Birthday candles and milestones…

So it’s my birthday today. (Haha, thanks!)

And among all the wishes, cards and fabulous chats with friends and family, I started thinking about milestones. I think it’s only natural to stop on your birthday and think about where you’re going, and what you want to accomplish over the next 365 days.

You can relate

Even though it has only been 2 weeks since NYE, the hype of goal setting has died down. I bet by February most of us will have “lost” “misplaced” or “conveniently forgotten” our resolutions, if we made them at all.

So instead of taking a holiday we all love and trying to make it count for more than that, let’s celebrate those milestones and make goals on other days when we’re more focused. For many of you, that could be today.

Let’s chat about social media goals for your small business

Well, what are they?

You know you need to be online. Or at least you realize that you could grow your business online. There are a ton of “How To” guides to get you started (we’ve done ones on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest so you can decide which, if any, are right for your small business.)

And that’s only the beginning.

The Social Media Rollercoaster

This is how I describe the path that a small business owner usually feels when they start online. It’s fun and exciting at first, as you get your ticket and jump into the cart. It starts slow and you take in the scenery, then it starts going faster.  And faster. It can be overwhelming and scary as you bump along at an alarming rate, all the while feeling more and more out of control.

And that’s okay, because you expect that from a roller coaster. And that’s also okay with marketing your business online, as long as you expect it.

I think the best way to make sure you’re comfortable with your growth curve online is to a) know that at some point you will feel overwhelmed, because like anything new, it takes time to learn and b) you won’t get there on day one, so relax and enjoy the ride.

Setting social media goals for your small business 

If you’re still with me, what I actually wanted to chat about was setting goals for your small business on social media. Not goals in terms of number of followers or Facebook friends or pins, but numbers that you can directly effect – how many times you blog, tweet and share online.

Why?

The first rule of any party

Because the first rule of any party is to be prepared when people show up. Whether it’s candles and a cake for a birthday, or breakfast ingredients for a neighbourhood brunch, you’ve invited people to an event and you’re the host.

Online is just one big party.

The best way to be prepared is to get into the habit of sharing your story (and what’s happening in your space) on a regular basis. Because this shows that yes, you are reliable. And yes, I like what you have to say. And more importantly, you’ll get better and faster at sharing your business online, so you can be more effective. Practise makes perfect, after all.

How often?

I believe that if you blog, blog twice a week.

And if you’re on Facebook, share something visual 3 times a week.

And if you’re on Twitter, post a link several times a day.

That’s a great start.

Once you’ve developed the habit to post on a regular basis, then you can focus on the next set of goals, like how many Facebook likes, Twitter followers etc….you want, how many people sign up to receive emails and blog notifications from you (so you can keep the conversation going), and how many of those people eventually become customers due to your continued correspondence.

Climb the mountain, step by step

Until there’s a reason for your guests and potential customers to arrive, and come back, it’s going to be hard to grow. So focus on what you can do to get to that stage, then focus on growing. Climb it like you would a mountain, different strategies for different phase of the adventure.

That’s it for today.

Still confused?

We’ll be sharing a guide on how often you should post as a small business on several social media networks you might be using, and our reasons why. Because while this question gets asked a lot, people are touchy about giving exact answers because there’s always an exception.

Till then, feel free to sign up for our Free Guide Beginner’s Guide To Online Marketing, and get ready to blow some of your goals outta the water!