Your Best Social Media Strategy: Connect, Inform, Sell

Last week, I sat down with a dentist who owns and operates a practice in Carleton Place.

He is probably one of the nicest dentists I’ve met, and he made me actually maybe, almost, sorta want to book an appointment.

Kidding aside, he and I sat down to discuss his content marketing plan, and how he can connect with an audience in the community in which he works. But he didn’t really know how to do that.

So, I offered him up a formula that helps give social media managers clarity on creating content that balances nicely between posts.

Wondering how often to post? There's no magic number, but there is a formula you can use to create social media content for you business.

The formula for how to post on social media as a business? Connect. Inform. Sell.

Yep, that’s it.

It’s a three-step system we’ve been using with our clients and for our own social media platforms.

Here’s how it works.

Connect with your audience.

Connect posts are those that show you as the person.

You’re providing a behind-the-scenes view of running your business, showing you attending a conference, highlighting real-life stories that may not even be connected to your business at all. So, for the dentist, he may create a post about his family going skating on Rideau Canal.

Or about a new staff member joining their team. Think: faces bring you places. The more you incorporate real people into your social media feed, the more engagement and connection you’ll get with your audience.

Inform: Provide value to your audience.

You can share your knowledge and expertise and use it as an opportunity to demonstrate how you’re an expert in the field. For the dentist? Show us tips on properly cleaning your teeth.

Outline the side effects of grinding your teeth at night. Highlight typical teeth calendars for kids. Think about all the FAQs you usually get as a business owner and turn them into post ideas.

Sell: Not your grandparent's advertising strategy.

Many of us either feel icky asking someone to buy from us, but for some others, we can’t STOP asking someone to buy from us!

With that, we suggest using a 'sell' post for every 7-8 posts you create, no more. The goal is you’ll have already provided such value through your connect and inform posts that your audience will feel a connection with you and want to buy from you once you do ask.

Remember: social media isn’t traditional media; we don’t tell someone what to do. Instead, you can creatively find a way to show value in a way they’d want to see the sell. For example: The dentist could outline that he offers teeth whitening services and show a client’s before and after pictures.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling to make content that connects with your audience and builds your following, look at it with a different perspective. How can you connect, inform and sell with your followers?

p.s. Want resources on how to grow your social media and your business? Check out our Business Resource Library!