Welcome to episode 295.
Today we’re talking about three things you need to know about social media in September of 2016. Today, the day this episode is live, anyway, is depending on when you listen to it. It is officially September 2. If you follow the Starbucks calendar for season changing, it’s fall. Pumpkin spice lattes are back. They come out every year on September 1. Every year, I want to tell you guys how to pay attention to what Starbucks is doing with social. You want to talk about building a community around a brand and an event. Just check out your Instagram, your Snapchat, your Facebook page, your Twitter, whatever. You will see the people using it #PSL. You will see people snapping and sharing photos of their pumpkin spice lattes and assorted fall beverages. You will also see people angrily in the anti-let us have our summer, leave us alone fall mood. Their voice heard as well.
This is not one of the three things, but I just want you guys to pay attention to what’s happening on social with that. Starbucks does a very good job. As a brand, they have done a very good job of really getting their community fired up. If you check out their social channels, you’re going to see that they’re egging this along for sure. Have you gotten your pumpkin spice latte yet? I have not. I’m not a big Starbucks fan. Sorry. It’s weird. I know. It’s not my favorite place to get coffee. Pumpkin spice latte’s not really my go to anyways.
Anywho, pay attention to that.
Today we’re going to talk about three things I want you to know going into this new month, the ninth month of the year. Here in the northern part of the world, anyways, it’s going to be moving into fall. You’ve got kids going back to school. Before you know it it’s going to be the holiday stuff rolling out. I already am seeing Halloween stuff everywhere. I’m sure Christmas stuff is not far behind. I want to start off today talking about your holiday ad spend. I know we talked a little bit in August about planning your social media for over the holidays and what you’re going to do. Now, what I want you to start doing in September is really getting clear on what your budget is to spend on ads in the last part of this year. Really, really, really, really, in the next couple of weeks, you’re going to start seeing holiday ads. You’re going to start seeing gift ideas and content targeted towards end of the year promos and coaching packages to get you ready for 2017. All those things. That means your ad costs are going to be going up because there’s going to be more competition.
Get really clear now on what your budget is because that’s going to impact a lot of the things you’re able to do and also maybe where you choose to spend those ad dollars. I think I mentioned this in the last episode, the three things you need to know in August. If you go to the show notes, I’ll link to that episode. You really, really, really don’t want to be relying on Facebook ads alone unless you really, really need to rely on Facebook ads alone. If that’s the only place you’re audience is, that’s one thing. If your budget is smaller and you’re not really sure you’re going to be able to maximize them on Facebook, check out other networks. Check out Twitter. Check out Pinterest. Check out LinkedIn, especially if you’re in the B to B space. Pay attention to those spaces because the ads are going to get a little more pricey, little more expensive on Facebook and probably not far off, Pinterest as well, because you’re going to, again, see those gift ideas and things like that really increasing the price.
However, if this a busy time of year for you, you sort of make your bread and butter through the holiday season, make sure that your ads budget is equipped for that as well. What I really want you to be doing here in September is planning that budget, planning that strategy to maximize that budget and really think about how you’re going to spend those ad dollars over the holiday season. As business owners we have to think about Christmas and Thanksgiving and New Years and pumpkin spice latte season before it’s actually here.
Next up, number two, this question I’ve just been getting a lot of. I don’t know if it’s the back to school time or what, but everybody’s kind of looking for this change, this fresh space or they’re recommitting to getting out there and networking via social media. They’re looking for Facebook groups. I wanted to give you guys a tip on finding really quality Facebook groups. I’m finding it harder and harder to get through the noise and find groups. I want to start this off, this next section of the show, off by saying that not all Facebook groups are created equal Facebook groups are not the only way to market your business. There seem to be this illusion that Facebook groups are like God’s gift to marketers. They’re not, necessarily. They can be a really great tool. I’ve had a lot of success with them. I really enjoy them. Being in five hundred Facebook groups does not make your business successful. It does not make your Facebook time worthwhile. Being a member of a group is not the same as networking in a group. You just put your name on list. That’s all you’ve done.
What I want to talk about is really finding a few, did you hear that, a few Facebook groups. I really want that to sink in. When I say few, I don’t mean like a few dozen, I mean like three to five. Yes, three to five groups that you’re going to actually spend time in. When you have three to five groups that you’re going to actually spend time in, and by spend time in, I mean not just reading, but actually writing, commenting and engaging, you’ll find that the groups that you’re spending time in suddenly become a lot more quality. It’s because you have stepped out of a passive position and into a active position. You are engaging the community that is there. Now you’re seeing some benefit from it.
That doesn’t mean that all groups are going to suddenly become magic because you bothered to spend a little time in them. Some groups will continue to suck. Then, that’s when you leave those groups and you go to new groups. You’re not going to upset anyone. Honestly, I don’t know anyone who has a Facebook group who’s monitoring who comes and goes. I’m sure people do, but I don’t know anybody who does. I really want you to focus. Focus in on the groups where you can provide value and where you can receive value. That may mean focusing in on groups that you pay to be a part of, membership communities that you’re active in. That may mean getting more active in groups that came with programs. That may mean finding entirely new groups. Any of those things work. Any combination of those things work. It may mean just getting active in some of the groups you’re in now, which might start with leaving a lot of groups. That’s what I really want you to focus in on is finding good, quality groups to spend time in.
Over this next thirty days, really commit to actually engaging, being active. Put the time on your calendar to go in and engage these communities. One of the things going into this time of the year, we talked first about Facebook ads. One of the things I hear a lot about is, “I don’t have the budget to keep up with Facebook ads. My Facebook ads just aren’t seeing the same results. I want to turn them off. I need someplace where I can market. I need someplace where I can connect.” Start connecting through value and community inside of these groups. It will help supplement that Facebook ad stuff that you’re missing. It will help supplement the organic view drop off you’re getting. Whatever it is. Notice I didn’t say, don’t just join. I said, go be active. Go be engaged. Take advantage of these communities. Network and engage. These are the words that you’re skipping over when you join groups in a lot of cases. Finding good quality groups and engaging in them, three to five groups maximum.
I’m not saying you have to leave all of your other groups, but turn off the notifications and take them out of your favorites. When you have the favorite listed there on that left sidebar on your Facebook homepage, just in that, just the three to five you’re actually engaging in. Yes, this can include groups you own. I include groups I own in this list. That’s important as well.
The third thing, I want to do a little refresher on scheduling. I’ve talked a ton about different scheduling tools. I’ve talked a ton about scheduling your time to engage. I’ve briefly talked about putting it on your calendar in this episode. What I really want you to spend some time looking at is are you doing this? Are you scheduling time to fill your foundation? Are you scheduling time to engage on these different channels, in these different spaces. Are you scheduling time to go live on Facebook? Are you scheduling time to snap between calls? Are you scheduling time to update your Instagram stories. Are you scheduling time to take photos to put on Instagram? Are you scheduling time to respond to people who tweet with you? Are you making the space to cultivate and engage with your community each and every day? If you’re finding that you don’t have any time to do these things, it’s often because you’re not making time to do these things. When it’s on your calendar, it gets a lot harder to ignore it. It gets a lot harder to forget about it.
Marie Forleo says something I always really liked that she’s said it for a long time, “If it’s not on your calendar, it’s not real.” It really is true. We are really good at filling time. If we leave space on our calendar that’s not allotted for, we will find something to do with it. If you’re anything like me, that thing you find to fill it up is probably not uber productive. Buzzfeed quizzes. However, when you put on your calendar just ten or fifteen minutes to snap something on Snapchat. To share a Instagram story, respond to some tweets, answer a question in a group, check in on the Facebook page, whatever those things are. When you have that time scheduled, that is when you’re going to go in and do it.
That is when you’re going to go in and do the Snapchat, do the story, whatever it is. Make sure that you’re scheduling this stuff. Then make sure that you’re actually doing it. Give yourself a little accountability. Find a friend and say, “Hey, I really want to commit to upleveling my social media. This is what I’m doing. Will you keep me accountable?” Tell your coach. Tweet me. Whatever you want to do. Pop it into Hit the Mic Backstage and the Facebook group. Let us know that you’re really committing to building and sticking with your social media schedule in September and we will cheer you on.
Seriously, guys, this stuff makes all the difference when it comes to pitching that program you’re launching in January, pitching that end of the year offer you want to launch in December, making up the difference when you decide not to run Facebook ads in November and December, building your list, filling your webinar, all of those things happen from consistent action. A coach very, very early in my business, I was having a really hard time with the rollercoaster of income. My coach said to me, the business you have right now can be credited to the marketing you did three to six months ago. If you want to start January 2017 off strong, with a big launch, with amazing program, with a best month ever, whatever it is, you can credit that success with the marketing you’re doing right now. Schedule this stuff. Go in and follow through, all right?
I will see you guys on Tuesday.
Resources
3 Things You Must Know About Social Media August 2016
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