LBL Networking – Lyme & Axminster

Lyme Bay Ladies: Unleashing the Power of Social Media Marketing

Last Wednesday 10^th May, the Lyme Bay Ladies gathered at the lovely Ria’s Space in Axminster for a memorable morning of inspiration, networking, and fun.

Ria’s Space provided the perfect setting for the Lyme Bay Ladies to come together, drink coffee and share ideas. As we mingled and exchanged warm greetings, the scent of delicious candles filled the air.

I was honored to be asked to speak about “Social Media Marketing for Business,” shedding light on the immense potential of digital platforms to empower entrepreneurs and connect businesses with their target audiences.

During the talk, I emphasized the importance of establishing a robust online presence and leveraging various social media platforms to engage with customers and drive business growth.

Here’s a reminder of some of the tips and strategies I shared…

Lead with value! Social media is not about selling! It’s about giving value, connecting, making friends and helping people. Value is about giving the audience a reason to follow you and can be in the form of education, inspiration or entertainment. Think of your social media as giant networking event not a giant billboard!
Show your Face! You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be you. Be authentic not perfect. When you show up as you, warts and all, you give others permission to be imperfectly perfect too. SO BE VISIBLE!
Be consistent! – Consistency trumps skill every time. You could be the best in the world at what you do but if no one knows you exist it’s worthless. By being consistent in your content strategy you remain front of mind. If you find this difficult try implementing a “Power Hour” each day where you ban all other distractions and focus on creating your marketing content.
Have a strategy – batch and plan. Don’t just have a scattergun approach to your marketing. Plan your posts out over a week and use a scheduling platform to plan out your posts in advance.
Identify your ideal customer and talk to them! Hang out where they hang out. Keep your ideal client avatar in mind at all times when creating content. Join groups and platforms where they hang out, give value and connect!
Use a good Hook! Grab Attention! Your content title is everything. Make it punchy and attention grabbing. Make the viewer curious to watch/read on.
Use Stories – facts tell, stories sell.
ALWAYS include a CTA (Call To Action) – At the end of each post SPELL OUT exactly what you want the viewer to do next. This could be asking them to click through to your website, or as simple as “follow for more” or “let me know in the comments”.
It doesn’t have to be pretty!! – just get it out there. The prettiest posts are not necessarily the best performing. Branded graphics have their place, but don’t get obsessed with spending hours crafting the perfect post (particularly if you’re using it as an excuse not to post at all!). Some of my best performing posts have been simple, short captions. Don’t get obsessed with it looking perfect. Focus on encouraging interaction.
Use Hashtags – Hashtags are little bits of text that we add to the end of captions on posts. They start with a “#” sign and tell the platform what the post is about and who it’s for. Users can also search for specific hashtags to help them find content on a given subject. When creating hashtags make them relevant to your content, but also try and think about what your target audience might search for.
SEO your content!! Create content that answers people’s questions and you’ll generate more viewers of your content. Check out the website answerthepeople.com. This will tell you EXACTLY what people are searching for on the internet, right now, in your industry sector. Create content (YouTube videos, TikToks, Reels, blog posts etc…) that answers those specific questions, and you’re more likely to get found and followed. It’s also a fantastic way to come up with new content ideas!

The coffee morning was not only an opportunity to discuss social media though. It was also a chance for the Lyme Bay Ladies to connect and collaborate. Attendees shared their experiences, exchanged business cards, and explored potential collaborations. The warm and supportive environment fostered an atmosphere of growth and empowerment, enabling women to forge new relationships and expand their professional networks.

So, if you’re a woman in business in the local area, why not consider coming along to the next Lyme Bay Ladies event? Meetings are held monthly at venues in Bridport, Axminster and Exeter.

Becky

Woof! Social Media

We will be meeting at Ria’s on the second Thursday of (most) months in 2023. Our next meeting will be on the 13th July and you can book your ticket HERE