Social media is the new store front in today’s direct selling landscape.  It is undeniable that social media plays a pivotal role in the success of a young company yet, many companies fail to plan for it.  Long gone are the days that a website drew traffic.  With millions of sites, traffic has to be driven.  Search engine optimization (SEO) can be incredibly costly.  Social media offers a relatively inexpensive vehicle for exposure.  

Social media success requires a multi-faceted approach.  Traction comes from the illusion of being the next “HOT COMPANY”.  This can be achieved with a comprehensive strategy for the major platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram).  While new platforms are emerging daily (Blab, Periscope, etc), it can be far too overwhelming to be everywhere.  Focusing on good coverage via the major platforms is sufficient to create a “buzz”.  

A social media expert is essential to help with effective scheduling and post strategy.  A company must also allocate a budget for boosting and posting in the new “Pay to Play” landscape.  The return on a dollar spent in social media is fantastic compared to other forms of advertising.  From a budget standpoint, it is a “no-brainer”. The actual budget depends on your desired outcome and revenue but a budget needs to be established as priority for your company’s overall success.

It is also important to create strategies and campaigns that engage and leverage your existing fan base and consultants.  They can add to this “buzz” by posting and sharing main fan page posts.  A company may even want to restrict their consultants from creating their own fan page in the early days to increase fan count and sharing of the corporate fan page.

Although social media is not my primary area of expertise,  I have had the privilege of watching some masters work over the years.  One of the first things I do at a new company is hire a seasoned social media expert to ensure that we have a comprehensive campaign.   I can assure you that ignoring social media is FATAL. 

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Michelle Archer is a seasoned, veteran executive in the direct selling industry with 25 years of experience. Her past corporate and field experience gives her a fresh perspective on business, success and direct selling. She partners with young companies and individuals through executive coaching and consulting to explode their potential. Connect with her on Facebook Learn more at http://directsalesinstitute.com/