More than 1 in 3 internet users say they head to social media to find more information on brands and products. That’s good news for entrepreneurs who are looking to network, grow, and expand. By harnessing the power of social media, you gain the ability to connect with everyone!
There are many ways to use social media to your advantage. Here are seven social media secrets entrepreneurs use to find business partners, change lives, and build their businesses.
1. Your Facebook Page Is Not a Garage Sale
View your social media presence through a discerning lens. Your Facebook page and Instagram feed are extensions of who you are, what you represent, and the products you are sharing. In essence, you and your life are the brand.
“You don’t want your Facebook page to look like you are having a garage sale,” says Jared Maples of Team Rebalance out of Gilbert, Arizona. “Rather, your posts need to reflect you and your life.”
Jared and Sharaya Maples like to utilize Facebook Live and share candid moments.
His wife, Sharaya Maples, agrees.
“We call it living your life out loud.”
As Isagenix top income earners under the age of 25, the Mapleses say that people go to social media to be inspired, not sold to. Their social media pages feature them enjoying life with each other, their dogs, and their family. What stands out most is their openness.
“We share our lives with people who go to our site,” says Jared. “We are not afraid to open up about our personal challenges and our relationship story.”
What they don’t share is product. No pictures of Isagenix products are displayed or discussed. This, the couple says, is very much on purpose.
Instead of a hard sell, visitors see two young people sharing their lives. That makes a big impact.
2. A Little Curiosity Goes a Long Way
When you don’t post about what you’re selling, you create a sense of mystery. People become intrigued by you, not a product.
Take some time to experiment with showing or mentioning products subtly. Jared and Sharaya don’t mention them at all. Other entrepreneurs will mention the term “nutritional supplement” or show a container in the background of images.
Sharaya says the best time to take a pic for social is when you’re feeling good.
3. Identify Your Passions
“People fall in love with Isagenix because they fall in love with the person sharing it,” says Audrye McLeod from Knoxville, Tennessee.
She and her husband, James, were named as the 267th Isagenix Legacy Club members* and are among the youngest top earners in Isagenix.
Audrye made it one of her goals to master Instagram about 2 ½ years ago, and her business has grown as a result. She showcases artistically arranged images of her, her husband, and her friends, and there are defined themes running through it all.
“I only focus on five to seven things that make Audrye who she is,” she says. “I post what I am most passionate about and only focus on those things.”
Her content is fun to view, but strategic and thoughtful. Right now, Audrye is centering her Instagram on:
- Her marriage and love
- Her faith and beliefs
- Dogs
- Fitness and a healthy lifestyle
- Leadership
- Random funny moments
“In order to get to this list, I asked myself the question, ‘What are the elements that make up me?’ Now when I post, I stay in those areas only,” Audrye says. “It sets me apart, and these are the things that light me up.”
4. Post for Your Ultimate Business Partner
Audrye’s social feeds focus on things she loves. Who wouldn’t love that golden retriever?!
Think about the ideal person you’d want to network with and write down everything about them.
“I really concentrate on this person,” says Audrye. “I call her an avatar and give her the characteristics of my ideal business partner. When you post things that this person would be interested in, you are essentially attracting that type of person to you.”
For example, “I created Emma,” says Audrye. “I have her down to the type of dogs she owns.”
Each image and caption are designed for someone like Emma to think, “Audrye is someone I’d like to work with and know.”
Not everyone is going to see opportunity — or life, for that matter — the way you do. By targeting the type of person you want to work with, you are actively working toward the type of business relationships you want.
5. Develop an Aesthetic
Audrye views Instagram as part of her job and always brings her A-game.
“When I’m having a good hair day, I’ll have my husband shoot me. This way, I’m collecting content along with captions that I’ll post when the time comes.”
She also pays attention to how her Instagram feed looks at a glance.
“Be aware of your background and the colors that are in it,” she explains.
By choosing a color scheme or a certain shape, you add consistency that is pleasing to the eye. Audrye suggests getting a preset to make your Instagram feed congruent in color and simplify editing. Your audience won’t be able to look away!
6. It’s All About Hashtags and Timing
Psst…guess what? Even if you post amazing pictures that show you embracing life to its fullest, you still have work to do! Social media posting isn’t just about the artistic side. There is a bit of a science that goes into getting your posts seen.
Quick tip: Make sure your Instagram feed is set to Public. People will not be able to see your posts if you are set to Private. And yes, this does mean you will have to be aware of everything you post.
You’ll have to do some experimenting with hashtags and the timing of your posts. If you aren’t sure what a hashtag is, don’t worry. It’s this little guy: #. Back in the 1990s, we called it a pound sign, and that little pound sign has been doing some heavy lifting since the advent of social media.
Hashtags are used by people who are looking for specific things on social media. If someone wants to just see images of dogs, for example, they search #dogs. Then, magically, dogs of all sorts will fill their feed. It follows that if someone is looking for transformation photos, they can easily find those through hashtags, too.
Audrye uses specific prewritten hashtags to make her posts easy to find through Instagram’s search feature.
“I write out all my hashtags in my notes in my phone so I can have them ready,” Audrye says.
She has specific hashtags for all her themes, but you’ll never see them in her captions. She posts them in the comments with five periods before them so they won’t annoy the viewer. These hashtags are still searchable through Instagram’s algorithm and give her posts a better chance of being seen on the main search page.
Audrye’s Instagram Steps
- Post an image with a catchy caption.
- Copy already composed hashtags, and paste them in the comments.
- Add about five periods before the hashtags to create physical space between the caption and the hashtags.
- Don’t post more than once a day, but be consistent. Observe what time people are most responsive.
- Pay attention to direct messages (DMs), and respond to them.
- Start building those relationships. Don’t go for the sell!
7. Think About What’s New
Jared, Sharaya, and Audrye agree that you need to live in the moment. They caution against getting so engrossed in social media that you stop talking to people in person.
“Belly to belly is still the best way to develop relationships,” says Audrye.
After you’ve been in the social media game for a while, you may feel like you’ve run out of ideas.
“If you think you’re getting stale,” says Audrye, “just think of something new in your life.”
“There’s never really such a thing as a standstill,” agrees Sharaya. “You just have to get creative to move things forward.”
And when you move things forward, that’s when the magic happens!
For more great ideas, check out the Isagenix Social Design Studio. It gives you something to post every day and comes jam-packed with templates and images you can use for inspiration.
Check out Jared and Sharaya Maples:
Learn more about Audrye McLeod:
*An Isagenix Legacy Club member is an Independent Associate to whom Isagenix has paid a gross total of $1 million or more since joining Isagenix. Earnings reflect gross amounts that do not include any business expenses. For average earnings, refer to IsagenixEarnings.com.
