My clients hate social media – and honestly I don’t blame them!
Social media might be necessary for your business, but doing it yourself isn’t.
Picture it – you spent months (or even years) learning how to do your job and just as you’re ready to get into the work force, you’re told you need to get on social media if you ever want to be successful.
You didn't spend years learning your craft to become a content creator
Many of my clients have experienced this. And quite frankly? Most of the people I work with are artists who want to create for the sake of expression, not for the sake of analytics. They want to be able to express themselves in ways that reflect not only their businesses, but who they are as people and I think that should be the standard when building your online presence. You want people to work with you, hire you, get services from you, not just because of what you provide, but for who you are as a provider.
The pressure social media places on small businesses
Social media has created an unrealistic standard for business owners. Whether it's the pressure to outdo your competitors or feeling like you have to create content that doesn't align with your values, social media can kill your creative spirit and paint a picture you don't even recognize. There is also too many expectations on small businesses to do it all – provide their services, be social media managers, be book keepers, have lives outside of work, and whatever else it takes to be human these days. No wonder so many people want to go “analog” and completely cut off their social media presence.
So why are you doing social media, Grayson?
At this point you’re probably wondering, "if you know all this Grayson, why do offer social media management services?" and this is the conclusion I have come to:
I have always been a helper. I didn't pursue my post-secondary education to simply make money. I wanted a career that fulfilled me and gave back to people in my community. Providing my skills and helping people scale their businesses brings me a joy I can’t even begin to explain. Knowing the work I do brings people more clients, more sales, and more visibility is the goal, especially for marginalized business owners who may not have the same access to resources and services as more established businesses.
Social media is my creative passion. I have spent years working on my technical skills, and building social media presence for my clients is my way of not only expressing my talents, but taking my creativity to the next level with an analytical approach.
Time = money (and vice versa). I want to be able to give people their time back to do things they love rather than do things they never wanted to do to begin with. Having a social media manager takes the pressure off so you can focus on the job you signed up for in the first place.
I want uniqueness and authenticity to take over the internet. I am tired of everyone making the same content and trying to copy one another. Don’t get me wrong, I love a trend and will actively participate in one (and maybe even make you participate in one), but people need to know who they are, what makes them special, and be confident enough to share it with the world, especially in this new social media era.
So yes, it is okay to hate social media
But if you think it's something you need for your business to be successful, at least consider taking some pressure off yourself (and putting it on a social media manager). Your energy is better spent doing the work you love – so let me do the work I love, and let’s get to work!