</div> </div> <p>Social media seems to be the best thing to happen to small businesses. It is essentially a free tool that almost everyone is using, a factor that can be a benefit and a curse.</p> <p>Businesses of all sizes can now create major marketing campaigns on shoestring budgets. However, some businesses are killing their brand with poor marketing materials and no marketing strategy. They fail to develop a strategy behind their posting, refuse to invest in quality graphics and don’t engage with their community. They may not see a direct decline in business, but the energy spent posting content is not generating new prospects because people are looking at ill-conceived marketing — and deciding NOT to engage. (Ouch!)</p> <p>There are a handful of essential elements that need to work together for your social media strategy to connect with your target market and generate quality leads for your business.&nbsp;Make sure your social media strategy isn’t suffering from these common mistakes:</p> <p><strong>Cheap Or Ugly Graphics</strong></p> <p>We live in a visual society where people like to look at pretty pictures. Even if they don’t read your content, immediate assumptions are made about your business based on the graphics you use. There are several free and low-cost platforms that allow you to create and edit photos and videos for social media posting.</p> <p> </p> <p>You may not have a lot of time or a staffer to dedicate to this task, but at least one or two hours should be carved out each week to develop content for your marketing. If you’re a solopreneur, you may be thinking you don’t have time to do this. My question is, do you have so much business that you don’t need new clients?</p> <p><strong>No Design Consistency</strong></p> <p>Is your business traditional, modern or contemporary? Is your target audience youthful or experienced? Are your products/services designed for corporate consumers or household consumption? Believe it or not, those elements should make a difference when designing your social media images and messages. When someone looks at your images, reads your messages or watches your videos, they are trying to determine if this product/service is talking to them. It is important for viewers to see your content and become intrigued enough to click the link, request more information or call for an appointment. If you are getting a lot of views but few clicks, there is something in your messaging that is not connecting with your audience.</p>

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Social media seems to be the best thing to happen to small businesses. It is essentially a free tool that almost everyone is using, a factor that can be a benefit and a curse.

Businesses of all sizes can now create major marketing campaigns on shoestring budgets. However, some businesses are killing their brand with poor marketing materials and no marketing strategy. They fail to develop a strategy behind their posting, refuse to invest in quality graphics and don’t engage with their community. They may not see a direct decline in business, but the energy spent posting content is not generating new prospects because people are looking at ill-conceived marketing — and deciding NOT to engage. (Ouch!)

There are a handful of essential elements that need to work together for your social media strategy to connect with your target market and generate quality leads for your business. Make sure your social media strategy isn’t suffering from these common mistakes:

Cheap Or Ugly Graphics

We live in a visual society where people like to look at pretty pictures. Even if they don’t read your content, immediate assumptions are made about your business based on the graphics you use. There are several free and low-cost platforms that allow you to create and edit photos and videos for social media posting.

You may not have a lot of time or a staffer to dedicate to this task, but at least one or two hours should be carved out each week to develop content for your marketing. If you’re a solopreneur, you may be thinking you don’t have time to do this. My question is, do you have so much business that you don’t need new clients?

No Design Consistency

Is your business traditional, modern or contemporary? Is your target audience youthful or experienced? Are your products/services designed for corporate consumers or household consumption? Believe it or not, those elements should make a difference when designing your social media images and messages. When someone looks at your images, reads your messages or watches your videos, they are trying to determine if this product/service is talking to them. It is important for viewers to see your content and become intrigued enough to click the link, request more information or call for an appointment. If you are getting a lot of views but few clicks, there is something in your messaging that is not connecting with your audience.

Source: Forbes Coaches

Is Your (Lack Of) Social Media Strategy Killing Your Business?