Navigating marketing for your small business while staying on top of day-to-day operations can be overwhelming. Fortunately, Erica Spitzley and Cassie Tucker, hosts of the Marketing Happy Hour podcast, are here to help. Each week, the pair talk to a new figure in the marketing the world about strategies and techniques that businesses can use to optimize their brands.

In an increasingly digital world, one of the biggest hurdles business owners face is knowing how and when to post on social media. Feeling like they don't know enough to manage an account—and the worry of doing something wrong—can lead some small business owners to neglect their profiles altogether. hear After the Review episode below to hear live from Cassie and Erica.

All it takes to find social media success is a solid strategy, Cassie said. Research your competitors to understand what makes you unique so you can effectively communicate why someone should visit your business down the road. Understand what types of consumers you want to target and what their interests and preferred platforms are. The purpose of social media is to share who you are and build community with customers, especially in an age when people use apps like search engines to research products and brands.

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“I like to think of (a social media profile) as your first meeting with a customer,” Erica said. “Are you going to go on a first date and assume that person already knows everything about you and they're ready for marriage? No, you're going to take your time to really share things about yourself that will help them the other person to know who you are and who you are serving”.

One way to build an authentic online presence is to use influencers and user-generated content (UGC) to showcase your products or services. Erica recommends sending your products or offering your services to consumers to encourage this type of content, whether that person is a specific content creator that fits within your niche or a social media user who is already talking about your business online. .

“(Influencer marketing) is just another way to inspire a community that isn't necessarily (about) spending thousands of dollars on these big influencers that you see everywhere promoting big brands. Partnerships that are individualized, creative and community-focused are really great places to start,” said Erica.

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A concern that many business owners have when it comes to investing time and money into them online presence is that followers and likes will not translate into actual visits and purchases. Not every post will lead to a purchase when you use social media to tell your brand story. But when advertising a specific promotion, Cassie suggested posting exclusive coupon codes that customers can access via a specific link or by mentioning the promotion when they visit your store in person. This tactic can help business owners measure the concrete success of their social media efforts.

Another key part of using social media is reviewing and engaging with it customer feedback. While it can be difficult to change your habits, Cassie urged small business owners to use online reviews and feedback to think about how they can optimize their businesses, especially if it's a suggestion that has come up multiple times.

One way to prepare for feedback, Erica said, is to anticipate the questions and comments customers might have and create patterns of responses to draw from. By curating your response pieces ahead of time, you can quickly get back to a customer while staying true to your brand voice. Erica also urged business owners to ask for more details when receiving feedback.

“Whenever someone contacts us to talk about Marketing Happy Hour or says they liked a certain episode, I always ask them, 'I'd love to know more about what you liked specifically. Are there any topics you'd like to hear from us in the future?' There's nothing better than feedback from people who actually use your product or come to your store.”

Brick and mortar businesses have a unique opportunity to tap critical comments or comments addressing concerns at this time. Businesses that deal face-to-face with their customers should establish processes to ensure that a manager has the opportunity to speak with any disgruntled customer before they leave the building.

Despite the range of tactics and strategies available to make marketing easier for small businesses, juggling several projects at once can take its toll. Erica and Cassie encourage business owners to prioritize initiatives and take time for themselves avoid burning that often comes with entrepreneurship. Set boundaries for your workday and make sure new projects align with your goals and plan before you pursue them.

“As corporate professionals and business owners, we get into this hustle mode. We never take a day off and it really ends up destroying us in the end,” Cassie said.

In addition to the power of communication strategy and plans, Cassie and Erica believe in:

• Using social media to tell a strategic story about your business. Before developing content, understand your target audience, yours competitive advantageand what kind of posts will help you achieve your marketing goals.
• Engagement with customer feedback. Use feedback to improve your business operations and develop answers to frequently asked questions ahead of time to ensure your answers are thoughtful and timely.
• Using tools like exclusive social media coupon codes. Developing unique links and codes can help you measure how many of your purchases are a direct result of your digital marketing trying.

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Editorial contributions by Callie Morgan and Kristi Lindahl