Social media can be an amazing tool for your business. Unfortunately, it can also be a curse if you do it wrong.

One of the things I have been able to do and have successfully taught my clients how to do is to become an online super star. Completely organically! That means- no ads (or very little ad spend) just by being themselves online. Sharing their gifts, sharing valuable information and being likable.

The biggest mistake I see entrepreneurs make is that they think they can just jump into a group or other social media platform and just start blasting out their links and programs.

Then they wonder why it’s hard. Why no one is responding. Why their posts get crickets, when someone else does something similar and gets a lot of attention.

It’s all about the set up and the approach.

Think about it like dating. You wouldn’t go for the close on the first date would you? (Well, maybe some would- but that’s a whole other topic!)

Essentially, you want to “court” your potential clients and leads. Make them fall in love with who you are as a person before you start selling to them. Because if they aren’t ready, you will just end up turning them off.

Here are are some quick tips for Do’s and Dont’s on social media- whether it be Facebook Groups, Instagram, Twitter, Periscope or even your email marketing.

DO:
Tell stories- People LOVE stories. It makes you relatable and REAL. Not sure what to post? Start with a story.
Make connections- Don’t just post on social media in hopes to get clients or leads. Make real connections, peer connections and link up with potential collaborators.
Be helpful- When posting, always lead with value first. How can you post potential help someone today?
Share struggles- No one is perfect and people don’t relate to perfect. If something is going on in your life, health or biz, reach out. People love to be helpful and offer encouragement
Celebrate- Did something amazing happen for you? Did you get engaged? Get your first client? Pay off a debt? SHARE IT!
Be human- Don’t post with the intention of being a coach, or consultant or a business. Just be a person. People will be attracted to that.
Ask questions- One of my favorite things to do is to ask positioning questions. Ask people about something as it relates to what you help them with. This will be good not only for market research, but also for showing up as the expert.
Be consistent- whatever you do, be consistent. You don’t have to post every single day, but post regularly. Make sure that you are also consistent in your messaging and branding- don’t confuse people.
Be selective- pick and choose the platforms and forums you want to show up in. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t HAVE to be EVERYWHERE.

DON’T:
Be negative- the worst thing to do is to go into a group of potential clients and give off a negative vibe. Don’t bash other people and the way they do business- it just makes you look bad.
Promote to strangers- If you are going to promote in forums or other social media, make sure that you have created a relationship and connections first.
Spam people- Unless someone explicitly ask for your services or help, don’t go around spamming people with your links or products. Likewise, don’t link drop or spam in groups that you have not created relationships in.
Solely broadcast- Don’t always be the talker or the promoter. It’s great to start conversations and posts, but also remember to support and comment on other people’s posts and respond when people comment or like your posts.
Complain- Isn’t it funny how people respond when someone complains or “rants”? It’s human nature to flock to the drama. If you want to be the expert and be likable, don’t feed into it. Sure you may get a lot of response, but it’s the wrong kind of attention.
Send mixed messages- Find out what you are good at and stick with that. Don’t talk about one thing one day and another the next. Make sure you are clear on your message and people know and understand who you are as a person and a business woman.
Be a lurker- Don’t just be an observer who never starts their own conversation. Come out of hiding and start posting. Showcase your expertise and show personality.