Each new year, we typically take time to reflect on the previous twelve months, contemplating what we can do in the new year to improve ourselves. Some of us even make new year's resolutions, making a promise to ourselves to improve our life in some way.For 2015, I'm taking one of the most common resolutions: getting in shape. To that end, I've already joined a gym and made a one year commitment. Frankly, exercising is not the high point of my day, but it needs to be done so that I can improve my health. It's been tough to get started, but even after the first week, I'm already feeling improvement. I know that to reach my goal of personal fitness, I'll need to stick with it and be consistent with my exercise program. But I also know it will get easier as I get used to the routine. I plan to "mix it up," alternating between elliptical workouts, group classes and weightlifting so that I don't get bored. I have no aspirations to be a "gym rat," but I believe that I can make the commitment to work out for 30-60 minutes 3-4 times a week and do it consistently.I propose that you make a similar New Years resolution for your business' health by implementing a social media plan and committing to it for 2015.If you're like many business people, the thought of writing blogs and posting updates about your business to social media is outside your comfort zone. It's also difficult to imagine doing this 3-4 times a week. However, just like my quest for fitness, you can do this if you break it down into manageable steps, mix it up to keep it interesting and have realistic expectations for your time.First, schedule time on your calendar to work on social media. Consider them appointments that you have to keep. For most businesses, 3-4 times a week for 1/2 hour should be plenty.Next, mix it up, but on a schedule. For example, one day you can take a picture of something in or related to your business and describe how it's important to what you do. The next day, tell your audience an interesting fact about your profession the average person does not know. The next, write a shout-out to another business or person you do business with. The day after that, share a testimonial from one of your customers. And once or twice a month, write a 200-300 word blog about something you found exciting in your work the previous week. Come up with your own list of themes like this, and then rotate so you're doing a different one each day.You'll find that if you make the commitment and mix up your routine to keep things interesting, over time, managing your business' social media will get easier, and eventually become second nature. Before you know it, your business will achieve "social media fitness."Make a business resolution for 2015 and get that social media campaign started. Good luck!Russ Alman and Dominick Bonny are co-owners of Digital Media Northwest, LLC, providing social media support, website design, video & photography and content creation services for NCW and western Washington businesses.
By
Jerri Barkley
December 23, 2014