Many of our Launchest clients get started as social media managers because they are approached by a business, but they don’t really know where to start.

If you’ve been asked to run social media for a business, you’ve skipped one step in starting a business (getting clients) and you may be able to skip over some of the business set-up, like creating a business name and website.

If you have a social media client, someone who wants to pay you to run their social media, here are the first 5 things that you need to do:

1) Decide how much to charge.

I’ve written a number of posts about this, so I won’t go into it in detail, but I will say that you need to charge an amount that you (based on your unique situation) can live with. Calculate an estimated hourly rate that works for you (at a minimum) but also note that most people forget to include time communicating with clients in their calculations. Read more about how to charge for social media services here.

2) Send a killer proposal or packages with options.

Unless you already have a verbal agreement tog et started, you’ll want to send them a proposal or packages that clearly outlines what you will do and how much they will pay you. Don’t make the rookie mistake of being vague – spell out exactly what you will do (number of posts, etc.) so that you are both on the same page.

3) Get a signed contract.

This may seem like overkill, but TRUST ME – you want a signed contract so that you are clear about payment terms and have something in writing.

4) Create a client on-boarding process

Once you get the paperwork in order, you want to get off to a strong start and make a good impression. This means that you’ll need a good client initiation process where you set clear expectations about timing, results and what you need from the client. Develop a process for the first month to go smoothly and so that you can quickly get everything you need to get moving.

5) Have monthly and daily checklists

Assuming you know how to get started with social media (and actually run the social networks) the next thing you’ll need is checklists to keep you on track every month (and every day). You should have a clear idea of exactly what you need to do to get started each month, and what to do every day to be sure that you are delivering as promised.

People often ask about how to start a social media business. I’ve been running a successful social media business since 2007 and have consulted with countless small businesses and social media agencies — so I’ve seen both sides of the equation.

When it comes to starting your social media business, many people aren’t sure where to start.

If you are thinking about starting any business, there are a few things to consider.

What are your goals?

Determine what your goals are for starting a social media business. What are you hoping to achieve? This will help you to establish your business model. Are you looking for:

• A new full-time company that you can start quickly
• A side-business to supplement your income
• A part-time business
• A large and growing business with a team
• A side business that can transition into full-time

I’ve seen college students that start a social media side-business to make extra money while in school, or seasoned professionals who are in transition create a successful business. There are different objectives depending on your goals.

What will it take to get there?

Once you know your goals, you’ll need to do some math to establish what it will take to get you there. Based on your unique objectives, figure out:

• How much time you’ll spend on an average client.
• How much you plan to charge a client.

Based on your time spent and how much you plan to charge, you’ll start to see what your business could look like based on the number of customers that you can handle.

There isn’t one set amount that any social media manager can charge – it will depend on your experience level and ability to impress your clients.

For example:

If you are looking to do social media management full time, you’ll probably have certain income requirements. You’ll need to be sure that your pricing structure allows you to meet your income goals.

1 average client is: $1,000 a month and takes about 10 hours a month to service

If you spend 80 hours a month on client work (50% of a full time job) you could manage up to 8 clients brining you $8,000/month.

Don’t Under Value Yourself

Many social media managers find that clients will offer to pay them small amounts, like $200 to run their social media. For most professionals, this would never lead to a viable income.

Consider how long you’ll spend with a client and don’t under-charge. If you want to build your experience base and results, consider offering a discount introductory rate.

Get Started!

Once you have your business model in place, get started. Depending on where you are at, you may need to start with a social media certification to validate your skills.

Next you’ll need to:

• Create a business name and presence
• Build marketing materials
• Prospect and find clients
• Pitch clients
• Write proposals or create packages
• Get clients set up (client on-boarding process)
• Manage social media effectively

(Launchest can help with this!)

With 2015 right around the corner, many of us are already thinking about our New Years Resolutions.

What do we want for ourselves in 2015?

Years ago, in 2008 starting a business was on my New Years Resolution list. Now I have a global business that has grown bigger than I ever imagined and given me tremendous freedom. I travel the world and have created a business that revolves around my lifestyle.

If starting a social media business is on your list for 2015, you are in luck!

Launchest has everything you need to start your own social media business.

First, why start a social media business?

• Earn extra income (on-top of your day job)
• Start your own full-time business
• Gain financial freedom
• Have flexibility
• Become an entrepreneur
• Have more free time
• Help other businesses
• Start and grow a successful business
• Become a credible expert

How do you get started?

This can be tricky. It really depends on where you already are – your existing skills and experience. The reality is that anyone can start and run a successful business — you just need the right tools.

Launchest gives you everything you need to start a social media business – you can either book a demo or apply to the program.

If you aren’t ready to take that step, or you want to DIY, start by thinking about your product and service offerings, and how your unique background can make you the ideal social media marketer for specific niche businesses. Next, you’ll want to create a business name and build a website and business cards. Depending on your current knowledge level, you may need to gain some social media training. Then you’ll need to get your business documents together – proposals contracts, etc. Next you are ready to start marketing yourself, so you may need a brochure or packages to explain your process and outline what you’ll do. Finally you need processes and plans to execute and keep clients happy and informed.

This may seem overwhelming, but starting a social media business in 2015 might be one of the best decisions you ever make. Hussle. Get it Done. You won’t regret trying.

More and more entrepreneurs are interested in starting social media marketing or social media management businesses, and for good reason.

There is a TON of growth in the space and very few qualified people to meet the demand. Businesses from bakeries to accounting firms to aerospace manufacturers and everything in between are looking to social media to grow their business.

If you are looking to get started with a social media management business there are a few things you’ll need:

1) A business name, logo, business cards and a website:

In order to be taken seriously you’ll need these essentials (this is true for any business). Here is the thing; as you look to get started, you don’t need perfection with these elements. Get started quickly with things that are “good enough” and once you have clients you can improve these. A perfect logo won’t make or break your business.

(Launchest gives you a rough logo-builder and copy to quickly build a website)

 

2) Credibility and social media knowledge:

Before you jump out to take advantage of this growing market, make sure that you have base knowledge and know your stuff. Consider getting a social media certification, or build your knowledge and experience base by participating on social networks or volunteering for non-profits or businesses you know.

(Launchest includes a social media certification)

 

3) A service offering:

Figure out what services you will offer and create packages. Potential clients want you to go to them with a solution – they want to know specifically what you recommend that they do and how much it will cost. Don’t rely on them to know what they want or need. Have packages to get your discussion started.

(Launchest includes pre-created packages that you can use to sell your social media services)

 

4) Clients

This sounds obvious, and maybe you already know some businesses that can get you started. The challenge is finding businesses that both need your services AND can pay for them. Many people make the mistake of chasing clients that have no marketing budget and aren’t willing to invest. Consider your unique background and aim for clients in the industry that you already have experience in.

(Launchest gives you a complete prospecting and pitching guide)

5) A plan to implement with excellence

Once you’ve landed the client you are off to a great start….. but that is just the beginning. If you want to keep clients and gain new clients through word-of-mouth you must consistently appear professional and organized. Have an onboarding process and a maintenance process. Determine when you’ll send reviews and what they will include. SYSTEMIZE and ORGANIZE!!!

(Launchest includes onboarding templates and checklists, plus maintenance templates and checklists)

One of the biggest challenges that most people face when figuring out their social media marketing is how much to charge. Determining how to charge and how much to charge isn’t easy. For any freelancer or business owner, it is extremely difficult to determine.

That being said, there are 3 basic pricing models for social media management. Each model is appropriate for different types of business arrangements. There isn’t one best way to charge, it depends on the situation. In our Launchest Toolbox we outline industry standards and show you exactly what to charge and how to charge. This post gives you an overview.

1) Charging Hourly

Hourly charging is standard for many consulting agreements. The challenge of hourly agreements is that clients may not know exactly what you will deliver in a set amount of time, so there is some risk for the client. The upside is that hourly contracts are usually simple to create and deliver. These usually work if you are consulting or if the exact scope of the agreement isn’t clear. If you aren’t entirely sure what the deliverables will be, then hourly billing works best. Just make sure that you agree with the client on the number of hours you are working so that there aren’t any surprises.

2) Charging For A Project

You can also choose to charge for your services on a project basis. Project based charging works great when the scope of the project is clear. For example, if you are building a social media strategy for a business, you could quote them a project rate, since the deliverables for a social media strategy are clear. This reduces the risk for the client, since they know exactly what they have to pay. Be sure to add in a buffer since often times projects can take longer than you anticipate. Also remember to include client meetings and presentations into the time you’ll spend on the project.

3) Charging for Management or Retainer Based Billing

The third option is to charge a monthly rate for set activities each month. The advantage of this is that you will be developing a relationship with your clients (most monthly or retainer based arrangements have a minimum number of months required). Most managed social media marketing falls into this, or other arrangements where you’ll have a continued monthly relationship.

Consider the type of business that you are working with, the scope of the project and choose the most appropriate billing option.