5 Steps to Save Time on Social Media 

We all wear multiple hats, and as fitness professionals, we all feel pulled in a million directions at some point during our day. We feel the need to do everything, then struggle to deal with the guilt of not getting it all done. Trust me, even the most organized of us struggle with having “enough time” to get everything done during the day. Can we all agree that “enough time” is never going to happen? 

We are busy, and our time is precious. We don’t have a moment to waste in this business, especially on sales tactics that do not work. 

We all know that social media brings our businesses more publicity and customers. But are you effectively using your social media accounts to ensure your sales tactics attract new clientele and not push customers to hit the “unlike” button? 

Step 1: Know Your Audience 

Social media is like a magnet to help you attract the clients you want. Think of it like fishing – you must know what fish you are searching for before picking your bait and body of water. Your “bait” should attract your fish just like your posts should attract your target market. 

Right now, take a moment to close your eyes and envision your dream clientele: Female or male, 25 or 55, suburban or rural? Does this matter? Absolutely! Don’t waste your time by casting out a too-large net. Instead, use social media to help you find and target your dream audience. 

Not all social media platforms are created equal. While you may appreciate one platform more, your client market may disagree. Research your market to find out where they live online.  

Step 2: Know What You Know 

I am sure you have heard that your “why” should fuel your “how.” Last year, your mind probably revolved around the fear of the unknown: Who am I if I don’t instruct or coach? Fear shouldn’t be the fuel. I challenge you to create your purposeful why statement this week. It’s probably changed from pre-pause, during the actual pause of 2020, and now. 

Take some time to recognize the evolution, sit with it for a while, and then use this fuel to light your next fire. 

So, what is your expertise? 

If I gave you a microphone and asked you to speak about a topic for over 30-minutes joyfully, what would you share? Write down at least five of those topics. 

Step 3. Know What to Create 

Once you know who you want to talk to on social media, you need to know what to share. Your posts should blend the questions of your target demographic (their pain points) with your statements of expertise. 

People are looking for answers to their problems – so be their solution (within your scope of practice). You need to understand what your target demographic is Googling at 2:00 a.m. to know what content and programming to provide. What are they struggling to accomplish, and how can you be the answer or solution? 

Now, how does your expertise show in your offerings? If you use social media as a brand awareness tool, but your brand doesn’t have anything to sell, you waste your time. It would help if you had offerings that establish you as the expert while answering the needs of your target demographic. Your social media is a personal account without offerings and should reflect as such.  

Step 4. Know What to Post 

Now you know what topics to create, so it’s time to get busy. 

Do you bake one cupcake at a time? No! You make 12 (at least). Well, make multiple social media posts at once. Batch your creativity and store it all for later use. 

For example, your target demographic is busy moms of young kids who need to make kid-friendly meals. You have a passion for nutrition, so you decide one of your weekly posts should be recipes from your online e-book. Instead of creating your post every Monday, make four posts at a time so you know exactly what you are posting before the day arrives. 

Write your captions, take the videos or photos, create the graphics, and research the hashtags for multiple posts in one sitting. Have a strategy and a plan versus being in the moment reactive.  

Step 5. Know What to Say 

Remember, social media is meant to be social. While planning who to talk to, where, and when is all important, so is using the platforms themselves. 

Think of it like a video game: the more features you use, the more points you earn. Spend time on creation but spend more time connecting with your audience, leads, and clients. 

Comment, share, like, and tag (this is called engagement). Interact with the people you want to have as clients and those who have noticed you – your leads. 

These five steps will help you build a more effective social strategy, allowing you time to focus your attention on your business itself. But before you can grow, you have to know what your current goals are for your social media. You can’t “manage” your time, effort, and energy without a set of priorities. You can’t have set priorities without an end game or finish line. So, what are your current goals for your posts? Is it more website views or higher engagement in your private group? Decide so you can begin tracking your insights to see what works and is not. Ditch it if something isn’t helping you get closer to your goal.