Monetizing Your Passion Through Social Media

Social media provides us with an outlet to literally reach millions of people around the world. Gone are the days when local newspapers delivered to a few hundred people and radio advertisements reached a few thousand listeners. With social media, we can share our voice with the world.

The ability we have to monetize our passions is not only possible, but simple with effective social media strategies. I learned this principle a few years ago, and it has completely changed my life.

My husband and I have always agreed that if it was possible, I would stay home with our children instead of working away from home. I am grateful he provides more than enough for our family to live comfortably.

In January 2018, I stepped away from my middle school classroom so I could stay home with our newborn daughter. This was the first time in my adult life that I had not had a full time job. It was a strange feeling. After a couple months, I started getting restless. I wanted to find something I could engage in while still staying home—something I have always wanted to do.

At that time, my stepdad asked if I wanted to run his business’ social media accounts. An owner of a local plumbing company, he had zero experience with social media. I was glad to help out. I spent months researching, listening to experts, reading books and testing strategies.

It only took a couple of months for me to fall in love with the world of social media marketing. I had an opportunity to do something I loved for work, while still doing what I loved at home. At the time, I had no idea that my passion for social media would grow into the thriving business I run today.

World-famous digital marketer Gary Vaynerchuk is known for his social media content strategies. His ability to be omnipresent across dozens of online platforms is why he is so well known in the marketing and business world today. After studying his work from every ounce of material I could get my hands on, I decided to truly put social media to the test.

The months that followed consisted of content creation and strategically putting my name in front of those I knew I could help. I received dozens of clients and started generating a decent income, solely through my social media efforts. I did not spend time or money developing a website, running Google ads or printing business cards. Instead, I spent time in Facebook groups, on Facebook messenger and my Facebook news feed.

I had proven to myself—and to my clients—that you could build a successful business using only your Facebook account. The next step was to branch out to the other major platforms. Imagine how much my business exploded when the same strategies were applied across multiple platforms.

If you own a small business and are not quite sure where to start on social media, here are a few strategies that will push you in the right direction.

Treat your Facebook profile like a “top of funnel” lead generation

machine. The same way people used to use websites to generate traffic, you can use your profile to tell people what they need to know. Your profile should include an eye-catching cover photo with a call to action, a link that enables people to book a call with you, a featured photo with a call to action, links to your other social media platforms and website(s), and a simple call to action in your brief bio. When people visit your personal page, it should be clear what you do and who you help.

Join and engage in as many Facebook groups as you can that house

your potential clients. I usually suggest joining one new Facebook group a day. After interacting in each of them, you will find a few good ones that will reap you all the rewards of your group efforts. When in Facebook groups, your main priority is not to sell your product or service, but to help people and demonstrate your authority in the

industry. Never post about your business in other people’s groups. You should respond to people’s posts, offer advice where possible, and post about things that group members find helpful. Trust me, your potential clients are watching, and they will notice.

Send a friend request and start a conversation on Facebook Messenger with a minimum of five people

per day. These people should come from the groups you have been interacting with. Once they accept your friend request, you are still not trying to sell them your product or service. You are connecting and genuinely finding out if there are areas you could provide some value to them.

Post to your personal profile a minimum of once a day. The four categories I suggest people post about regularly include personal life, business offer, business education and industry specific content. If you fill your profile with these kinds of posts, people visiting your profile will know exactly what you do and who you help.

In all your social media efforts, focus

on helping people. Just like having a conversation in person, people can see right through you on social media. If you are trying to spam people and be salesy, they will notice. Your name and reputation depend on you genuinely caring about helping people, not just caring about getting their credit card information. Focus on helping people and the sales will take care of themselves.

There is no better way to build a brand nowadays than social media. The social marketing possibilities are quite literally endless. That is why people across every industry are starting to catch on to the trend. Business owners taking the plunge are rapidly reaping the benefits. If you have been in business for a while, you know that things are constantly evolving. Whether it is technology, marketing or social media platforms, there is always something new. To be blunt, if your business is not on social media, you are falling dangerously behind your competition.

So, can you really monetize your passion using only social media? I answer with a resounding yes.

If you want to talk one on one to get specific strategies for your business, book your free strategy session today at amplifiedsocialmarketing.com. There is enough value on these calls to completely revamp your social media plan.

Ashlyn Leyba is the owner of Amplified Social Marketing. You can connect with her by emailing Ashlyn@amplifiedsocialmarketing.com or calling 623-526-1433. For more information, visit amplifiedsocialmarketing.com.