By now, you’ve probably realized that there is a lot more to leveraging social media to help market your spa or massage practice than the occasional tweet or Facebook posting. Successful social media marketing requires a commitment of time and talent. There are “tweets” that circle the globe in an instant and others that don’t even garner a retweet or reply. While you may not be aiming for global recognition, you definitely want to engage with your followers, so it may be time to revisit your social media strategy to ensure that you are not making some of the most fatal of mistakes, which include:
Lack a plan: It’s not difficult to open an account on one of the many social channels and dive in. However, in the absence of a plan to achieve your marketing goals, you may not maximize the opportunity social networking affords. As an example, in addition to attracting new clients by showcasing your expertise, you may want to interest current clients in additional services. One way would be to highlight seasonal wraps and scrubs to complement a full body massage. Plan your social strategy for at least three to six months out, and don’t forget to identify holidays where you can promote services, specials on treatments or the introduction of new retail products.
Fail to engage: Social media is about engaging. Posting only occasionally on social channels defeats the opportunity to have a conversation with clients to learn about their likes and needs. Successful social media interaction involves posing questions and asking for input, offering advice and pointing to trends. Also if a follower asks a question, make sure to answer it. Some questions may require an answer through messaging, but regardless make sure issues raised are addressed.
Post inconsistently: People will come to depend on your posts. If you fail to post consistently, you’ll lose mindshare. As part of your planning, make sure to include a schedule. While recommendations for frequency of posting vary, check out these tips from an Infographic on “How Often to Post on Social Media.”
Sell too much: Social media marketing should not be about selling all the time. While you want to talk about services and products and highlight specials, the main purpose of your effort should be to inform, educate, enlighten and even delight clients and prospects. The type of content you post should attract people to your spa or massage practice. You can include links in your posts to bring people to your website where they can find more information and if you provide ecommerce or online registration, they can order products or sign up for a session.
Unwilling to change course: Social media marketing provides instant feedback. If your posts or comments fail to engage, then it’s time to rethink your strategy. Also the times change. Today’s news about a type of massage or a product ingredient impact change clients’ thinking. Some development in the market may require a lot of commentary that wasn’t in your original plan.
Like any marketing effort, there will be trial and error with social media marketing. The key is to stay on top of your social channels, look for feedback to see what is liked and shared and what elicits commentary. Let that feedback help to guide your efforts.