So you think you know your audience? Do you know your ideal customer? You invest time and money each week creating content, posting social network updates, engaging with your community, updating and enhancing your digital and web properties. Only problem is that your business results are dismal at best. The return on investment in social media is simply not there.

Does this sound familiar?

  • You spend hours each week working on blog content, visual images, posts for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, tweets and more.
  • The number of fans on your Facebook business page is increasing yet nobody talks to you.
  • Your blog readership is not increasing.
  • Your revenue is not increasing.
  • You feel stuck and don't know what to do next.

What could possibly be the problem? You have taken the classes. You did your research on the social networks. You believe you are posting interesting content. You know a conversation is of most importance in social media. However, nobody seems to want to talk to you.

If this is you, do not fear. This is a common problem we see with the majority of our clients and students of our social media training courses and workshops. Usually this happens because they have started with the tools and technology, versus a solid understanding of their audience.

Communities Create Markets:

In the graphic below you will see that the only way you can move the human beings within your social communities from the left side to the right side of the diagram (becoming a brand evangelist, advocate and /or customer) is to start by knowing who they are.

You must invest time in getting to know them. You must know what keeps them up at night. You must know where they hang out both online and offline. You must figure out how to have a relevant conversation with them that helps them feel good, and helps them meet business and / or life goals.

The truth is you can not do any of these things if you do not know who they are to begin with.

social media communities create markets for small business

 

Don't Start With Tactics!

Download this Audience Analysis Worksheet to help you prioritize and analyze your audience. It is based upon the Forrester POST methodology and will guide you through a series of questions that will help you segment and know your audience better.

The biggest mistake business leaders make when developing and executing their social media strategy is to start with the tactics and technology first before they know who their audience is.

You must know who your audience is, who you are and how you can help them solve problems. It's only after you have this foundational knowledge that you can determine your social strategy and approach for building your social media plan.

The tactics and technology come last. Setting up a Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter account is the easy part. It's free and only takes a few minutes.

The heartbeat of social media is people. You can never go wrong by investing in human beings. Don't waste another day on Twitter and Facebook spamming, blasting noise. Make a commitment to be part of the beating heartbeat that helps the social ecosystem thrive with value, empowerment, relationships and more.

Need more help? Social Profit Factor Training Academy and Marketing Nutz Can Help! 

Check out our new comprehensive online social media and branding training academy, the Social Profit Factor, that will help you tap into the power of social media to build achieve your business goals. We'll help you create a social media strategy and plan to drive real results for your business within 30-60 days by earning the attention of your ideal customer and audience!  Sign up now to become a founding member and receive some incredible deals plus bonus offers.

Need us to help train your team? Give us a shout and let's get a custom workshop schedule for your organization. Increase sales by generating more leads using social media to nurture relationships.