If you don’t talk about yourself, who’s going to? This may sound a bit direct and a bit harsh, but it’s true. If we’re not willing to promote ourselves and say why we should be the chosen business, person, goods or service, then why would someone come to us? A little shameless self-promotion on social media is not only acceptable, it’s necessary! As a social media specialist, I like to empower my clients to be able to promote themselves – over and above what I alone can provide for them.
One of my favorite analogies to explain how this works is a cake shop. You have the best cake shop in the world. There is no doubt in your mind that you can make the best cakes and everyone simply must try them. You’ve set up your shop and now you’re ready to show everyone these amazing cakes. But where are the customers? Well, maybe a sign on the shop and the window saying “Cake shop – best cakes around” will help. Ok, great! A few customers come but you’re still not getting the response you expected. You try an A-frame at the front of the shop and more people trickle in.
You try handing out flyers to passersby, or maybe giving some flyers to other local businesses and asking them to direct customers your way. Then perhaps an ad in the newspaper? Yes! People are starting to come. And best of all, the people who are coming are telling their friends. You now have the most powerful marketing tool of all – the testimonial.
So what does this have to do with social media? Well, social media is the testimonials! It is word of mouth. It’s as simple as that. It’s just that you’re not telling 10 or 100 people, you can talk to 1000 or even a million people that you would never have been able to reach as they pass by. Social media has the power to elevate the platform for word of mouth; now it’s time for you to put your message out there.
I have recently been working in the performing arts industry. Working with performers in both music and comedy I’ve become more and more aware of how crucial social media is to a performer’s career. There is a belief that once you have “made it” people like agents, PR specialists and promotional agencies will help you with marketing and promotions. But this is really not true anymore, as publicity is up to the artist.
At TLC Publicity, we have seen incredible results with musicians who have used more personal, consistent and engaging communication techniques via social media to increase their audience. They have experienced anything from an increase of 100-170 likes to one account with 5000 likes, with an engagement of 2000 per week, which grew to 16000 engaged people per week solely through posting creative, engaging and consistent content. One of our greatest moments at Lovelly Communications was working with a comedy client who quickly saw the benefits of social media engagement. On opening night, theperformer introduced their digital media specialist to a friend at the gig who said “Oh great, yes I bought my ticket because I saw it on Facebook!” Music to the social media specialist’s ears!
We live in an age where there are so many resources for individuals and businesses to increase their reach and make a connection with their audiences. We have Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, blogs and more. Over and above these platforms, there are community websites for events where performers can list their upcoming gigs and performances. The listings can all be updated, edited and managed by the performer or artist themselves, so nobody can use the excuse, “Well noone’s coming because no one knew it was on,” anymore.
My point is tell people! Use one, a few or all of these platforms to share your message. And I don’t want to hear, “Oh yes, I posted it on Facebook and tweeted it once”. ONCE!!! With the amount of traffic that’s out there in the social media sphere these days, a few messages can get lost in moments. Instead, we need to be different. This is where the more human updates and genuine connection comes in. Share fun facts, a funny rehearsal story or a picture of you on a road trip to a gig. People love to feel like they are part of the process and on the journey with you. Engage them via various channels, and make it regular and consistent.
It’s time for us to take control of our promotional activities and create our own voice. You may still require the help of a social media specialist or agency. These companies and professionals can understand your brand and help you convey your message to your audience. This doesn’t make the message any less authentic or true.
It’s still your message, your content and your company speaking to the audience; there is just a digital spokesperson moderating the conversation and increasing the engagement. My clients are still very much the conductors behind the scenes; we just help to give direction and act out the engagements. This tactic gives businesses and performers a new perspective and a different approach on communicating with their audience. That is the value they’re seeking and which we can provide.
5 simple steps to promote yourself on social media:
- Generate interesting and exciting content. Make it personal, welcoming and friendly.
- Ask your friends to share and engage. A friend starting to comment and sharing to their network can result in a great jump to more people stepping up and engaging and following what you’re doing.
- Ask a question. This is not your own personal newspaper, but a two-way conversation so invite your audience to speak to you. It can be as simple as “What’s your favourite song?” “Why do you love Mondays?” or “Where shall I go next on my World Tour?” People love to be heard!
- Thank your audience. If your customers, friends or followers take the time to make a comment, share a photo or tell their friends about what you’re doing, thank them. The power of thanks is immense! It will also encourage them to engage in the future. Can you imagine hearing from your favourite band after you told them you loved their recent show? What a thrill!
- Be consistent! Don’t just slam your page with content when you’ve got a gig coming up and you’re trying to push it. These people have chosen to follow your social media accounts for a reason. So let them know what’s happening: you’ve got a show, you’re working on a new album, you’re enjoying time with your family. Let your audience share in what you’re doing and grow the relationship, the trust and the connection.
We have such incredible channels of communication in this modern age that enable us to share what we are doing with our audience and keep them informed. We’ve also now got the opportunity to hear what they think and what they want. We’re not purely measuring results through ticket sales at a gig or CDs sold; we can gauge our audience’s interest and reaction directly from the horse’s mouth. What a power in being able to hear what our audience wants and tailor our products and services to them.
Winston Churchill said: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen”.
So remember, promote yourself, tell your audience everything you’re doing and let them join in the party! But also take the time to listen to them, hear their praise, criticism or thoughts! Build the connection and you will build your audience. Go on, indulge in a little shameless self-promotion this month! Happy Tweeting.
This is a chapter taken from the best selling social media business book, Social Media Marketing. Published by Mithra Publishing and available from Amazon.
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