course! Here's my input:

If you aren't growing your audience every day so that you always have fresh, interested people to talk to, you're wasting your time. It's the only way to ensure you never run out of people to talk to.

Where to Build Your Audience

Where do you want to build it? Again, everyone has their preference of social media platforms. I say go where you are comfortable, enjoy interacting, and where your target market also hangs out. 

The most popular, according to marketers, are:

1. Facebook
2. Email (yes, email is considered social media)
3. Instagram
4. Twitter
5. YouTube
6. LinkedIn
7. TikTok

This list is always subject to change. TikTok is surging in popularity right now, and marketers are discovering how to use it effectively. Again, determine where your target market is, then choose the one or two of those that you enjoy using and focus your efforts there.

Why Are You On Social Media?

I assume it's to build your business. But you need to be specific. Have you heard of SMART goals? Of course you have! And they apply on your social media account as much as anywhere else. And they can differ from platform to platform. For example, my goal on Twitter is to make sales and generate leads. Twitter is great for that. My goal on Facebook is to meet people, build a relationship, and use that relationship to move them to my Facebook group or email list. I don't expect to make sales on FB. I have, but it's not my primary goal.

Before you do anything else, take some time to determine your goal for each platform you where you decide to be active. And make them SMART goals: Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Relevant. Time-Bound. 

Having defined goals will make it easier to create a social media strategy. Knowing what, where, and when to post will make you more productive and effective. 

Who Are You Talking To?

Identify your target market. If you are marketing to everybody, you are marketing to no one. Contrary to what you may have been told elsewhere, EVERYONE is NOT your customer. 

Look at your current customers. Look at who is interacting with your social media content. Are there commonalities? Other people like them would more than likely be interested in your product, services, and content as well. 

Analyze your product or service. What are the benefits? What problem does it solve? Who would be most likely to have a need for your offer? 

Once you know who would most benefit from your offer, figure out who is most likely to buy it. Look at things like age, location, gender, income level, occupation, etc. You can also consider values, interests, hobbies, etc.

You can have more than one market! You will just tailor your marketing accordingly for each niche.

The Key Word in "Social Media" is "Social"

Create relationships. I'd rather have 1000 loyal, raving fans than 5000 people who never engage with my content and don't really know what I do. 

It's not that hard to get to know people on social media. Reach out to them via messenger and have a real conversation. Don't just pitch your offer. Would you greet someone you just met at a party with, "Hey I know we just met, but buy my stuff!"? Why do it on social media?

Reply to comments on your posts. Comment on other people's posts. Don't just "like" them. Start a conversation. Answer questions. 

Ask questions - real questions to spark a conversation. Not the engagement bait questions. Unless I'm in the wine business, I really don't care if you prefer red or white. Neither does anyone else. Sure you'll get engagement. But the people who respond are most likely not your target market. 

Get personal. Share photos...of your office, your pets, your team, anything that will help people relate and connect with you. And don't be afraid to get silly! Humor is a great way to connect with others.

Provide Value

Remember the 80/20 rule. Only 20% of your posts should be promotional. People come to social media to connect with others and be entertained. No one got up today and said, "I need a new skin care product. I think I'll see what's on Facebook!" No one...I promise!

Offer tips and tricks related to your niche. Share other expert's content. Post industry trends or breaking news. Answer questions. Give away what you know freely, and it will come back to you. Or as my friend, Manny Lopez, says, "Give away the map. Charge to be the guide."

Let's Get Visual

Instagram. TikTok. YouTube. These are three of the most popular social media platforms right now. Visual content is where it's at. Photos and video content are absolutely killing it. Make sure you are adding it to your content mix.

The good news is it's not difficult to create great visual content. Most smartphones do a fine job of recording video. Or use platforms like Zoom to record your content. Do a Facebook Live. And there literally tons of photo editing and graphics apps to create images. I use Canva and Photofunia the most. But there are plenty of others. Find the one that works for you and get creative!

Announce Your Presence

Do you have a website? Make sure it contains links to your social media sites.

Do you have an email list? Include links to your social media in your email signature.

Cross promote. Just because I'm on Twitter doesn't mean I can't let my Twitter peeps know I'm also on Facebook. 

Put your social media links on your promotional and marketing material. 

Place your primary platform on your business card. 

Wherever and whenever you can, share your social media links.

Consistency is Key

An inactive social media account looks bad if you're an entrepreneur. Plus savvy social media users will "unfriend" you fast if you let your account go inactive. It limits our reach!

If creating fresh content is difficult for you day after day, check out the tips in my posts 10 Sources for Content Creation Ideas and The Ultimate Social Media Marketing Battle Plan.

Social media marketing should be quick, easy, and fun. If it's not, you're doing it wrong.

There is no secret program or magic trick to build your social media audience.

But there are tactics and strategies you can use that will help you build a presence that attracts people to you. And that is what attraction marketing is all about. Following the ideas posted here will put you way ahead of the the game.

I want to hear from you, too. Any tips or tactics that I missed? Let me know in the comments below!

 

10 Sources for Content Creation Ideas

Content creation seems challenging at times. How do you come up with ideas for content on a regular basis?

You don’t have to spend hours each day trying to come up with content ideas. There are plenty of free and premium tools that can inspire you and showcase what your audience really wants from you. Here are a few you can use:

Keyword Tool.io

Keyword Tool.io is one of the most comprehensive keyword tools available. That’s because this unique website pulls keywords from several popular content sites including Google, YouTube, Bing, Amazon, eBay, and App Store.

With so many different search options, you’ll be able to rank well in Google and YouTube. One of the reasons it’s so effective is because this tool pulls keywords from real Google autocomplete searches.

Answer the Public

Another alternative that you may want to consider when looking for keywords is Answer the Public. You can use the site to see what questions users search for answers to. For example, you can type a topic like ‘puppy training’ into the search box.

Answer the Public will then display a list of questions that those seeking this information often ask. Seeing these questions can inspire you to create new content since you know what information is really important to your community.

Buzz Sumo

Buzz Sumo is another keyword tool you can use for your research. But it has more than one feature that makes it an excellent choice for marketers and small businesses. The most exciting option is that you can enter a keyword and see which links have been ‘most shared’ in your niche.

For example, if you type ‘puppy training’, you’ll see a new story about puppies that’s been shared over 173K times on Facebook. You can use this feature to help you create content that’s more likely to go viral.

Moz Keyword Explorer

You may also want to consider Moz Keyword Explorer when you’re looking for fresh content ideas. You can use this keyword tool to look at the search engine results page (SERP) rankings of the sites that rank on page 1 of Google. This can provide you with insight into which websites will be your biggest competitors.

Google Trends

It’s not enough to simply know a keyword is popular. You also want to know when during the year it’s most popular. This is important because it helps you plan your content in advance so you can get the most traction possible. That’s why you want to use Google Trends when you create your content strategy.

For example, you may know wedding preparations is a popular keyword in May, right before all the June weddings. But what you may not know is it’s also a very popular keyword in late November due to couples planning their spring nuptials.

Semrush

Semrush is one of the most popular keyword tools available today. That’s because the data it provides is comprehensive. You can see which keywords are popular by country, view organic search keywords, and study the CPC of paid traffic. You can also see related keywords. This can show you which terms you’ll want to use in your content. For example, you might find that puppy training isn’t as popular a keyword as you thought. You might discover that most of your community uses the term dog training instead. This insight is valuable because it helps you discern what your community is really looking for.

Let Your Community Inspire You

Even the best content creator can sometimes feel like their creativity is blocked. It might be that you don’t know how to start your next blog post or what to write in the upcoming chapter of your eBook or you may simply wonder what you should discuss in your next podcast episode.

The good news is there are lots of ways to get your community to help you. Not only is this a great way to drive engagement, it also gives you the chance to be inspired by your fans. Here’s how to reach out:

Create a Poll

Sometimes, content creation can be slowed because you have too many choices. For example, you run a cooking blog and you’re about to launch your latest series. You’re not sure if your community would prefer a new batch of dessert recipes or brunch ideas.

You don’t have to make this decision yourself. You can create a poll and ask your followers to share their thoughts. You can use a WordPress plugin to add a poll to your website or you can use the poll feature on a social network like Twitter.

Broadcast Your Questions

Twitter isn’t the only social network you can use to gather insights from your fans. You can also use Facebook’s livestream feature to create your very own broadcast. While you live stream, Facebook goes to work, notifying your followers that you’re live.

Take advantage of this perk and ask your viewers questions while listening for their responses. But don’t make your question vague like, “What should I write about?” Instead, ask questions that encourage conversation such as, “What was the last news story that made your blood boil?” or “Who always encourages you when you’re having a difficult day?”

These questions can prompt you to come up with fresh content ideas. If you do end up creating content from these conversations, be sure to thank your watchers for their insights and ideas in the finished product.

Send Out Surveys

You may also want to try sending out surveys to your audience. You don’t have to create anything complex. You can even use a simple website like Survey Monkey or Alchemer.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to get responses when you create a survey. One way to get around this problem is to offer a small, valuable prize in exchange for participation. For example, one brand gave away $5 Amazon gift cards to participants who completed their survey. One marketer offered participants a coupon code to get her latest book for free.

Encourage User-Generated Content

When you’re really stuck on what to post, consider letting your fans help you. One lipstick company encourages their buyers to post to social media using a branded hashtag. Then the content manager selected the best pictures and created a blog post titled, 15 Lipstick Tips to Make Your Lips Look Fab. Inside the post, Instagram photos from users were embedded.

Before the post went live, the content manager reached out to each participant and had them sign waivers. Then to show their gratitude, each Instagrammer received a special t-shirt in the mail. It was a simple way to thank fans for the user-generated content. You can use a similar tactic in your own business. Invite your followers to post content to your brand hashtag. Then let their responses inspire you to create even more amazing content.

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!

 

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