If your thinking about starting a social media business, there are 6 steps you’ll need to master to ultimately be successful. It may take years to gain the business knowledge to master all of these, but you can start working on them immediately.

1) Setting Up Your Social Media Business

To get your business setup you’ll have to start with the “hanging a shingle” type of activities to present yourself as a legitimate business. You’ll need a business name, a logo, a website and business cards. These don’t have to be perfect, they just have to be good enough for you to be taken seriously. Don’t waste too much time or money on these things — once you have clients and are making money you can re-evaluate.

2) Marketing Your Social Media Business

To effectively market your business you’ll want to come across as professional and organized with marketing assets that wow potential clients. Consider a brochure that outlines your services – most people don’t read these word for word, but they make you look good and explain what you do. You’ll also want a presentation and ideally a social media presence.

3) Prospecting Social Media Clients

If you build it, they won’t come. Just because you start a business doesn’t mean you’ll magically have an endless flow of clients beating down your door. You’ll want to identify businesses that are appropriate for you and get in-front of them. Finding potential clients who have money and can benefit from social media is key.

4) Getting Clients with Pitching and Proposals

Closing the deal with clients isn’t always easy. You’ll need to figure out your pricing and how you want to package your services. This is the most difficult part for most businesses – they don’t know how much to charge and what to include. Next, you’ll need to create great proposals to close deals.

5) Executing and Delivering World-Class Social Media

Once you’ve landed the client you want to keep them excited by delivering great social media marketing. Processes for setup and management are key to streamlining your communication with your clients and making it easier for you to actually do social media for a business.

6) Retaining Customers and Keeping Them Happy

Finally — keep your customers happy. Do nice things for them. Send them reports that show them your results. Keeping clients happy is a big part of your ultimate success, as they can be your best source of new business (referrals).

 

If you want to start a social media business, now is a great time. More and more businesses are realizing the importance of social media and they don’t want to become social media experts – they want to hire someone to do it for them. That is why creating a social media business is a huge opportunity.

If you are thinking of starting a social media business, there are a few things that you’ll want to consider as you get started:

1) How Will You Package Your Services?

Selling a package of services will get you further than billing hourly. Businesses don’t want to know how many hours they get – they want to know what you will do. Create packages to streamline your sales process – this makes it easier for client to say yes. It is important to clearly state exactly what you will deliver.

2) How Will You Find Clients?

Finding clients is always a challenge. Consider your background and figure out what unique skills or market knowledge you have that you can combine with social media to create a niche for yourself. Think about businesses that you could naturally run social media for based on your unique knowledge, or the businesses that you frequent.

3) What Are Your Credentials?

Some small businesses are inundated by social media and search engine experts pitching their services day after day. Many of these are overseas or large social media companies that don’t really get to know their customers. Have a clear idea of why you are different, how your unique background qualifies you as well as your experience and education in social media marketing. You may also consider getting social media certified.

4) Do YOU Have A Business Presence?

If you want to be taken seriously you’ll need to have a business presence for yourself – at least a basic one. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you need something. You’ll need a logo, business cards and a website. It also helps if you are active on social networks yourself.

5) What Is Your Client Management Process?

Once you’ve landed clients, you’ll want to have a streamlined on-boarding and management process to appear experienced and save time. Create processes to outline how you will on-board clients as well as how you’ll manage their accounts. Many social media managers struggle with delivering social media content – not because they don’t know how to manage social media but because they don’t have a process in place to consistently meet client expectations.