Wyoming Business Tips for Sept. 6

A weekly look at Wyoming business questions from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (WSBDC), part of WyomingEntrepreneur.Biz, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Christina Sanchez Hebert, guest columnist, Send It! Communications LLC

“How do I find time to manage my business Facebook page? Where am I supposed to find the time?” Cynthia, Torrington

This is the No. 1 question I get at the end of any class or even casual conversation about social media.

When I talk about how important social media is for brand recognition and customer interaction, I see heads nod all around -- either everyone thinks I’m right, or they’re trying to stay awake. For the sake of my ego, we’ll say I’m an amazing speaker and everyone agrees with me on social media’s importance to a business. If everyone knows it’s so important, why is it difficult to find the time?

Usually, it’s because it isn’t essential to daily operations. Interacting with in-person customers, invoicing, etc., can fill up the entire day and, by the time you think about your Facebook page, it’s late at night when you fall into bed.

If “I’ll do it first thing tomorrow” becomes routine, before you know it, it’s been three weeks since you shared an update.

Believe it or not, your life is filled with great things to post on Facebook, particularly if you run a community-based business. Are you choosing new inventory? Snap a quick photo of your choices and use it as a “sneak peek.” Sponsoring an event? Get a digital copy of the flier/invitation and post it -- not only is it content, but it helps promote the event in which you have invested.

If you’re snapping photos of your tasks, what do you do with them? Facebook offers a free post scheduling option. If one day you take 10 photos, schedule those photos to appear on days when you’ll be doing less interesting things, such as bookkeeping.

Now, you have things automatically posting, so you don’t have to worry about it each day. Your employees can get involved, too. They know what your customers find interesting -- new displays, staff favorites, etc. Taking a class? Let your clients know you’re staying up to date on industry trends with a quick photo.

Facebook is all about brand recognition. Don’t assume that your posts have to be entirely relevant to your main line of business; instead, make them relevant to your customer base. After all, at the end of the day, your customer chooses you and your brand over your competitors for a reason. Embrace that reason and run with it.

A blog version of this article and an opportunity to post comments are available at http://wyen.biz/blog1/.

The WSBDC is a partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY, 82071-3922.