This is another post to file under “delegate and automate.” One of our largest platforms for our client base, any opportunity to enlist the help of a professional to tackle an area of your business where you feel like a fish out of water is not only a great investment, but the smartest way to tighten up your operations and make sure you utilize best (translation: effective) practices in your workflow. A social media consultant is just another example of how you can put yourself on the fast track to better social media engagement and marketplace growth by investing in a consultant’s expertise instead of crashing and burning on your own.
A good social media consultant serves many different purposes that should work together seamlessly to produce a solid and consistent online persona that effectively communicates your business to your marketplace. You should look for the following markers when considering bringing a social media consultant on board.
1. Definition of your brand. While a social media consultant is not responsible for your overall marketing strategy, they should proactively take time to explore and define your brand with the intention of consistently engaging in the social media arena with that brand in mind. Optimizing your profiles so they reflect your brand effectively with a deliberate call to action helps your followers develop a stronger understanding of you as a business owner and service provider.
2. Education. A good social media consultant should not come in, optimize your profiles, give you back your log ins and take off. A good social media is not there to do the work for you. They are there to empower and teach you how to effectively engage and manage your social media profiles on your own after they leave. They should take the time to clearly outline best practices in the social media arena, not only outlining the “how to” but also the “why you need to.” The goal should be understanding the big picture and how to develop your strategy as a whole.
3. Detailed action plan. While broad strokes are great when discussing the overall approach to a successful social media platform, when it comes to the nitty gritty, day in, day out, a clearly defined and detailed action plan is a must-have. A good social media consultant will equip you with the tools and strategy to propel your engagement forward. You should feel confident at the completion of your partnership, with a clear understanding how to continue the momentum moving forward.
4. Training. If there are other members on your team, a good social media consultant will take time with your employees to share the big picture with them, equipping them with some simple tips and tricks to help extend the reach even further. Your social media impact in your marketplace can be exponentially compounded by team efforts, sharing, liking and comments as the catalyst for a wonderful ripple effect.
5. Consistent results. Your social media consultant should be able to put some items in motion right at the beginning of your relationship that trigger some immediate, consistent results. You should begin to see an increase in followers, engagement and start to see the overall brand presentation coming together across each social media platform. Your social media consultant should have successful examples to reference when implementing key strategies and best practices, so that you can actively see the results of their efforts and the “method to their madness.” They should report consistently with quantifiable growth, identified times of higher engagement and suggestions to continue momentum.
6. Ongoing relationship. The last piece of the puzzle is follow up. While the main intention of a social media consultant is to equip you with the skills and knowledge to grow your own social media presence, they should also commit to checking in from time to time to see how everything is coming along. They should happily promote your business to their own audience as a valued client, seek feedback and reviews, and leave the door open for future opportunities to work together. It should be crystal clear that your social media consultant is truly invested and interested in the growth and success of your business with their whole heart.
Choosing a social media consultant is a big decision! Making sure you invest in someone who has the skills to propel you forward, but more importantly, has the drive and passion to fuel your success, is the key to a mutually beneficial relationship that is worth its weight in gold. Be sure to check out The Hampton Roads Creative and sign up for a free consult to learn more about our heart for building the road to achieving your dreams!
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