Introduction
Welcome back to the Coaching Hive Podcast! I’m thrilled to be here with you today as we dig into the truth about social media.
We have all been there. As an entrepreneur you know the importance of social media. You know the influence that it can have and the reach that it can create for you.
But the truth is that you don’t really like social media, it impacts your mood, and just feels like a waste of time. You have so many things to get done that spending time on social media just doesn’t feel as valuable when the return on your time feels so little.
So what do you do? Is it worth the sacrifice to spend time on social media?
We are going to talk about this and more in today’s episode so if you are ready, grab your pen and notebook and let’s jump in!
Benefits of Social Media
Having an online presence has gotten complicated these days, hasn’t it? I’ll be the first to admit that when I forgot my phone at home one day last week I was secretly happy. Despite loving technology and the online space, I don’t love the rules and roles that social media plays in the world these days.
But it isn’t all bad. For example, three days a week I get up early and co-work alongside several other female entrepreneurs. We rock that 90 minute time block and crush out goals. Without the online world, this wouldn’t be possible. Twice a month I get together with women around the world to mastermind in our businesses.
But I think the real question of today’s episode isn’t the value of the online world, but of social media.
Social media is a double edged sword. It is designed to become addictive and create that craving so that it grabs our early morning attention, our mid-day attention, and our last waking moments before bed.
But the good side is that it allows for connection that may not be possible otherwise. We can create a wider circle of connections, acquaintances, support, and even business possibilities.
Social media can also open our eyes to new possibilities, encourage us to step outside our comfort zone, and learn new skills.
You can find new connections, gain new clients, expand your business, and grow faster than you can in other ways.
But it is still a double-edged sword.
The Bad of Social Media
Social media, as I already mentioned, is designed ingeniously. It is addictive. It can be a time suck, a waste of resources, and a deflating tool.
Social media can create challenges that go undetected for quite some time. You can start to compare yourself and your business to what you see on social media and find that you don’t “measure up”. You see the seemingly successful entrepreneurs and wonder what you are doing wrong.
In a word it can derail you and your mindset. Ok, I know that was more than one word so how about one thought?
Can Your Business Grow Without Social Media?
This month we have been focused on how to effectively use social media in your business as an asset. We have talked about tools to make it easier and we have talked about consistency and commitment to your social profiles, pages, and interactions.
But I get asked time and again if social media presence is mandatory.
I’m going to try to keep this short and sweet today.
The answer is no, it is not mandatory.
But there is a HUGE caveat to that statement and here it is. You have to be willing to network like crazy to build your business. Because you are no longer creating and fostering connections online you have to create those opportunities in person.
If you aren’t willing to attend networking events, talk about your business every chance you can get, and meet new people all the time, especially when you are getting started then yes, social media is mandatory.
Social media is not a substitute for networking and relationship building but it does help to facilitate and amplify relationship building when social media is done right. It gives you another way to connect and reconnect. It can be done at any time of the day or month unlike in person networking that often requires specified events and opportunities.
Can Your Business Grow Without Networking?
Truly the question is about how you would like to network with fellow entrepreneurs and potential clients. Do you want to rely solely on social media to make connections? Do you want to rely solely on in-person networking to foster relationships?
You can’t grow your business without creating connections. If the idea of spending lots of time doing in-person networking makes you cringe when you look at your calendar knowing that it will be a tight fit or draining then the answer to whether you can skip social media is no.
The beauty of social media is that you can do it in small bursts of time, you can do it from your living room couch wearing your PJs and sipping tea, and you can schedule some of the interactions to happen so that you can take a day off.
Now we come back to the original question, do you need social media?
Probably.
The majority of business owners really do benefit from having at least a minimal social media presence. After all, when you meet someone in real life the natural question is how can we connect? Are you on Facebook or Instagram because I’d love to follow you.
You need at least a little bit there.
Action Item
As you think about this concept, whether you have already accepted social media as a necessary part of your business or are considering how you can avoid it all together, this week’s action item will be the same.
How can you create 2 new connections this week through networking? This can be online networking or in person. The key is to consistently commit to making new connections each week.
Not every connection will be a future client, but you will almost always learn something from the interaction and maybe they will refer you in the future.
Get out there and connect because the question of today’s episode isn’t really about social media. It is about your preference for creating connections.
Conclusions
I promised you a shorter episode this week as we wrap up our discussion of social media tools, platforms, schedulers, and more. Today is all about what you will actually do with social media in your business. Is it something that you’d like to maximize or minimize?
Social media is a tool for creating connections and building your circle. This can be done in person and through traditional networking but you will have a wider reach if you can create at least a little bit of online presence.
That’s all I have for you today, but I trust that our conversation has provided value as you continue to build your business. I’d love to hear from you and know if you are camp social media, camp in-person networking, or camp somewhere in between.
I look forward to seeing you back here next week for another episode of the Coaching Hive Podcast, where a focus on mentoring and community removes the overwhelm of building your successful and profitable business and adds in a dose of momentum.
Until next time, have a healthy, safe, and happy week!
Here is a recap of all of the Social Media Tools and Memberships that we covered in Episodes 84 – 87 along with links* to check them out:
Scheduling Tools:
- Meta: https://business.facebook.com
- Social Curator: https://hello.socialcurator.com/a/jP62epj1D6a5i4chLV06
- Canva: https://partner.canva.com/oeM6ym
- SmarterQueue: https://smarterqueue.com/queue
- HypeFury: https://hypefury.com?fpr=moira46
Social Media Courses from Justin Welsh:
- Content Operating System: https://www.justinwelsh.me/a/2147507660/9F4dPEbh
- LinkedIn Operating System: https://www.justinwelsh.me/a/2147505019/9F4dPEbh
*Links provided may be affiliate links. If you choose to purchase using a link provided above, I may receive a commission that helps me continue offering reviews like this, creating the Coaching Hive Podcast, and supporting entrepreneurs like you who are working to be the Go-To Resource in their industry.
