There is no single universal formula for success. With the amount of information spreading around our world today, it’s safe to say we have multiple effective ways to let our businesses take flight. They could go on and on about sales funnels, perhaps having multiple income streams to double your targets, or it could be about this highly converting ad that promises you get-rich-quick sales once you use their award-winning templates. And while everything is indeed valid, it’s up to us as creative entrepreneurs to choose which strategy or schemes to use.
I’ve been in your shoes. 8 years, that’s how long I have been in the business of counting followers as indicators for success. To be honest, it can be quite daunting. One day the numbers are up, the next day they’re not. The process was filled with trial-and-errors, moving from one tactic to the next just to see which one sticks. Before it was all about the numbers that the whole essence of the brand is lost in translation.
Don’t be deceived by the “K.” I’ve handled a lot of social media accounts in my day. Amongst my favorites are brands that started from nothing and see them skyrocket after 3 months. There are those brands, however, which already have an impressive following with a dashing ‘K’ attached by the end of their following count. These “K” brands, as I would like to call them, can be quite a challenge to handle, since most of the time, we’re not sure if they have an organic following compared to those we’ve helped sprout from nothing. Some “K” brands will have 30,000 in following but get no engagement at all. This is the time you restrategize because apart from an impatient client waiting on the other line, you try to figure out why these tried and tested content plans didn’t work.
Not all accounts are the same. An industry scan is integral to my process. Not only will data give you the boost of confidence you needed, but it will also shed some light on what type of audience you’re talking to. Just like people, not all brands are the same. What worked for them, might not work for you. That’s why it’s important to get to know who your Brand Champion is.
Check your engagement rate. Ever heard of your Profile Health? Just like human beings, our profiles have to be healthy. Usually, it’s measured by the engagement rate. According to Digital Marketing Community, a good engagement rate is between 1-3% depending on the industry you’re in. That’s a usually good gauge to know if you’re hitting the target. Because if you do have a massive following but have no engagement and conversions, this is the perfect indicator to rethink your campaign.
Followers don’t equate to dollars. This is why I quit looking at the numbers and began focusing more on the engagements I’m getting. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves just to hit our desired following but we’re forgetting the very purpose why we established our businesses. Some time in the middle of our campaign we begin to wonder why it’s not translating, why prospects aren’t converting into customers. That’s because the number of the following doesn’t matter. It’s all about your relationship with your consumers that counts.
Quality over Quantity always. The time I stopped looking at the number of followers is the time I began to enjoy the essence of being an entrepreneur. By counting the number of shares, saves, and sends we’re getting per post, we get to understand what our audience values. Of course, it doesn’t just end there. We also take time to engage in a genuine conversation with them and try to bring them into the overall business process from ideation to execution. Shifting our process into a consumer-centric one made us realize that even if you have 250 followers when 200 of those began advocating your brand, that’s all you need to thrive. All you have to do is to satisfy them with your good customer relations and quality goods and services that you offer.
So… this is why I became a better entrepreneur when I began aiming for meaningful results… everything suddenly had a purpose and everything became so effortless. Well, isn’t that the reason why we became entrepreneurs in the first place?
Sharmaine is The SHEeo of the modern salon and club of Women Entrepreneurs called The SHEeo Society. At 25, she already has conquered the business world by putting her strong authentic feminine suit at the fore. She now has four successful businesses; Atelier Soigne, Filloneah Label, Vagabonds Artisan Comfort Food, and The SHEeo Society. Follow her on Instagram and website.
