Top Tips For Succeeding On Social Media As A Business Leader
By Dre Fox (Social Media Consultant, Instagram Expert, Blogger and Motivational Speaker)
My “top hack” for succeeding on social media as a business leader
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear from leaders on social, is that they feel pressured to create unique and earth shattering content in order to stand out online. This simply isn’t true!
In fact, I encourage leaders to take their knowledge and repackage it for their audience on social in many different ways over the course of a year so you become known for your ideas and methods. To illustrate this, perhaps you have 3 tips for creating a business plan, the next time it is 3 mistakes to avoid and next time it is advice for beginners creating a business plan. Similar content, different modes of delivery.
Showing humanity is so important. My #1 post of all time was a split screen of the 10 year challenge. In this case, the photos were nothing remarkable, it was what I shared in the caption that pulled people out of the woodwork. I opened up, peeled back the curtain and gave people a real look into what the last decade has been like and they LOVED IT! So many applauded the transparency, others related to my story and overall, it brought us all closer as a team. When finding that balance between personal and professional, think about what your industry and audience need/want to see from you. After all, you know your audience better than anyone else. How can you deliver this information without revealing too much? Identify those points and proceed with your head held high!
Pitfalls of social media and dealing with negativity
It’s important for leaders to realize that the internet can be such a wonderful place, but that is no excuse for lack of tact and professionalism. Sharing one off-color joke, commenting on a post you think won’t be seen, can have consequences in the future.
Be a human, be approachable but remember, this is still a public space.
I’m thankful that my polarizing content has not offended anyone but instead, draws interesting conversations and moments of growth. However, I’m sure I won’t be immune forever. If a post was to go sideways and bring backlash, I would take responsibility for my actions and apologize for the misstep. Beyond that, I would remove the post and issue a retraction in short form. Offending should never be the goal, but any good leader knows that your views can often be polarizing and has the potential to evoke feelings in many, use your words wisely and with respect to avoid any business crushing moments.
Building connections with employees and customers
Nearly my entire business is built upon the relationships and trust that I’ve built with my customers online. They are easily able to see the level of work I put into each course, how frequently I offer free trainings and more importantly, understand that I’m a good person behind the scenes. The best relationship you could have with social media is to find out how to blend it seamlessly into your overall mission and message. This could be repurposing a speech you gave, a podcast episode or your book into a dozen pieces of media so that you can reinforce your message, reach a new audience and begin building bonds with prospective customers. It can be effective in generating real-time feedback and can prove to be very valuable for market research, guidance and gut-checks on new material and concepts.
For leaders with a team, it’s important to treat social media like another outlet to connect and build rapport with your team, but keep in mind that it can easily cross the line.
Liking posts, commenting and sharing to show your support is a great way to go, sharing your views on their personal life, unwarranted advice and teasing are not advised.
Social media is arguably one of the best ways for a leader to create brand zealots, instant fans and incredible loyalty with customers. People are naturally curious and want to know WHY you do what you do. It’s that innate need to understand that you are in the industry with good intention. This is why tools like Instagram stories, Tweets and live video can be such a bonding experience between audience and leader. Hearing your words, seeing your expressions, learning new layers about your mission will only help you foster a strong community.
