You know you need a presence on social media, and you’ve done your best to update your profiles regularly, but it’s a challenge to stay on top of it when you have so much else going on in running your small business. Is it a good idea to bring in help?
The main objective here is to ensure your social media thrives, and if you’re getting in your own way because you don’t have time to manage it yourself, hiring a social media manager could be the best thing you do for your company. But before you start looking for help, answer the following questions.
Why Do I Think I Want a Social Media Manager?
If you’re genuinely too busy to take it on yourself, fine. But if you’re just frustrated because you’re not sure if you’re doing it right and you don’t have the budget to hire someone, look at alternatives.
First, you can read blog posts, magazine articles, and books or take webinars online to learn how to maximize your social media presence. It’s not rocket science, and if you’re willing to put in the time, you likely can learn a lot that will benefit your brand.
Second, you might just need a nudge in the right direction. Find a social media expert who offers coaching to spend a few hours with you to assess what you’re currently doing and make a few recommendations for improvement. A few hundred dollars and a couple of hours of your time can net big results.
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Can I Afford to Hire Help?
This is the biggie for most entrepreneurs, and often the answer is “no.” But before you write off the possibility of budgeting in help, consider a few options, beyond the DIY and coaching scenarios I just presented.
You likely don’t need 40 hours a week of help, so you can scratch “full-time employee” off your list. Freelancers and social media management companies usually offer packages based on what you need. So if you need someone to manage Twitter daily and Facebook two days a week, you’ll pay less than you probably imagined.
Another option is hiring an intern. Now, keep in mind that interns, by their very nature, are learning, so you might have some hesitation about putting your brand’s reputation in their hands. But if you have a handle on social but just don’t have the time, you can likely train an affordable intern to manage it for you.
What’s My Goal?
Before you hire anyone to handle your social media, you need to establish what you want from handing it over. Will spending $500 a month free you up to make $2,000 more in revenues? Will having an expert managing your social media boost traffic to your site by 30 percent?
Setting what you want to achieve up front will help you assess whether hiring social media help is the right decision for you.
This article first appeared at www.cision.com
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About Susan Payton
Susan Payton is the president of Egg Marketing & Communications, a marketing firm specializing in content writing and social media management. She frequently blogs about small business and marketing on sites including Cision, Forbes, AllBusiness, Small Business Trends, The Marketing Eggspert Blog and Tweak Your Biz. Follow her on Twitter @eggmarketing.