(Small Business Superstar) How to get clients by being social!

This week’s Small Business Superstar is Rebecca from Think Social, Be Social.

A little bit about Rebecca’s amazing business…

Think Social, Be Social offers social media management, and consultancy. Rebecca helps small businesses to promote their business on social media and manages their social media for them too.

What one marketing thing made a difference to their business? Being social! Being supportive, active in the communities/groups, inspiring and sharing. Ask questions, like people’s posts, share things to your stories. If you were at a party, you wouldn’t just talk about yourself.What difference did it make to them and their business? 

Rebecca has never really had to promote her business/services because everyone knows her for doing social media and this has also meant she has regular clients who have been with her from the very start.

Where you can find Rebecca

Website: www.thinksocialbesocial.com

Facebook: @thinkSOCIALbeSOCIAL

Instagram: @thinksocialbesocial

 

Transcript below

 

Hello, and a very warm welcome to this week's episode of the podcast. Well, the second podcast episode this week. So welcome to the Thursday episode. Now we've done one of these forte. So you might be getting used to the format. But let me just explain again, what's going to be happening. So every Thursday I am going to be interviewing an amazing small business superstar who has done something brilliant in their business that we can all look at and we can go, "You know what?

 

I can try that too." And what I've asked them to do is pick one thing that they're good at. Oh, one thing that they did, that was really good. And what kind of results they got. So hopefully you can either give it a go or just think that's cool and it might give you some ideas. So on this week's episode, we have the very lovely Rebecca from think social, be social. Rebecca, welcome to the podcast.

 

Rebecca: Thank you so excited to be here. I listen to your podcast every week. So excited to be on it. It's amazing.

 

Teresa: That is awesome. And do you know what that's like? This is one of the reasons I'm loving this Thursday things so much, is I love the fact that I get the opportunity to bring on, like, you know, you don't need to be the size of Michael Hyatt.

 

You don't need to be the important Bills as well, because as people know the reason why I did this is because we need real marketing by real people so that we can do the same. So, Rebecca, do you want to explain to my audience how you got to do the thing you're doing and what it is you do?

 

Rebecca: Uh, so I had a, another business, uh, children's sports coaching business, which we're still continuing until COVID. Um, and then now I have to stop stopped that. But while I was doing that business, the thing that I really enjoyed was marketing and being on Facebook and, um, people would come to other businesses would come to me and say, "Well, how do I do that? how do I check in here? How do I tag that person?", and, um, and then one day somebody said, "Why aren't you doing this as a job?"

 

And that was my light bulb moment of, Oh my goodness. I could do what I love and get paid for it. Um, and so I immediately started my business thing that almost immediately think social, be social. Um, and here I am now.

 

Teresa: Awesome. So you do social media management for other...

This week’s Small Business Superstar is Rebecca from Think Social, Be Social.

A little bit about Rebecca’s amazing business…

Think Social, Be Social offers social media management, and consultancy. Rebecca helps small businesses to promote their business on social media and manages their social media for them too.

What one marketing thing made a difference to their business? Being social! Being supportive, active in the communities/groups, inspiring and sharing. Ask questions, like people’s posts, share things to your stories. If you were at a party, you wouldn’t just talk about yourself.What difference did it make to them and their business? 

Rebecca has never really had to promote her business/services because everyone knows her for doing social media and this has also meant she has regular clients who have been with her from the very start.

Where you can find Rebecca

Website: www.thinksocialbesocial.com

Facebook: @thinkSOCIALbeSOCIAL

Instagram: @thinksocialbesocial

 

Transcript below

 

Hello, and a very warm welcome to this week's episode of the podcast. Well, the second podcast episode this week. So welcome to the Thursday episode. Now we've done one of these forte. So you might be getting used to the format. But let me just explain again, what's going to be happening. So every Thursday I am going to be interviewing an amazing small business superstar who has done something brilliant in their business that we can all look at and we can go, "You know what?

 

I can try that too." And what I've asked them to do is pick one thing that they're good at. Oh, one thing that they did, that was really good. And what kind of results they got. So hopefully you can either give it a go or just think that's cool and it might give you some ideas. So on this week's episode, we have the very lovely Rebecca from think social, be social. Rebecca, welcome to the podcast.

 

Rebecca: Thank you so excited to be here. I listen to your podcast every week. So excited to be on it. It's amazing.

 

Teresa: That is awesome. And do you know what that's like? This is one of the reasons I'm loving this Thursday things so much, is I love the fact that I get the opportunity to bring on, like, you know, you don't need to be the size of Michael Hyatt.

 

You don't need to be the important Bills as well, because as people know the reason why I did this is because we need real marketing by real people so that we can do the same. So, Rebecca, do you want to explain to my audience how you got to do the thing you're doing and what it is you do?

 

Rebecca: Uh, so I had a, another business, uh, children's sports coaching business, which we're still continuing until COVID. Um, and then now I have to stop stopped that. But while I was doing that business, the thing that I really enjoyed was marketing and being on Facebook and, um, people would come to other businesses would come to me and say, "Well, how do I do that? how do I check in here? How do I tag that person?", and, um, and then one day somebody said, "Why aren't you doing this as a job?"

 

And that was my light bulb moment of, Oh my goodness. I could do what I love and get paid for it. Um, and so I immediately started my business thing that almost immediately think social, be social. Um, and here I am now.

 

Teresa: Awesome. So you do social media management for other people?

 

Rebecca: Yes. So it starts off as, um, consultancy that I, again, I teach other small businesses how to be using social media for their business.

 

And then I had several people say, "Actually just do it for me. "So then it became management. And I've got six regular clients, I think have been with me from the, almost the beginning. Um, I do their social media for them every month, but I still love the teaching and the consultancy. And I've just brought in a power hour so that I can still help people as well.

 

Teresa: That's so cool. And I think the other thing that's cool about this is one thing I want people to hear as we're having this discussion is that Rebecca is doing it because she loves it. So like, if you're sat there going, "But I flip and hate the session, you get a bit of my business." That's all right. Like you don't have to love every single thing you do. But obviously you couldn't do the job you do, unless you absolutely love doing it because I have been there and done that and have the hats and it's hard work. Isn't it managing social media for other people?

 

Rebecca: It is. Yeah, because also it changes so much every day. We wake up to new news of what's happening in social media. And if that isn't your thing, then you can't keep up with all of those changes. You know, you're focusing on your business, what you're really good at, and you can't be listening. Like I am all the time listening and learning and researching everything so that I can try and break it down and let other people know in bite-size chunks, how they can put it in their business.

 

Teresa: Yeah. And funnily enough, we were just having a very quick chat before we got on here about the fact of, with some of this, uh, some of the things that you can do in the platforms you need to physically do it yourself. I never understood the social media people who never managed social media for other people. Or never did like I saw it. I had a rant on Instagram the other day about, uh, there was an agency that's not many miles away from where I live and they had put on their Instagram, "Hey, we do social media training" and their own social media was appalling. And it's like, in order to be good at this stuff. And we were just talking about reels because Rebecca's really good at reels.

 

Um, and I don't do them as we speak and that might have to change. Um, but like she's got to physically create reels in order to know how to teach someone else to do it. I mean.

 

Rebecca: Yeah, exactly. Everything that comes out, I'm straight on that. Um, and, and like, you know, do it until you break it sort of thing.

 

What, what, how do you do this and learn by mistakes. I did a whole reel and then delete to do so now I know what not to do with things like that. And they are the guides that they brought out, try and create different types of guide so that again, I can show my clients how they would then put that into their business.

 

Teresa: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And also as well, which is a bit like we're trying to do with these episodes is, you do it, did it work? What did you get from it? Was it worth the effort? And then you can give a educated sort of response to your clients and go, well, "actually I got this. If you're looking for more of this and great.

 

If you want it to do this, then it might not do that." So at least you can give them a good kind of understanding as to what they can achieve if they do it.

 

Rebecca: Exactly. And what much is their personality as well? If they're really good on video or want to learn video? Then they can be there if they're actually much prefer writing then diary is going to be really good for them. If they're quite happy to do snapshot, little bits and pieces and reels, it's going to be good. They don't have to do all of that, but at least be aware of what opportunities there are.

 

Teresa: Yes. Such a good point. Okay. So what was your one thing and your business that you've done from a marketing point of view that you think has really helped you.

 

Rebecca: Without the doubt is being social. Well, no, it's not a surprise. Uh, so many people do not do that. You have to be supportive and in the communities, if you're in networks and groups, you have to be an active member, um, you know, answering people's questions, supporting, inspiring, sharing, um, and, and just being social,

 

Teresa: Yeah. And so. In all honesty. I am like, I'm terrible when it comes to doing a, uh, like if I'm in a group I'm not great at groups, if it's my group, it's fine. But if I'm someone else's group, I'm not great at getting involved and having these conversations. So is there a specific structured things that you would do in order to be social?

 

If it wasn't natural or you were nervous of it or you were fearful or you didn't want to irritate people. What sort of things would you do or how would you suggest someone else is more social?

 

Rebecca: Um, so an easy way to do it is when somebody has written something, try and reply with a question.

 

Teresa: Okay.

 

Rebecca: So spent how much time you've got, even if the one who's spending all your time doing this, but trying to take out some time in your day where you're just interacting, engaging.

 

So liking posts, sharing to your stories. If you think your followers would be interested, as I said, if they make a comment, if it's on your stuff or, or in a group you're in try and respond with something. That's interesting. So. You know, because that's like an assistant notice you and say, "Who's this person?" um, look in and hopefully follow you and see what you're doing and share your stuff and be around interacted with your thing.

 

But we all know that that one person that is always talking about themselves, they're never interacted. They're never in the group unless they're promoting and talking about themselves. Um, and it just doesn't work anymore. You're better. Like with my business. I've always been that social helpful person because I like helping people.

 

Um, and I've never really ever had to advertise my business. Um, because people just know I do social media and if they need social media help, they come to me or somebody will refer me.

 

Teresa: Yeah, absolutely. Like the other thing as well, when you're doing the more group thing. And in the social media world, there are lots of groups. But in any world, actually.

 

So no matter who, what industry you're in, as you're listening to this, like the group thing and helping and being social in the groups is really, I think, and I know you are very good in our group, in, in the Academy group. Is that a lot of the success as well? Do you think, do you think groups are part of your strategy with that?

 

Rebecca: Um, I think groups help in so many different ways. Yes. You've got a sort of little team of people who are each cheering each other on and supporting and inspiring, but also as a small business, it's, it's quite lonely just being yourself. If there's only you to talk to. So to have a group where you can share ideas and it's a safe space, um, to be talking about, um, things that have worked, haven't worked.

 

Um, advice that you need and, and you know, if you're at a party, you don't want to just be talking about yourself all the time. You want to be engaging within the people and you want to feel like you've come away and you've helped somebody or inspired somebody or supported somebody.

 

Teresa: Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

 

And I think what you just said, there was a really good point. If you're a party, you wouldn't just go and speak about yourself. And for me, that's what we have to remember about social media is that it's social. It's a, it's a social interaction. It's a conversation it's not about just shouting at the world.

 

Okay. So hi, you, do you make this happen? Do you set an amount of time in the day? Do you have certain tasks that you do. Because I know what some people are going to be thinking is I'm going to get on and I'm going to be social. And I'm literally spend all this time just having conversations with people.

 

And as if social media isn't time-sucking enough, uh, this is going to do it a bit more. So how, how do you structure that?

 

Rebecca: So here's I think don't have a particular strategy that I'm following. But what I like to do is be obviously in the groups that are going to be useful to me work-wise and supportive, emotionally supportive as well.

 

Um, and anything that is, is it's, um, either not making me happy or feeling a bit spammy. Uh, just get rid of the group and leaves the group. Um, and again, the same with your newsfeed, that people are coming into a newsfeed. You can pay him to that. You can be following people, unfollowing people, hyping, snoozing.

 

You know, if you click those three dots, there's lots of different actions you can have. So then, you know, the people that are in front of you are your, in the kind of people or people that you want to attract to your business. And so what I'd love to do is if I'm posting, I'll then spend 5,10 minutes after I've posted, just going through my newsfeed liking, like I said, sharing to my stories.

 

If something really amuses me or I think it's going to be good for my audience. And just yet build that interaction into the time that I spend posting or the beginning of the day and the end of the day, then I'll do that. And I'll focus on just going online to have a look and see what else everybody else is doing.

 

And at the end of the day, and then the middle of the day is kind of my work time.

 

Teresa: Yeah. Yeah.

 

And I think as well, the conversation and the comments and the, I remember Chelsea Pouts, uh, once said something like on Instagram you find yourself doing like a swipe by liking where it's just like, like, like, like, like, and, and therefore you need that more conversation and comments and, and like I said, sharing onto your stories and that I have to admit on some platforms I don't share at all. So Facebook, you won't see me very often share something to my feed, to my personal and work one I'll share works, obviously, just cause that's not how I use it.

 

Twitter I'll happily retweet anything. Um, and again, on, on stories and Instagram posts, I will share certain things. But like you said it, that interaction is so, so good. Okay. So and...

 

Rebecca: And from that point about sharing the stories, make sure you always tagged that person as well. Make sure that they know you've mentioned them in your story, whether it's a post or their story, we can't share their story in a short tag, but a post you can share and tag them and then, you know, say something as well in there about why you're sharing it.

 

And hopefully they will share it back to them again. And then their audience has seen you. And then you've just got eyeballs from a whole another group of people.

 

Teresa: Yeah. And that's again, other than the being nice and having conversations, being social, that's the other thing, your, your name, your profile, your business is being seen in various other places.

 

And as everyone knows, if they've listened this product as well, I'm a big advocate of sharing anything that anybody tags you in because they're essentially doing your advertising job for you. So what kind of results have you seen then from doing this kind of proactive social side of social media?

 

Rebecca: I get a lot of people say, well, you're everywhere.

 

Teresa: That's nice.

 

Rebecca: And I'm not everywhere, but here's like every, because I'm not one of those, um, lurkers, I try and make sure that my face is out there or my name's out there.

 

I've just changed on my emoji to have pink hair like I have now. Um, so that when they see my, my emoji, they sort of relate back to me again as well. Yeah. Um, and then, like I said, But I've never really had advertise my business because everything's referral word of mouth and my clients stay with me for a long time.

 

Teresa: And you satisfied in our discussion in the notes. And we were, when we looked at this, was that people often then tag you in. So like when someone asks a question or when someone asks for someone's advice or does anybody know anybody can do this, then that's when people kind of go in a group or on social media, because this is such a good point as well, because we are posting this up, but we need to remember that there are lots of different people watching. And although the person that you're interacting with may not be your perfect customer, someone else they follow might say, who do you know that does this? And then, there we go.

 

Rebecca: Exactly.

 

And a lots of people get that wrong in networking groups as well. They go to the networking groups thinking they're selling the people in that group, but you're not. If they happened to use you, then obviously that's brilliant. But what you're trying to do is tell those 30 people you exist so that each of those 30 people, if they come across someone that needs social media help, they're gonna suggest you.

 

Teresa: And it's exactly the same as socializing exactly saying. That is awesome. Thank you so very much. Rebecca how can people come and find you and support you and follow you and what your stuff where is best to come and find you?

 

Rebecca: As I said, I am everywhere. So whatever your platform of choice, you will find me there as think social, be social or Rebecca Ward, but Instagram is my fave. I ended up going back to every single day I'm on Instagram. And that's also where I'm putting stories, tips, reels tips. I've written a guide for how to create reels and to be social. Um, and then over on my website thinks thinksocialbesocial.com.

 

I've written blogs about reels and guide. So if you want to just understand a bit more about how to use them, and they're real quick blogs with images as well, because I'm not aware.

 

Teresa: That's wonderful. That is amazing. Thank you so much for joining me today and sharing your amazing tips with my audience.

 

That's cool.

 

Rebecca: Thank you Teresa.

 

Teresa: No worries. Okay. So if you enjoyed today's episode, then please do go check Rebecca out. We're going to hook up to everything in her show now in our show notes, sorry. Uh, where you can go and click and go and have a look at her stuff. And obviously this is new, what we're doing. So let's show everyone lots love.

 

If you can share this, if you can go in like a post or do whatever you can, that would be so good to know that you guys are really enjoying these new types of episodes. Okay....