Did anyone have a mini panic attack when Instagram and Facebook were down this week? What could be more #MercuryRx than a massive social media outage?!
All astrology jokes aside, having all your eggs in one marketing basket can feel scary as an entrepreneur. I bet you rely heavily on social media to help you grow your business – I know I do. So here are a few practical tips to help you diversify your marketing strategy for times just like this.
1. Utilize email marketing.
Starting a simple newsletter can help you grow your audience off social media and make connections with folks outside DMs. Start small, maybe even once a quarter, until you feel comfortable and then work your way up from there.
If you don't have a list to send to, ask your friends + family to join first. From there, you can get people to sign up via word of mouth, on social media platforms (when they're working!), and through your website.
Consider creating a simple form that allows people to sign up for your newsletter with their name and email address until you're ready to take the leap into lead generation.
2. Use a variety of social media platforms.
Are you a maker with a physical product that you know people will fall in love with at first glance? Consider learning more about Pinterest.
Want to share thoughts + updates with your clients in real time? Maybe Twitter is the right platform for you.
Selling tickets to events and want to find people outside your network who might be interested in attending? MeetUp and Eventbrite are both great options.
3. Good, ole fashioned word of mouth!
I can't tell you how many times I've been chatting with someone at a networking event, social gathering, or even at a local restaurant and discovered that they had a potential business lead for me. Of course, these leads may require a little bit more pre-qualification – especially if you're a service provider – but the important part here is that there are always people looking for what you offer. You just have to talk about it!
Remember: Diversify, diversify, diversify. And don't be afraid to ask for help if it feels overwhelming.
XO,
