Social media has become an intricate part of both our personal lives and careers. It’s a way for everyone to stay connected and communicate. We see each other’s trials, triumphs, and goofy pictures every day when we share them. It has emerged as a powerful tool in business marketing because of its ability to reach large amounts of people instantly on various platforms such as computers, smartphones and tablets. When someone ‘likes’ your post, someone else sees that, then they share it, and it goes on and on and on.

Essentially, people are advertising for you – for free. The trick is getting people to pay attention to you in the first place so they’ll be interested when you post something. It’s good to be unique, and that’s what we’ll focus on today; sometimes the weird kid is also really cool and fun to hang out with, and that’s what you should strive for in your social media tactics.

Set Yourself Apart from the Crowd

Ok, that heading sounds cliché, and it is. But that’s what you need to do. Whatever enterprise you are involved in, you’re certainly not the only one doing it. A lot of businesses are clamoring for attention so they can stay afloat and hopefully thrive. Attracting someone to your business is a lot like attracting a romantic partner – you want to make your intentions clear, but you don’t want to come off as desperate. Let them know there’s something special about you without going overboard. My favorite thing is seeing that a company has a sense of humor. If you’ve got an announcement regarding a special or discount you’re running, say it by posting a funny picture of a dog or you wearing those big nose and mustache glasses. That is so much better than a bland graphic, and it will make people chuckle and associate you with something positive.

Here are some tips on building a personal brand:

• https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-strategy-personal-branding-tips
• http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235073
• http://www.business2community.com/social-media/5-tips-using-social-media-build-personal-brand-01095298

Give It Away Now

Once you’ve got their attention, you have to keep it. A surefire way to make sure everyone is following your every move is free stuff. On your Facebook, Twitter, etc., announce that you’re giving away one month of free service, lunch with the CEO, or whatever it is you’ve got up your sleeve, and encourage them to like and share it. When they share it, double their entries. This gives your followers incentive to share your information to all their friends and followers, therefore increasing your visibility. Now you’ve got a lot of people looking your way and thinking you’re cool for being generous.

Some additional examples if you still don’t believe us:

• http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-ways-to-build-a-following-by-giving-something-away/
• http://business.time.com/2013/06/24/5-ways-companies-win-by-giving-stuff-away/

Engage

When you do cool stuff, people want to be a part of it. Include your fans and followers on your page and let them show what they’ve got. For example, if it’s a beautiful summer day, ask if anyone has fun plans, and tell them to post their favorite vacation memory/photo on your page. Is this business related? Not that I know of. However, it’s one more thing that keeps interaction flowing between you and your customers and establishes a positive association. If they’re feeling good about posting on your page, they’ll feel good about doing business with you.

The takeaway from all of the above should be that these things are natural. You aren’t forcing your way into their door a la Jack Nicholson in The Shining; you are, as they say, letting the game come to you. If you can figure out how to make your social media accounts work for you, you’ll exponentially increase productivity and enjoyment for everyone involved.

Author

Chris Ford loves the challenge of solving puzzles, deep dish pizza and all things business. He writes for Basler Co., Inc., makers of custom Post-It products.