You and the tiny white wolf made your way to Black Panther’s back. Now that’s how you go through a jungle.
"Stop right there!"
White Wolf heard something.
In an instant, it’s not just the noise, the ground shakes. Then it trumpets. A herd of elephants comes.
As it’s the tradition you and your team bow, in awe. It’s not something one can see every day.
The Elephants pass, except one. A baby Grey Elephant seems interested in your small group and in this thing called "remote freelancer."
Tililitilili *epic song*
Every day, grab your smartphone (computer or tablet, they work too) and comment posts on one social media.
Why one social media? Because that’s how you start. When you got used to one social media, you can add another and so on. But, at first, do one.
Comment as much as possible. 1h a day or 1h a week if that’s the time you have. The more, the merrier. Comment on your clients posts, your prospects posts, your industry #, everything.
Don’t use all the social media platforms at once. Start with one, master it, and then you can start another. Only one at a time.
Which social media should you choose? There are 4 ways to know and you can mix them:
It’s because you like it that you’ll be able to keep on.
How do you know that?
There’s a good chance that your audience is in all of them. But the best way to know is to ask your clients, prospects and audience.
You can ask your clients during a meeting or the interview to create your ideal client avatar.
You can ask your prospects and audience on the social media you’re already using. Post the question and give them several answers they can select, it’s easier.
You can also ask them in your newsletter, website, survey, …
There are many ways to ask.
Don’t post or comment, just look around. Test different platforms and see if you like any or if your audience is hanging out there.
Try one social media. Actually use it, comment and post. See for yourself how it’s going. If you like it and you can reach your audience, keep on. If not, change and try another.
Start with your clients' industry.
For example, right now, I’m working with remote freelancers. So my keywords would be remote and freelancers, right?
Actually, I started by reading posts with #remote on LinkedIn. After a few months, I saw some posts that had both #remote and #remotework. When I checked #remotework, I saw that it had more posts and was more relevant. So, now, I’m reading #remotework.
But, sometimes, I think there are too many posts and that #remote might just be right. Nothing is fixed into stone. Try out some # and keep what you like and/or works.
Then, check your clients, prospects, audience and their influencers. Who are they?
That’s part of the ideal client avatar and why it’s the 1st step. It’s your marketing foundation and every other step is built on it.
Start with some that you know. As you read more and more posts, you’ll see some people who keep on posting good content. Follow and keep checking them.
Finally, do what makes sense to you. For example, I’m reading posts with #remotework or #freelance on LinkedIn for 30 min every day and no specific accounts.
You won’t get results right away, it’ll take months and years. The more you spend time on it, the more content (both comments and posts) you’ll create and the better you’ll get.
At the end of the day, it depends on the time you have. If you have 10h a day to invest in social media, you’ll become the best at it and the most present quickly. But if all you got is 1h a week then that’s ok too. It’s slower but 1h a week is already more than 0.
Plan a time in your calendar. May it be every week or every day. Fix a duration. May it be 10 min or 2h. Don't change it. Respect it. Respect yourself.
After 2-3 months, adapt it.
You might be able to invest less or more time or the time or the day you chose might not be right.
Every Thursday at 5 pm, you might be too tired. Every day at 11 am might just be what’s right for you.
For example, I spend 30 min every day from 4 pm to 4:30 pm. It might sometimes change a bit. Most of the time, it stays the same.
At first, you might forget.
So, to remember, you can set an alarm or make it part of an already existing routine. I have the memory of a goldfish and have an alarm for almost anything. For waking up, eating, tea and social media.
Then, bit by bit, you’ll build the habit and will not need any reminder anymore.
Fix a goal and track it.
Attention! Here, the goal is not the number of views or followers. It’s the time you invest. If you fix it to 30 min every day, then it’s 30 min every day.
At first, it’s ok to not be able to do it each time. Over time, you will, thanks habit!
Track how many times you achieve this. And, every 2-3 months, review your goal.
More or less time. 5min, 10min, 30 min, 1h, 2h, etc.
More or less frequently. Every week, every day, every 3 days?
Try out and keep what makes sense in your situation.
It must be fun.
It will not be fun all the time. But, if it isn’t fun at all, then you need to change something. The platform, time spent, frequency, accounts, #. Change them all or only one thing.
Try out many different things, enjoy and keep what you like, is working and makes sense.
Pappapappam *reward song*
You played a long time with the baby Grey Elephant. The Elders understood there is something their baby can learn from
your Adventure. They happily join your team bringing in their toy.
-- Congrats! You won an old watering can and a baby Grey Elephant --
