Most of us are already active on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest but not everyone knows the right way of using it for one’s business. Since teaching women entrepreneurs the skill to sell with feminine grace, heart and soul is one of my passions, I invited Laura Rubinstein on one of the episodes of my Wealthy Wednesday Show to talk about the art of selling through the social media. Laura Rubinstein is an award winning Digital Media and Marketing Strategist. She is the author of the bestselling book: “Social Media Myths Busted: The Small Business Guide To Online Revenue” and founder of the Social Buzz Club. Together, we debunked some of the myths associated with social selling and focused on some of the ways women entrepreneurs can correctly use the power of social media to leverage their existing service brand and take it to newer heights:

Myth# 1: Social Media is for Direct Selling… 

Tip: Social Media is for Soft Selling and not Hard Selling

The concept of social selling misleads and confuses many newbies, as they use the social media platforms for aggressive self-promotion and direct selling of their services. But they encounter little or no success and they wonder why. The truth is that even products don’t sell well through social media. This is because social media is not meant for hard core, aggressive selling but social engagement. It is a platform for connecting with prospects, building relationships, and growing one’s business in an organic manner. It works slowly but gradually, but it does work.

Myth#2: Social Media Helps You Find Clients…  

Tip: Build a Relationship First and Sell Later


Women entrepreneurs shouldn’t go to a social media hoping to sell something right away. They start sending and accepting contact request from just about everyone in the hope of finding clients. When this doesn’t happen, they feel confused and disheartened and stop using the social media altogether. Laura Rubinstein emphasizes that women entrepreneur trying their hand at social media for their business should build a relationship first with their audience and sell later. Some meaningful ways to do this is to acknowledge your audience, show interest in their lives, show the genuine desire to know more about them, open up to them, and let them open up to you.

Myth#3: You Shouldn’t Show Your Personal Side on the Social Media!

Tip: Be Personal, Passionate… Be Real! 

Some women entrepreneurs are confused about which side they should show on their social media. Either they don’t share their personal side at all or they end up sharing every inane activity and detail on the social media, which does them more harm than good.  Laura Rubinstein feels that women entrepreneurs feel obligated to use social media to build their brands in an understated way, which subdues their brand and harms their business. She feels that women entrepreneurs should cultivate intimate relationships by all means on peer networks with their audiences, with their existing and prospective clients. This way when your audiences are ready to become your clients, they would know whom to contact! Nevertheless, she reminds us that we don’t need to be weird on the social media and should share our personal lives with our audience in a professional context.

Myth#4: You Don’t have to/Need to Respond to Likes and Comments! 

Tip: Be Responsive, Interactive, and Proactive

 
Some women entrepreneurs find it hard to acknowledge the likes and shares and respond to comments because they don’t have the time, or they don’t know how to respond to the myriad forms of audience engagement, or they don’t have a marketing strategy in place. With a business to run, this can be daunting. This approach can be fatal for your brand’s and business’ success. Post regularly because it shows that you are regular, visible and can be relied upon.  Share quotes; conduct surveys. Connect and engage with people, understand their needs through interaction. Ask questions; give answers. Don’t leave a proactive or reactive audience in limbo. Have a marketing strategy in place, or hire a marketing manager who knows how to take an established contact, take a warm lead to the next level.

Myth#5: Having a Social Media Presence is Enough…   

Tip: Create Rich, Engaging Content  

Most of us fell to the pressure of posting all the time. Since we can’t keep up; we either post irrelevant stuff too often and too much, or don’t post at all. That’s why we get a website but don’t update it. We have accounts on different social media platforms but don’t use them meaningfully. We think that social media is a free of cost medium, so there is no need to invest in its content management and marketing strategy. This is so wrong! Being cheap stinks and people can smell it from miles away! They can see the lack of commitment and seriousness and decide not to engage with you or your brand.  Therefore, focus on creating rich meaningful, emotionally engaging content. Laura Rubinstein  talks about giving your audience something to think about, a “golden nugget” that speaks to their inner selves that makes them seek more of your work, connect with you. Give them some free but immensely useful content to give them an idea about your value and level of expertise and then set the stage for your paid, high quality services and time.

Myth#6: Be an Expert ALL the TIME

Tip: Be Empathetic, Be Warm: Be Human   

Some women entrepreneurs become so serious in the effort of looking like an expert that they end up losing their human touch. Their audience finds them too perfect, too remote and too unapproachable.  Don’t be a wall flower on your social media account. Laura Rubinstein reminds us of the quintessential truth that social selling is an art; it is “social nurturing”.  Therefore, Laura recommends that instead of trying to pose like an expert all the time, try to show your audience understanding and empathy. Don’t keep talking about the pain points but show them the possibilities, give them hope.

Social media can be your best friend but using it for direct, haphazard or aggressive selling or using it without a social marketing strategy can harm your small business. Laura Rubinstein sums it up beautifully: “Find people; connect with them; understand them through active listening; and nurture prospects through meaningful content.”  When done meaningfully, sensibly and done right, social interactions through social media can serve as a stepping stone for the ultimate success of your business.

As a Mystical Wealth Creator, I have been teaching budding, conscious women entrepreneurs how to maximize their potential, how to reframe their mindsets, and how to connect with the right resources and use them rightly. Women entrepreneurs who are willing to break the six figure income barrier and ready take their existing business to the next level, who are willing to invest in their own self-development and not afraid to trust their time with me will discover newer horizons of self-learning, and professional development and enrichment. Book your first complimentary session with me today and discover the ways I can help your service brand out: