Have you ever felt disappointed with the lack of results you’re getting from social media?
Have you wondered why more of your social media followers aren’t converting to paying clients?
Social media is a fantastic marketing and client attraction tool but I’ve also worked with many coaches over the years that say they feel completely drained by it.
They are doing all the right things…
- Posting daily
- Replying to every comment
- Including a call-to-action in each post
And still… they hear crickets! 🦗 🦗 🦗
Whether you’re using Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, each platform can have its share of challenges but knowing what social media can, and cannot do, for your business is a key factor for success.
THE TRUTH ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA
Over the past 7-8 years social media as a whole has become widely recognized as a valuable option to market a wellness business. Whether you’re consistently using Facebook and Instagram to reach new clients or you’re using LinkedIn to reach networking and referral partners the potential to be seen and heard is like nothing we’ve ever experienced before from an advertising standpoint.
As with anything else in life if there is a yin there is also a yang. If there is an up there is also a down. The upside is that social media is an excellent marketing platform for your business. The downside is that either through false claims by others or not comparing apples to apples, you can find yourself having unrealistic expectations of what results social media should provide for you and your business.
5 CHECK-IN POINTS TO HELP YOU SET REALISTIC SOCIAL MEDIA EXPECTATIONS
Social media as a whole is a long-term marketing strategy. That said, whatever exposure and promotion you do get on any social media platform is also free unless you are paying for advertising.
Here are 5 reality check-in points to help you set realistic expectations and keep you on track with your own social media strategy.
1) You get what you pay for
There is data out there that says it takes 7-12 touchpoints before a new lead will take action with you. Taking action means subscribing for your freebie, reading a blog post, joining a challenge, or purchasing a program. Touchpoints are the ways and times your ideal clients sees you on social media. In other words, how often are they being exposed to you and your business? The amount of exposure on any social media platform when you aren’t paying for advertising is simply a math equation. The more you show up the more you’ll be seen. If you don’t have a budget for paid ads then it’ll take longer for you to see results.
2) There are ebbs and flows in every business.
It’s been my experience that my business has regular cycles and results aren’t necessarily seen in the moment that the effort is put forth. That’s especially true when it comes to social media. I’ve noticed over the years that I’ll be showing up, doing all the things that we teach here on the podcast and it’ll seem like crickets for quite some time and then all of a sudden, it’ll be like a tidal wave… lots of subscribers, lots of opportunities, lots of networking requests. Once that period ends the cycle starts over again.
3) Surround yourself with like-minded peers that can give you perspective
One of the absolute best ways to confirm that the steps you’re taking are the right steps is to surround yourself with like-minded peers that can give you perspective and speak the truth. That can come in the form of an official mastermind group (https://www.karenpattock.com/peer-mastermind-episode-84/) or in a private Facebook group like the one that we run as part of the Wellness Business Accelerator where you have mentors and coaches to support you.
The best part about surrounding yourself with like-minded peers is that they can help you see the light when you’re in one of the dark periods of your business. Building your business can feel isolating and lonely at times so deciding in advance who your “ride or die” tribe will be is key to making it through those times when results aren’t so easily recognized.
4) No instant gratification
If instant gratification is what you’re looking for then social media isn’t the place to look for it. Contrary to popular belief, more people are reading, watching and enjoying your content then you’ll ever know because those people are not engaging back with you. They are relying on you to share, give and support them but they want to remain in the shadows. Especially when you may be talking about delicate health related topics.
Any social media marketing strategy you do should be considered a give only strategy. If you receive engagement, that’s the icing on the cake. However, if you’re basing your success on the amount of engagement you get you’ll be disappointed every time.
If you’re wondering how to maximize your time planning social media content, be sure to check out this podcast episode: How to Plan Out 30 Days of Social Media Content in One Hour or Less (https://www.karenpattock.com/social-media-episode-206/).
5) Build in triggers for positive reinforcement when you’re feeling down
The time to set yourself up for success when you are in one of the ebb periods in your business is when you are in a flow period. What I mean by that is documenting things that are going well so you can refer to them when you need a boost. The goal is to get you out of your social media funk sooner rather than later.
One great way of doing this is to keep your testimonials page up to date and refer to it whenever you need to remind yourself of the results your coaching provides. It’s easy to forget how much good you do with your skills and expertise especially in a moment when you don’t think things are flowing well.
Another great option is to have a running list of gratitude entries just about your business. It’s easy to forget all of the things you’re grateful for in a moment when your social media efforts don’t seem to be providing the results you had expected.
SETTING REALISTIC SOCIAL MEDIA EXPECTATIONS
In episode 225 of The Wellness Business Podcast, we’re revealing 5 realistic expectations to set when it comes to social media. Whether you’ve felt overwhelmed by social media in the past or if your strategies and efforts aren’t leading to the results you were hoping for, this episode is for you.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- 5 reality check-in points that will help you set realistic expectations and keep you on track with your own social media strategy
- How to find support and resources to brainstorm and implement social media strategies
- Why you should rely on a give-only strategy for your social media marketing
- How to get through the natural ebbs and flows of your business and social media engagement
Take a listen so you can manage your own social media expectations with our 5 reality check-in points!
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