A number of social media agencies promise big numbers. They don't promise genuine fans. They don't promise to engage people who are interested in you. They don't promise quality content that you are proud to attach your name to. You might say this is semantics, but from what I have seen, it is unintentional truth in advertising. And sometimes numbers are just numbers. I am not what you would call eye-catching or flashy. Not compared to many people in the social media field… or even compared to most items in your store's produce section. My work is not flashy either. I don't create effects-filled videos or run contests where the winner is given money, a sportscar, or one of the smaller European countries. But I think that my work has substance to it. (It's possible I do as well. Although, again, maybe not compared to the larger produce items.) The content I create with my clients is material that is solid, posts that are worth sharing, posts that resonate with people. And I think that should count for something. Substance is rare in social media. Flash is everywhere. There are platforms like Snapchat that are nothing but flash, quick bursts of bells, whistles, and graphics. And to be honest, that bores the hell out of me. Also, I am not looking to upstage my clients. I think some social media consultants are though. They are all about the flash and they grab the spotlight whenever they can. It is one of the reasons that they are so great at promoting themselves. But if there was any competition for coverage, I think some of those guys would shove their client into a support beam. I on the other hand am happy hanging out in the background… or even the produce section. I want to expand my client roster. Thus I have been reaching out to bands and businesses who I think I could help. As I learned back in my dating years, a number of people will not be interested in me. And I can deal with that rejection, thanks in part to therapy and large quantities of red wine. What strikes me as odd though is when the person says, "We already have a team handling our social media." Really? A team? You average one post a week. And it is usually along the lines of "Catch me next Friday at…" Occasionally you go wild and put up a second post, something edgy like "I love a good salad!" My fear is that this is not a lie created to let me down gently. It's not like when women said to me "I just committed to joining a convent" or "I want to try and work things out with my ex, even though he still has three years left on his sentence." I worry they really do have a team working on their social media. I worry that a group of people spent days crafting the next post, only to come up with "Please buy this." I may never know. To me, people are more interesting than products. Even if you sell a product, the people behind the product make for more interesting stories. There are a number of ads on Facebook by people suggesting they can teach you how to become rich by placing ads on Facebook. It's the kind of proposition that makes you look for safer, more conservative options, like working for a drug cartel. Use your social media to share something you've learned, something about your field on the whole or your personal day-to-day work. Whether you are a band or a business, a lot of change is happening in every industry. People appreciate information and insight that helps them navigate these changes. For instance, I've learned that although Facebook live videos are pushed by the platform and can have a wider reach than posts with text and a photo, on average people only watch them for about 10 to 20 seconds. And I have found that to be true for not just brief videos, but live broadcasts that go on for a half an hour or more. So when you look at the high level numbers, it appears that your live video blew everything out of the water. But when you dive deeper you see that its ability to connect with followers is average or even below average. It can still make for nice content, but limit how much you rely on that. Explain how you are different from others in your field. People may not be able to tell just from looking at your website. Most people are out there copying everyone else, trying to look like everyone else. Pointing out your differences is a much more interesting read in terms of social media content. And two points to keep in mind with this: 1 - You don't have to put other people down to do this. It does not have to be "Why those other guys suck." 2 - It does not have to be a big difference. It could be something unique about your past experience. It could be a slightly different perspective you have. If you are a musician, it could be an aspect of your pre-show routine. If you are a business person, it could be what you like to read in your spare time. It all helps people get to know you a little better. Content suggestion: How did you get started? What launched this business or this band? Those stories tend to be interesting and endearing. They can even add some humanity to a corporate image, helping people to see you as… well… people. Suddenly you are not just another band or just another business. You are real people with ideas, dreams, and heart. And it does not have to be some grand tale, where one of you pulled a magic sword from a stone. It is just as impressive to find out that something that has been building for years started by one person saying to a friend, "What if we…?" There is something to be said for endurance.
Yesterday I spoke with a friend who owns and runs a CrossFit gym. We discussed the difficulties of standing out in a crowded marketplace, a marketplace filled with people who are lazy and incompetent, but who still get to have the same job title as you. My friend has spent years studying health and fitness. He has an amazing amount of knowledge and experience. If you train with him or are one of the athletes he coaches, you get expert advice. However, he has to compete with guys who really don't know what they are doing, but who have some money behind them, are a little better at sales, and who are taking advantage of the fact that CrossFit is trendy right now. Similarly anyone can call themselves a social media specialist. I have met the "social media experts" for large record labels who just create memes featuring the Dos Equis guy. What to do? Endure. If history is any indication, most of this competition won't last. I remember the late 90s when everyone over the age of 12 was a "web design expert" who charged people insane amounts of money to build completely dysfunctional websites. Not only are 99% of those businesses closed, but most of those people are not even involved in web design anymore. They now chase other trends. I'm betting many of them are now "CrossFit experts". When I tell people about my business, sometimes they look concerned and say it must be difficult having a seven-day-a-week job. But really, I had to be available every day when I worked in the corporate world. And this is much more fun.
When I worked for corporations, you were often expected to be available every day of the year… nights, weekends, holidays, etc. At one company people said the acronym PTO stood for "Pretend Time Off." Vacation, Christmas, whenever, you were expected to answer emails and sometimes even get on conference calls. The emails you received on these off days were never real emergencies. In fact, most of them were completely pointless. In contrast, yesterday, while I was at a wedding reception, Bill Gibson, the drummer for clients Huey Lewis & The News, texted me a photo he took the night before during a concert in Milwaukee. (1) There was no expectation that I had to act on it immediately. (2) How cool is that? I would have killed to get a text like that back in the corporate days. It's not so much about the time you put in. It is more about what kind of work you are doing and the people you are working with that either lifts you up or drags you down. |
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April 2024
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