Is it crazy to say 2020 was a challenge both personally and professionally?

With all the forced business closures this year many people, unfortunately, lost their businesses altogether. Yet, other businesses survived and even thrived.

But, why?

Many of the businesses that thrived already had an online component in place, while the ones that survived were able to adapt quickly, adding an online strategy to their business. And if you’re like most business owners you found yourself in one of these two buckets.

So, if you’re one of the lucky hard-working entrepreneurs who still has a business you might be wondering how to hold onto what you have now and even grow it in 2021.

The answer, although it may seem counterintuitive, is to focus on the basics. And that’s what I want to share with you in this article.

In fact, by the end of this article, you’ll know the basic concepts needed to attract even more of the right people to your business in 2021 and beyond.

MARKETING IN 2021

The successful marketer in 2021, I believe, will emphasize nurturing content that focuses on educating their prospects. Not trying to hard-sell people on your products or services. The successful marketer in 2021 will use social media for its intended purpose, to be social.

They will create the 4 different types of content: audio, graphic, video, and written. And they will distribute that content across a variety of social media channels.

The successful marketer will give away items that could be sold, sometimes for hundreds of dollars. They’ll give these items away for free in order to start a value-based relationship with prospects.

This will be done by following the basic idea of attracting attention, answering questions, collecting information, and following up with more relevant content.

How will the successful marketer be doing this?

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Messenger, WhatsApp, etc. These are all resources that we as business owners and marketers get the opportunity to use FOR FREE in order to spread the word about who we help and how we do it.

You have the ability to produce and post appropriate content for your preferred channel. Content that speaks to the concerns, desires, problems, and or wants of the people you’re most qualified to help.

If any of this makes you feel even the slightest bit overwhelmed don’t worry, you’re not alone.

The rapid changes of the social media landscape can be challenging for even the most seasoned veteran. But, I want you to keep your eye on the prize, which if you’re like most entrepreneurs and business owners is helping people improve their lives and earning a good living in the process.

The constant changing of strategies and technologies on the internet will always be part of this journey. That’s one of the reasons my team and I have created the AGM Ninja Lab. It contains hundreds of skill lessons and weekly live video training sessions to keep your skills fresh and up to date.

With that said let me give you a few ideas to get you started with your social media marketing.

✓ Set up your Facebook business page the right way.

There are at least 13 parts of your business’ Facebook page to set up when I last checked. Luckily when you’re performing your page’s set up Facebook has made it pretty easy to hit all those parts.

✓ Post.

You’d be surprised how many people need to be reminded that they need to make regular posts on their Facebook page for it to be useful.

I suggest posting daily, but if that seems to be a little much for now at least post three times a week. Whether you choose daily posts or just a few times a week, plan to do it at the same time each day. That way your followers will begin to realize they can rely on you.

✓ Comment on other people’s post.

You’re looking for engagement on your posts and so are other people.

So, the more you can interact with other pages as your business the more exposure you’ll start to gain. And as long as you’re commenting with helpful, honest, and interesting content people will take notice. They’ll begin wondering who you are and what you’re about. That leads them back to your Facebook business page.

CONTENT MARKETING

This is a topic that I’ve encouraged for several years now and it will be the backbone of your social media marketing.

Think about it, you’ve got to have material or ‘content’ to put into all of those social media posts we talked about in the last section, right?

I’ve actually got plenty of custom training about content marketing inside the Ninja Lab’s online training. It’s called Content & Branding Essentials.

But, let me give you a brief overview here.

A basic concept of content marketing that I teach is the four types of content.

The four types of content are:

• Written
• Audio
• Graphic
• Video

I highly recommend that you create content from all four categories. Although, I understand that depending on where you are in your own journey you may not be comfortable with some of these forms of content.

That’s okay, start with the ones you are comfortable with and then branch out or hire someone to help you produce the content that you’re not comfortable with.

Right now, you might be thinking, “What do I talk about in this content?” or “Where do I get the information to put in my content?”, right?

Well, you’re in luck!

There is no shortage of questions that people have. And by connecting those questions to what your business does it gives you nearly limitless content and it helps to attract the right people (your ideal audience) toward your business.

Two of my favorite resources are AnswerThePublic.com and ContentIdeaGenerator.com.

LEAD MAGNETS

Lead magnets are kind of like extensions of the content we just talked about and they can become the cornerstones to attracting your ideal audience and growing your business online.

Because even if someone has been following your social media content for a while and feels like you have useful information, that doesn’t mean their life has improved yet.

The lead magnet is often the first time that person realizes your ability to truly help them. Why? Because the lead magnet, although similar to the content, goes deeper into a specific subject. It focuses on one issue and one solution.

This is also the moment you know the person is beginning to trust you. This is the first ‘conversion’ or ‘purchase’ that person is making with you. Even if there is no money involved.

Confused on how there can be a ‘purchase’ without money?

The payment for most lead magnets is simply information, but very valuable information.

The person is paying you with his or her name, email, and maybe even phone number. And if you’ve set up your disclaimers and expectations correctly, that person knows you will be following up with them using that information.

Then the ideal next step for your new prospect is moving from FREE lead magnets into a paid products or services.

Ones that help to solve either the same problem faster and more efficiently or offer solutions to the next logical situation the person will face.

This leads us to…

EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE

This should seem like a no-brainer but I’m going to say it anyway.

Regardless of how many people you attract to your business, you’ll only grow if you can keep those people.

Makes sense, right?

So, how do you keep people?

By being awesome at what you do. By serving people and providing them an excellent experience when doing business with you.

Will you keep everyone that does business with your company coming back for more long-term?

Nope.

But, if you’re doing everything right – providing value, giving results, educating your customer – it tells us more about them than you.

This goes back to the concept that “not everyone is your customer”.

No matter how much you believe your product or service can help everyone, I’ll tell you right now, not everyone will be interested. That’s just the way it is.

This is also why deciding who you help and how you help them is vital to the growth and well-being of your business going forward.

When you know exactly who you’re talking to with your content and in that content, you’re talking about issues that are important to those specific people it’s kind of like building a super-vacuum that only sucks up your ideal prospects and then drops them into your business.

Then it’s up to you to do what you do best.

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To get even more training on social media marketing, content creation, and building your business online check out the AGM Ninja Lab.

Inside it you’ll find instant access to skill-based lessons that can help you get the exact results you want for your business, when you want them.

You find options for individual skills or you can choose to fully-commit to growing your business with all the individual skills plus live weekly video training to polish your skills and up to date on the ever-changing social media marketing landscape.

How are you going to start your 2021?