4 not-so secret marketing tools most Social Entrepreneurs aren't using
How is your summer going (or winter if you're in the southern hemisphere)?
I've just got back from 2 weeks holiday which is why I've been a bit silent for a while.
I don't know about you but I found it really difficult to wind down and switch off from work, after 4 solid months without a break. The fact there was no internet signal on the campsites did help though. I'm now gearing back up to bring you some amazing surprises over the next couple of weeks and months. So watch this space in The Impact Entrepreneurs Club (over on Facebook) to hear what's coming up.
In the meantime I wanted to share some not-so secret marketing tools which most Social Entrepreneurs aren't using. The crazy thing is these four tools are completely free.
Not having enough cash for marketing is one of the most common reasons Social Entrepreneurs give for not being able to grow and sustain their business. I get it, I was there myself focused on doing rather than generating sales and income.
And then I found these free SOLUTIONS which had been there all along (well at least for the last 10 years) but that I was completely ignoring.
Tools which I could use to reach new audiences, connect with people globally, build relationships with and sell through without any cost (except a bit of time).
Free tools which I had ignored, which in turn had damaged the potential growth of my Social Enterprise.
What are these free tools? You ask.
Well they are probably tools you've already heard of...
Facebook (the platform I use most frequently to find and secure clients consistently)
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
as well as other social media platforms and search engines, like Pinterest
Social Media is a fantastic, cheap and easy way to promote your business, connect with target customers, build relationships, establish trust, communicate your impact and generate sales. And yet very few Ethical Businesses, Social Enterprises or Changemakers are using the power of social media to grow their presence, attract new customers/clients and increase their reach.
Did you know?
Over 3 billion people are active on social media
Facebook has 2 billion users alone and has the most daily active users, so it's highly unlikely your target audience isn't on there, so you should be!
Instagram has 800 million users and is the second fastest growing social network, after Facebook and is perfect if you sell products, are a lifestyle brand, or have lots of beautiful images of what you sell, your transformation or impact
LinkedIn is the perfect platform for business to business connections and sales, as well as collaborating, building partnerships and sharing your expertise or being seen as an expert in your field
There as many as 2 billion searches on Twitter every day, relevant hashtags help people find your content quickly and is a another great way to connect with individuals and organisations
Now before you say, "well, I already knew that Kat and I'm using social media but it's not making any difference to my business growth" I want you to consider the following:
Being registered on a platform doesn't mean you're marketing your business (that's like having a website and never promoting it)
Using social media to see what others are doing but never actually posting any of your own content or commenting on other people's posts isn't marketing, to really grow your engagement and audience you need to be posting regularly and consistently
Posting once in a blue moon about a new offer, sale or freebie won't get noticed if you haven't built an active audience who's looking out for your notifications. You need to create connection with your brand, build a tribe and develop the know, like and trust factor with your target audiences so when you do pitch an offer people are excited and ready to purchase.
Continuing to do what you've always done on social media without getting the results you desire is debilitating, I understand, so make a decision to try something new and be willing to adapt until you see results - there is plenty of free advice and support out there, as well as inexpensive virtual assistants and social media managers
It's mind blowing to me that in 2018 the majority of social entrepreneurs (and in fact many major businesses) still struggle to learn and utilise the power of these platforms to build communities and a tribe of customers who are passionate about their brands and eager to buy from them.
There's loads of examples of success. And to be honest anyone can do it, even you.
So why aren't you utilising the power of Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter to grow your social enterprise?
Honestly I'm interested... email me back with your thoughts, challenge me if you don't agree with what I've said above and jump on over to The Impact Entrepreneurs Club if you want to find out more about how you can better use these tools to grow your social enterprise or ethical impact business.
Have a great week!
