As great as social media is, it can also be a challenge. It takes a lot of time and doesn’t always pay off. Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the social aspect of these platforms in the interest of getting some return for your investment, but this is a mistake. Here are some tips to make sure you’re taking best advantage of your social media presence.
Stay in touch. Get to know people personally. Yes, this can feel like an over-investment without much payoff, but it’s essentially what social media is for. Keep an eye on your feed and be willing to answer questions people send—both privately and in public. Send them links to more information, and be willing to enter into conversations even if—especially if—it doesn’t present an opportunity to sell.
Be yourself. When you’re on social media as your company, it can be especially hard not to fall into corporate-speak or try to speak in a very artificial voice. This is why most social media users roll their eyes at social media accounts owned by companies. Be you, within the confines of your brand. It’s okay to talk about and respond to things that are outside of insurance topics, and it’s okay to be a human being. This way, you’ll stand out from other company-owned accounts and draw people in.
Sign in fairly regularly. If you’re not signing in at least a few times a week, you’re definitely not getting the most from your social media presence. Be sure your profile is current, and stay on top of conversations. Interact with other users at least a few times a week to stay active and relevant. This, of course, means picking just a few social media sites to be part of—if you try to be everywhere, you won’t have the time to maintain those accounts. The platforms you choose should correlate to where you’re most likely to find your customers.
Give more than you get. Bring value to your audience. Don’t just promote the insurance you sell—offer valuable tips and information, answer individual questions, and be a source of information. If you want people to write you LinkedIn recommendations, write some for others. If you want more Twitter followers, start following other people. Give first, and you’ll be more likely to receive.
Social media doesn’t have to be a slog. Maintain a genuine presence, try to stay authentic, and look for new opportunities to bring value to your audience. If you do, you’ll be more likely to generate a following—and enjoy yourself more as you do.
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