So…you own your own business or have a side hustle.  What is one of your biggest problems?  Many entrepreneurs and solopreneurs that I have talked to say that they struggle with trying to do it all.  They are trying to run their business, meet with clients, manage marketing, produce their product, keep up with bookkeeping, endless emails and voicemails and on and on and on.

One of the main things that goes to the wayside is their social media.  It is just one more thing on your already full plate.  It feels like you are stuffed from Thanksgiving dinner and you look down and your plate has been magically refilled and you are expected to eat it all again, right!?

Social media is one of those necessary evils.  It is a way to connect with your customers and clients for FREE.  Never before has marketing been so cheap.  However, it comes at the cost of your time and sanity!  If you know how to harness it, it can be very powerful….but often times it goes by the wayside because it is just one more thing on your already full Thanksgiving plate.

Why is it important?  3 BILLION people are using Social Media!  Think of how many potential customers/clients from all over the world you can reach within that 3 billion.  If you are active on Social Media it gives awareness to your brand/product/company and allows you to connect with current and future customers.  It is said that customers need to have 7 “touch points” with a company or brand before they will think about buying a product.  Not only that, if people are following you on Social Media, they see you and begin to trust you and start to feel like they “need” your product or service because your product/service is thriving and active.  So if you aren’t active on Social Media, it is time to get started!!  Feeling overwhelmed yet?

So now you have opened an Instagram Account (the most thriving Social Media for businesses in 2019 with over 1 billion daily users) and a Facebook page.  Here comes the hard part.  What do you post?

Have no fear.  I am here to help!  Here are 5 ways to create content for your Social Media Accounts.

1.  YOU!  If you are the face of your company (entrepreneurs and solopreneurs) you need to show your face on the account.  Hire a branding photographer.  In one hour session they will give you a variety of images that you can post for months!  Don’t have the budget for a photographer?  That is okay!  Go out on your front porch where the lighting is great, and have your spouse, mom, neighbor or passerby take a few photos of you with your phone.  Or, in a pinch, use a selfie stick and take a few photos. 
2. Your Products. Take pictures of and show off your products.  If you need help taking basic photos, see THIS POST from last week.  Show people using your product or show your product in a scene with other everyday items.  For example, if you sell makeup, show your brushes and makeup on a white counter or table.  If you sell t-shirts, find someone to model your shirt and take a picture of them in front of a colorful wall.  Candid, fun shots go a long way so don’t be afraid to use your phone to take the pictures.  Just remember to look for good light and don’t make the background too cluttered.  Take a bunch of pictures all at the same time and then you have content for weeks or even months.  Again, if you are intimidated, find a local photographer who can take pictures of your products!
3. Quotes.  There are tons of good quotes out there.  Just make sure that you are not violating copyright if you use photos you randomly find on the internet.  If you want to make your quote fit your brand (and make sure you won’t get sued), then use Canva.  You can create a quote on a white (or using your brand colors) in a matter of minutes.  If you are smart then you can make a bunch of quotes all at the same time and use them for months.  I did this a few weeks ago and I made 25 quotes in less than an hour.  Now I have quotes (like the one below) for my social media content through the rest of the year.  And even better….Canva is FREE!
4. Collaborate!  Find other businesses or entrepreneurs that are selling similar things and see if they want to collaborate.  Share what you are doing and work together.  Get inspiration from each other and see what they are doing that is working well.  As the saying goes…..a rising tide lifts all boats.
5. Stock Photos.  This is where you need to be REALLY careful.  Make sure that you are PAYING (not stealing from the internet) for the stock photos, or that you are getting them from a royalty free site.  Don’t just randomly grab stuff from the internet and post it without paying or giving photo credit.  You don’t want to steal from a fellow business owner!!

If you are really wanting to up your game, but don’t have the time to do so, let me help you out!  My new monthly subscription called Stock Talk sends you 20+ photos AND captions to help engage your followers and take the work out of Social Media.  If you don’t want to use my photos, I give you ideas of photos ideas to fit the captions and your brand.  I also include tips and tricks on different topics related to Social Media and a calendar of celebration dates to help inspire you on what/when to post.  All for only $25!  Pretty small price to pay to take a big chunk off of your plate.  There is no obligation, so try it out today and see if it works for you!  Beats hiring an expensive marketing person.  Send me an email at lisa@photolilo.com and I will send you a coupon code for 50% off your first month!

How can I help you?  Do you have more questions about this?  I realize we are just scratching the surface so stay tuned next week where I will help you with scheduling your content.