Ask a mentor - digital marketing and social media

The information in our Ask a mentor article series is designed to help businesses better understand some fundamentals on each topic. It is not designed as a comprehensive resource or toolkit.

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial for businesses of all sizes. By understanding digital marketing and social media, businesses can better connect with their target audience, increase brand visibility, and ultimately drive sales and revenue.

Learn more about digital marketing and social media from our Mentoring for Growth (M4G) mentors:

Watch our digital marketing and social media webinar, where M4G mentors provide information, tips and resources to help you understand the fundamentals of digital marketing and social media.

Christiaan Willems—M4G mentee since 2020

Christiaan Willems – M4G mentee since 2020

Christiaan's top 2 tips for digital marketing and social media

  1. Understand that 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute – yes, minute! Think about how you can cut through that tsunami of visual overload.
  2. Understand that you no longer have a choice – you have to get familiar with and better at video and presenting to-camera – whether on Zoom and/or making your own business videos.

  • The post-COVID era is going to remain very heavily video-reliant. It is not going to revert to the pre-COVID situation. Everyone senses that this is the case. How businesses respond to that will determine their success or otherwise. So in marketing terms, businesses need to get much better at communicating on-camera/online, or get left behind.

  • Don’t spend a lot of money on 'gear'.  Your smartphone is perfectly fine for short, sharp, spontaneous videos. But like any tool or device, it is how you use it that is most important. As renowned film director Sam Mendes suggests everyone (with a smartphone) can make a film, but not everyone can tell a story.

Connect with Christiaan on LinkedIn.

Irena Bukhshtaber—M4G mentor since 2020

Irena Buckshtaber – M4G mentor since 2020

Irena's top 3 tips for digital marketing and social media

  1. Marketing is a skill that you learn and build like any skill (cooking, writing, business management) and it's not as easy as people assume. So, take it seriously like you would taxes, HR, bookkeeping etc.
  2. Understand that building a brand takes time. If online is the right way for you, in the initial stages pick one platform and use it well.
  3. Your marketing plan (yes, you should have one) should dovetail with your business strategy so everything you do is not wasted time. Ensure your plan and the social channels you use are fit for your purpose.

  • I particularly love Google+pdf for checklists and templates.

    • Email is your number 1 tool. You should be collecting emails and phone numbers and regularly engaging with people.
    • Digital marketing and social media is no different from other channels so traditional marketing rules apply.
    • Choosing the right platform is critical.
    • Research your audience and customer segments and then market accordingly to them.
    • Curating your brand is very important so it looks neat, consistent, and trustworthy.

Connect with Irena on LinkedIn.

Shannon Stone—M4G mentor since 2021

Shannon Stone – M4G mentor since 2021

Shannon's top 3 tips for digital marketing and social media

  1. Look at how your existing clients are finding you and use this as an indication of what's already working, and double down on that.
  2. Optimise your social media presence as if it were a shop window and demonstrate your knowledge, client results, reviews and testimonials.
  3. Understand social media is one part of the puzzle and ensure you move those followers to conversions in the way of sales and building your email list.

  • A digital and social media plan is an element of your overall sales and marketing plans. It should include:

    • who you're targeting
    • how you're targeting them
    • what platforms you plan to be using
    • what content you plan to create
    • any paid advertising.

    It is important to have a plan because this is what provides the basis of the steps and actions to take in the business. Without a plan, you're likely to be posting content in the dark.

    • Understand the role social media plays in your business. Some people overestimate its abilities while forgetting about having a sales process in their business, and some people underestimate it and how quickly you can connect with potential clients online.
    • Be laser focused on one platform at a time rather than jumping onto every new platform or trend. The truth is, everything works but it only works, if you work it properly.

Connect with Shannon on LinkedIn.

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