The 8 habits of highly effective social media consultants
We’re all searching for the holy grail, right? The way to enjoy the perfect work/life balance; the way to spend more time doing things you love rather than things you have to do; the way to cook the perfect frittata without burning the bottom. In our age of extreme efficiency and effectiveness we are all looking for the way to achieve our goals in the best possible way with the lightest of touches. Social media consultants are at the vanguard of such a quest – to find the way to deliver incredible digital marketing results for their clients in the most efficient way possible. The social media consultant is not only on a quest for efficiency, but also to achieve the most effective results for their clients. Let’s ride boldly forwards and discover how social media consultants can do that…
- Get your head in the game. The value of mindset is totally underrated by almost everyone in the world of consultancy. However it can be the difference between good and great if you are able to tune in to the powerful motivating force of your mind. Being equipped with a positive growth mindset is like having a super power because you know that anything is possible if you work hard for it. This is the habit of successful people the world over, and social media consultants are no exception. Think like a Boss to win like a Boss.
- Know the market. The fear of many consultants is being too specialised and therefore not appealing to a wide-enough range of clients. Ironically that specialisation is actually a key strength and should be nurtured and exploited fully. A great social media consultant knows their target market inside out and becomes the go-to consultant when brands are looking for advice in that area. So whether it’s legal advice in Dallas or equestrian services in South Buckinghamshire, know your niche and go deep into it.
- Form your strategy. Dominant empires and successful campaigns all have one thing in common, other than ruthless brutality – strategy. Knowing where you want to get to is the critical start point of any successful journey, so effective social media consultants plan in detail for themselves and for their clients. They understand the value of having a vision of the future and then identifying some objectives to help them achieve that vision. Strategy is not only the preserve of military commanders; it is every bit as applicable and valuable to the success of a consultancy.
- Play to your strengths. Whether it’s forming strategy, coming up with creative solutions, or servicing clients, effective social media consultants know and exploit their strengths. No one is expected to know and do everything, but it is one of the greatest misconceptions of new consultants. The fear of diluting your power by involving other experts is powerful, but also destructive. Smart consultants surround themselves with a great team, so every task gets done properly by the best person for the job. This frees up the social media consultant to concentrate on doing their thing, and smashing it.
- Generate leads. Without leads there are no customers, and that means no sales. The effective social media consultant knows they have to generate those leads through smart advertising and then nurturing those leads to turn them into sales. Structuring the sales funnels so that every lead is captured and exploited fully is an essential habit of the social media consultant, and it is so easy to do if using the right tools. There are many tools available to help consultants plan their sales funnels to be both effective and efficient.
- Attract traffic. Out there on ‘the information superhighway’ there is a shit-ton of traffic – people travelling around the net heading for whatever destination they desire. The effective social media consultant knows how to attract that traffic to their street through effective signposting, so before you know it there’s a steady stream of potential customers flowing in. More traffic means a greater chance of sales, and that is ultimately what the smart social media consultant is aiming for.
- Generate sales. Hey, sales are the purpose of marketing. Sales are what drove brands to invest over £100 billion in digital marketing in 2018. Focusing on generating sales is the ultimate habit of the social media consultant, and it’s why brands turn to consultants for advice and support. Effective social media consultants, who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to drive sales, are a huge asset in today’s digital marketing world.
- Look after your clients. Effective social media consultants know how to manage their clients, from interpreting what they need and want, to communicating clearly and giving and receiving timely feedback. Effective social media consultants recognise that clients are the lifeblood of their business, and treat them accordingly.
And finally, effective social media consultants have a fantastic habit of constantly learning. They realise that we never stop growing, and should never stop investing in ourselves. This is one of the core principles of the Social Media Mafia and we live by it. That’s why we’re so proud of our Academy, where we change lives and help effective social media consultants to grow. We just can’t quit – it’s become a habit…