By Carole Hayward

I’ve been in your shoes. Actually I’m standing in them right now. Getting your own business started, and knowing that you own it and all of the responsibilities, is simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting. Today that involves building your own social media network, but the sustainability quickly becomes a challenge.

If you are like many of my clients, you wanted to manage this aspect of your business yourself. Connecting with your community via social media is enjoyable work. So you set up a website, maybe a blog, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account. Whew! That’s done. Right?

But there’s so much work involved in your day-to-day operation that by the time you call it a day, you’ve got a very narrow window of down time.

“Ugh! I didn’t write that blog post today. I’m just too tired to tackle that tonight. And I didn’t know what I was going to write about…and no one’s really reading it anyway….”

Tips to Help with Sustainability

When I start talking with a prospective client, I check out their current social media efforts, and I often find the foundation pieces in place, a flurry of posts in the beginning, then a tapering off, then a trickle, and then an occasional announcement, such as “Power’s out: Store is closing early,” serves as a blog post. And then nothing for a month. Sound familiar?

What started out as an enjoyable endeavor became another item on your to-do list, often sliding to the bottom of that list. Then you get discouraged and think that maybe this social networking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

What you’re dealing with are the challenges of sustainability, and believe me, you are not alone. Organizations and businesses of all sizes struggle with sustainability of their social media efforts. Here are some tips to help you continue what you start (I’ve added links to some great resources from New Dawn, PR News Online, Performancing, Social Media Examiner, and ExploreB2B):

• Remember that every channel you create becomes a “hungry monster” that needs to be fed constantly. If you can only keep one monster fed and happy, then that’s a better strategy for you.
• Keep in mind what your goal is. Identify it for you and any staff that may be engaging with customers through social media. If your goal is clear, then it should become easier to identify whether a social media tool is for you or not. Staying focused can help you avoid the whim of the moment, chasing after each tool (and doesn’t it seem like we hear about a new one every day?)
• Set yourself a schedule and stick to it. Make it realistic. How many blog posts can you manage in a week? Tweets? Facebook posts? You Tube videos? Assign each task a day and time. Write it down and check it off as you do it.
• Measure your results. Pull the analytics available for each tool. Are you seeing the results that you want? Are they helping you achieve your goal? If the answer is no for any of the channels you’re currently maintaining, despite your best efforts, then consider letting that one go in favor of focusing more attention on the tools that are working for you.
• Consider getting some help. Writing in the short form that social media requires is actually a learned skill. Brief does not mean easy. It can actually take more time to write something brief, coherent, and meaningful than it does to write a long essay where you can build up to your point. Find a professional who understands your goals and can help you achieve them.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have items to check off my own schedule. If you have any questions about how to get started, troubles you’re having with sustainability, or concerns about what tools are right for you, leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you.