I get it, it’s exciting. The day you discovered that you could actually sign up for free social media accounts and find customers, you were all-in. You signed up for everything… a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a YouTube account, a Pinterest page, and an Instagram account. It went well at first because it was exciting, right? You started to get some likes/followers/hearts and you were pumped. This social media thing is easy.
But then it happened. Life. Suddenly it was difficult to find time to check all those accounts. So you downloaded the apps on your phone thinking it would be easier to keep up on the go. But then that was even more overwhelming. This social media thing is easy, but dang it sure takes alot of time.
Welcome to social media overload.
So here are some tips about what you can do, now that you let the herd of cats out of the bag.
1. Schedule your time – Setting aside specific blocks of time for social media interaction may be the first step you need to take. Under normal circumstances, I believe in participating in social media interactions and engagement as they happen, whenever they happen. But when you are overwhelmed, scheduling specific times to do it may be your only choice. Schedule it, and stick to it. Perhaps early in the morning and during lunch.
2. Get help – There are companies that you can pay to help you with social media management, but I have never been a fan of that. I feel that if you or your company are going to engage on social media, it needs to be you. Not somebody else. The kind of help I am talking about is finding someone inside to help you. Someone who has a vested interest in seeing you succeed. Share the load so that load doesn’t take you down.
3. Know when to get out – If Pinterest doesn’t turn out like you had hoped, then bail. Move on to something else that needs more of your attention. If your customers aren’t on Twitter, then don’t get on Twitter. It’s pretty simple actually. Just make the decision and move on.
4. Don’t quit – I know that your gut will be telling you that you made a mistake and that you need to just quit and go back to focusing on your business. But quitting would be a mistake. The key is finding balance. You were right in thinking that social media engagement could allow you to connect to your customers and grow your business. You just have to find a way to manage it without it consuming you.
You can do it. Just take a keep breath. And memorize those 4 things above.
