Strategies That Will Allow Your SMMA to Thrive in 2021

When we think strategy, we think sustainability. Apart from it being a relevant keyword for 2021 for our business and planet; it is also about relationships. It is easier to maintain a relationship with one client than to get a new one. Think about what you are doing now: How long is your client’s average lifetime? How much longer can you keep them? and What do you need to do for them to keep them loyal to your brand? If your clients are your biggest fans,  attracting new ones is easier. Your business should be “client-first”. Ensure that you are reaching the right audience and one that can help grow your products or services. 

Set your next realistic goal and do a SWAT analysis. Too many people are focusing on the weaknesses instead of directing their energy on their strengths. Learning how to then capitalize on your fortés will get you closer to accomplishing your goals. 

Social Media Marketing

Content marketing is 3 times more effective and brings 3 times more leads than traditional marketing, and costs 62% less.  Your content is now your business card. It gives people marketing insights and knowledge, serves them,  shows your brand positioning, and introduces your business. Try testing your content before publishing it on your blog; send it to experts in your industry or people from your target audience, and get feedback. Don’t forget about offline marketing; send people cards, remember their birthdays and other notable dates, be thoughtful and creative. 

Relevant Metrics

Metrics help make significant decisions about your business.

• If you reach a particular number of people on, let’s say, LinkedIn, it is good to know how many of them text you back, how many are interested or become clients. And you don’t want just a number; it’s essential to know who these people are, why they care, and how exactly your content resonates with them.
• Take a look at your engagement rates and see how many likes, shares, comments, and other interaction types you get. Is it enough? If not, check out your best posts and do more of that. 
• Make sure that your metrics are based on your goals. Track your revenue, the number of clients you are getting, and how long they stay with your brand. What does a long-term client mean for your company?  How much value will they gain?? 
• Always ask for testimonials and create short surveys. Renew the information once every 6 months and ask your clients what needs change or improvement. 
• Check the niches you target and how well they are performing. Focus more on those which are working best for you.

Should You Copy Your Competitors? 

Copying is not a great tactic; at the same time, it’s important to know what your competitors are doing. Copying other brands results in inauthenticity, and in most cases, it just doesn’t work. Try to think outside the box and if they are “different” than your competitors, well your business will stand out rather than be another copycat brand. 

Q&A Session

• Did you ever receive a negative review, and how did you resolve it? 
• No, I never got a negative review, becauseс I always asked for feedback. If I do get one, I will work on service recovery. And I would never blame the customer, never make excuses for myself, I would do what I can to help, then ask for feedback again. It shows that you are committed. Be proactive and always give people several options for what you can do. 

• What is the best way to promote an online course when you start from scratch? 
• First of all, get testimonials from people. Try reaching out to those who successfully created their own courses. Also, you will need to fill these courses with people; they don’t magically appear. Use your email list, ask them for a beta-test, write to your friends. To sell your course online with ads and marketing, you need a 4 figure monthly budget. If you don’t have one, it’s ok. Go a little slower and get the organic reach.

• How do you promote a paused company during covid while keeping your customers? 
• Send them newsletters with your content or live streams. Show them that you are concerned with losing them as customers. Get creative and do what you can while on pause, don’t be silent. 

• I love the PromoRepublic platform. Is it good for keeping customers for longer with PR features and offer people to use too?
• Yes, PromoRepublic is a great tool if you want to increase engagement and track a lot of different metrics. All the scheduling tools are similar, but what makes PromoRepublic a unique service is that you can collaborate with your clients directly inside the system to save a lot of time and effort. 

• How can I  write better sales copy? Do you have any recommendations? 
• One of the things we have in Social Buzz Club is a learning center. You can find 200+ training sessions from various experts and 2 copywriters are also on hand, as well. You can easily buy access or get a free trial. 

• Would you focus more on YouTube videos or Instagram? 
• YouTube is definitely a “How To” platform, and people use it a lot for that purpose. If you are creating content that solves problems, I would definitely recommend  YouTube. Instagram is great for shorter forms of content. 

• I’m having a hard time working with macro clients. Is there a way to collaborate with them other than email or DM’s? 
• Like their content, share their content, write articles about them, ask them if they want to be interviewed. Also, you can try to attend their events and get to know them. Try interacting with them in person; set up meetings or invite them to lunch. 

As a marketer, I know that the market is in constant flux. It’s never a question of whether it’s going to change, only when it will change. If you want a business that is slow and steady, we don’t recommend marketing. It’s all about keeping up-to-date with the latest trends, listening carefully to your niche, and knowing when and how to pivot.