How to Leverage Social Media to Attract the Right Clients -

Social media is hard! And it can be hard to attract the right clients. But I know someone who is going to help you with this.

In this episode, I’m talking with one of the marketing experts in my community and she shares some tips that are going to help you simplify your approach to social media so that you attract the right clients and get better results without being overwhelmed by it all.

Shannon Baker

So I’d like to thank everyone for joining me today. And today’s guest is Natalie Swan of Glaci Brands. So Natalie, thank you for joining me on the podcast today. Thank you, Shannon. So Natalie and I are connected on Instagram and we talk all the time in dm. So believe me when I say that social media works if you do it right. So today, Natalie is going to share some tips with us so that we can learn how to leverage social media to attract the right clients. Because we all know, social media can be hard. I mean, it is a lot of work. And for all the work you’re putting into it, you want to make sure you’re attracting the right people so that you can can get that lead, convert that to a sale and make some money off of that. That’s why we’re in business right?! So Natalie, before we jump into today’s topic, tell us a little bit about yourself.

Natalie Swan

Yeah, so I am Natalie, and I’m a career marketer and brand strategist. I left my full time job back in the middle of 2018 to work on my business full-time. And really what I wanted to do was to support small business owners with pursuing their passions and their dreams. And that’s really important to me. I feel like entrepreneurs and small business owners are just a very admirable bunch of people who are so scrappy, and resourceful, and creative and smart. And so that’s how I felt drawn to spend my time, was building up and connecting with people like that.

Shannon Baker

Okay, so with your background in marketing, you’d say you’re a serial marketer, right?

Natalie Swan

I’m a career marketer, marketer!

Shannon Baker

Okay. So what are the biggest mistakes that you see small business owners make when it comes to trying to attract the right client?

Natalie Swan

Yeah, absolutely. Um, so one of the biggest mistakes that I see small business owners run into, and if I’m being totally honest with you, something that I ran into myself, even with a background in marketing is trying to do way too many things. If you run a business by yourself, or if you even have a small team, you really need to do less, and get really good at what you’re doing in order to improve. So if you’re trying, for example, to be on Facebook, and you’re trying to grow a group, and on Instagram, and Tiktok, and all these different places, and you’re trying to learn video and blogging, the problem with that is that you never really have time to focus in on and understand what is working for you and what’s not working for you. And so you’re never really spending the time getting good at marketing, because you’re always trying to learn something new and different. So that was my first first one that I see a lot of.

Shannon Baker

Okay, yeah, and that definitely, the more features like even when you think of the way Instagram has changed, you have videos now and you know, we had stories and you have igtv. Now we have reels, and then, you know, tick tock came before that, and you’ve got Facebook, and it’s like the list goes on and on and on. So definitely, some people feel that they have to be every where. So what mistakes Dd you think people are making, especially now are the challenges you’re seeing small business owners have in 2021? Especially because we have to market and network differently?

Natalie Swan

Yes, absolutely! Um, you know, I love the accessibility of online business for a lot of people and just the fact that you know, you need some Wi Fi, you need a computer, and you can really get started. Um, but with that is that you have to sort of be cautious that there is unfortunately, a lot of bad advice on the internet. And a lot of people who talk about marketing strategies or social media, strategies that have worked for them, that might not necessarily work for you in your business and might not feel good for you when you’re the one trying to trying to implement them.

So an example that I talked about, really is that it can be hard if you don’t know what questions to ask when you’re getting started. So for example, you might hear a lot about Facebook ads, if you’re spending time on Facebook, and how powerful the data is, and how there are, you know, millions and billions of users and all these things until you think, Okay, I’m going to get on Facebook, I’m going to get exposure to my ideal client. But the problem with that is that if you don’t have, you know, a lot of money or a lot of time to test ads on social media, then it might end up being completely wasted. And not only that, but once you’ve sort of gone through that process of trying to run ads, or trying to bring up trying to work with an expert or a consultant or something like that, um, and then you’re still not attracting ideal clients, by the end of that you, you don’t necessarily know what to do next, and like, where to go from there.

And so this is one of the biggest things that I see really is just this, you want to be an informed marketer for your business. And the best way to do that is to really simplify is to spend time on the platforms you enjoy where your ideal client is, and be really consistent with those things. And Shannon, I know that we chatted about consistency, not only in the platform you’re using and when and how you’re showing up, but also in your message, right, and like how you can help your ideal client, what exactly you have to offer, what you can do for them. Because that’s what marketing is right? It’s like helping people solve problems, like that’s what you’re doing for your ideal client, with your businesses that you’re helping them solve the problems. So really, you want to know what questions to ask when you’re getting into marketing. And you really want to focus on what is and isn’t working both in terms of how you’re enjoying it, as well as how it’s helping you attract ideal clients to your business.

Shannon Baker

Yeah, and that’s a great insight, especially when it comes to Facebook ads, because until you get to a certain point, personally, for me, I don’t feel Facebook ads are to your advantage. It’s almost like throwing money out the window! I had this conversation with a client recently, because she wasn’t getting there, she’s not getting the return on investment on Facebook ads. Facebook ads is a monster all in itself.

And kudos to anyone who has a Facebook Ads Manager, because I refuse to touch it just it takes a lot. And there’s so many, like you said experts or a lot of the recommendations is to target your audience through Facebook ads because that also runs over to Instagram. But if it’s done wrong, it doesn’t benefit your business. So for someone starting out, with their marketing, trying to figure out where to get started, and where should they spend their time? What recommendations do you have for them?

Natalie Swan

Yeah! You know, I really would recommend to focus on learning how to market your business. Well, first, there are so many different types of marketing experts out there, and a quick search on any social media platform, you’ll see like, Oh, I’m a social media manager, I’m a consultant, I do SEO, I build a website, all of these tools can be extremely powerful, just like Facebook ads, when we know how to use them, and when we know when they’re actually needed in our business. So I think that really just focusing on becoming a better marketer for yourself so that you can say, like, Hey, I’m a local business, like I should be thinking about SEO, because that’s how people search for businesses around them. Or, you know, I don’t need all the bells and whistles right now. Because that’s not where I’m at, in my business, I don’t have five or $10,000 to spend testing ads. Because really, I can just be marketing in a lot smarter ways. So um, you know, that’s what I am super passionate about.

And what I see such a big need for is small business owners investing that time to understand how marketing works for their business, and really keep it simple so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Because, you know, yes, there’s work to be done. And yes, you know, I’m not sitting here saying, it’s super easy and straightforward, and everything is perfect. Right off the bat, like you have to spend the time to figure those things out. But I really would recommend that you spend that time yourself getting getting good and getting a system and understanding it before you look to outsource all of your marketing because that’s, I mean, that’s putting a lot of trust in someone else with your business, right with your dream with what you’ve been building, if it doesn’t work, and you’re out all that money. Like that’s, that’s a problem. So really, what I what I love to say to you is just get scrappy, and I’ve had clients call me scrappy, and honestly, I find it such a compliment. What I mean by that is use what’s already in front of you. You don’t need to learn new platforms. Like when I got started, I literally was sending very specific emails to people and hopping on the phone with them. And that like proved to be very effective. So you really can make the most out of the tools that you have versus feeling overwhelmed with all the possibility that’s out there for you to explore.

Shannon Baker

Yeah, and as you mentioned, systems, you know, that’s a buzzword. That’s like my love language. And the same when it comes to implementing systems into your business. I tell people upfront no It’s not fun. The fun happens after you get them all in place in social media, even in my five step system, that’s a piece all in itself, because you’ve got to have specific things in place, especially as you mentioned, before you start outsourcing. If you don’t know what your voice needs to be online, or where your ideal client is online, what their pain points are, how to reach them, if you don’t have that information, no one can market your business and get your results. No people are going to take your money, right? Yes, let’s be honest, they’re gonna take your money, whether they’re gonna get you a return on the investment or not, they’re gonna make a promise. But for you to really maximize your investment, you got to have those pieces in place upfront. So if someone is thinking about outsourcing some of their social media and making that investment, any recommendations you have for them?

Natalie Swan

I would say focus on when you’re speaking with this expert, eventually, because you’re talking specifically about it, when they are ready to outsource. Is that correct?

Shannon Baker

Yes, some people are set. They have the clear message. They know they are niched down. They know the pain points, they got it al; in place. And they’re like, but I’m ready to hand this off, so I an focus on something else.

Natalie Swan

Yes, so um, a lot of what we see online, and especially on Instagram, is we need to be posting all the time, the graphics need to be perfect, you know, the pictures need to be edited. And so a lot of the social media, you know, manager offerings tend to be around those things, like I’ll post for you this many times, and things like this. And what I’ve found is that those things really aren’t as important as you showing up and being yourself. And that can still be outsourced, right, like, I would say, and you’re gonna love this, put a system in place for that. So when you hire someone, make sure that the content that they’re able to produce does sound like you, you’re comfortable with it, and help that person succeed by telling them, you know, we’re going to do a month of content, for example, and I want you to do three posts to get started. And you’re gonna develop them and design them based on what you know about my ideal client. And then I’m going to review them and talk about what’s working, what’s not working, and then we’ll grow and scale it from there.

So you know, that’s really a big part of it is just setting that person up for success when managing your social media. And also tying it to the bottom line, which seems pretty obvious for business owners, I think, but oftentimes gets missed when we are thinking about outsourcing or bringing on an expert, because we think they’ve got it right. like they’ve got it, they’re the expert, they can handle this. And, you know, instead of when they come in, we say, hey, I need, you know, 200 leads a month to be profitable. So therefore, I need you to be finding me, those people and connecting with them on social and in my content to be, you know, doing some of that lead generation as well, like, how can you make that work. And so really tying it to the bottom line, as well as going to be helpful in terms of how that person responds, and if they’re able to truly help you with that.

Shannon Baker

And you know, that is key, because a lot of people don’t think about that piece. It’s like how does, how is outsourcing going to fit into the grand scheme of things for you. And you can tell they missing that piece, because they don’t have a clear strategy. Because as you mentioned, there’s so many different facets that come under the social media umbrella, that you really have to know what piece of that you want to outsource to be able to get the return because someone just creating your images and creating your captions and posting it and then doing the engagement for you is different than someone who specifically focused on generating leads, so that you can nurture that, and you know, grow your business because you can turn you can convert them into a paying client. That’s different facets of social media. It’s a big word. It’s a big word.

And this goes back to I think one of the first things we talked about wishes is you have to understand these things yourself in order to feel empowered, and to feel like you know, I know I need leads or I know that I need to be collaborating with other people more or I know that I need, you know, some content and I’m a big fan of like less is more when it comes to content. In fact, I talked about the fact that I took a year off of social media and was hugely successful in business because you know, You, you have these other tools available to you as well. So I think it’s just about knowing what you need when, and then you’re actually able to say, Yes, that was successful because it accomplished what I was going for, versus just, oh my gosh, I’m spending 10 hours a day on social media, and I still don’t have any clients. And that’s a really, that’s a really frustrating place to be.

Shannon Baker

It is because then someone says to me, and they’re like, what are you doing for 10? hours? Yeah, that’s gonna be my first question. Because no one should be online for 10 hours. Definitely not. Not if you want your business to grow anyway, so they definitely need to call me so have a system in place for anything. But when it comes to social media, one thing you mentioned, when we go back to goals is, like you said, Are you looking to collaborate with more people? So you’re gonna focus your time on making new connections? If you’re looking for leads? What are you promoting? Are you just trying to cover a sale? Or are you highlighting specific pain points that you can resolve? give away the cart for free, just enough so that they know you know what you’re talking about. But people don’t understand it. I was wondering how to get comfortable with that myself. I had the mindset of if I share too much, they’re not going to want to pay me. Yeah, they are because they won’t know how to do everything that you do. Yeah, you can grab a checklist or one of my downloads are the same for you. I’m sure you agree. But they’re things that we know, in our expertise, that’s not going to be available in that download to make it easier.

Natalie Swan

Absolutely. And it’s not, it’s not the full transformation, right? Like, if you geta freebie, if you get a download whatever it is like, those can be super helpful. Like I’m not, you know, I’m not saying that they can, but the problem is when we continue to reach for those as the end to end solution, because they’re never going to be one right? There’s always going to be more to it than that. And you’re exactly right. It’s about, you know, where do we start? What are the steps along the way? And then where does that get us to, which is the result of feeling like, hey, I’ve got this, like, I have my marketing, I have my system in place, like I know what I’m doing now. Because I’ve invested in education for myself versus spent it with, you know, an expert or on Facebook or something like that. And it hasn’t really taught me anything as a result. Exactly.

Shannon Baker

So when we talk about downloads, as well, we know when someone’s starting out, they’re going to grab everything free in the world to kind of give them an idea of where to go.

I’m one of those people! I will definitely grab a download, to kind of give me an idea of what I need to get into. Again, the caution with social media is there so much involved, there are definite points where you need to make the investment with cash, even if it’s just for a one on one consultation with someone so that they can shorten the learning curve. And I it’s a mindset because you have to understand, anything that’s going to make your business run successfully is an investment, not an expense, and pain to work and pick someone’s brain. And I mean pay to pick their brain, don’t try and do it for free, is an investment because it helps you to be able to succeed faster than you would be able to if you try to do it on your own. And especially if you go the wrong way, then you got to backtrack and try again. So I understand you have something that you want to talk that you can talk to us about today that is going to help with this process. So tell us about the client attraction plan of action membership.

Natalie Swan

Yes. So this is my new membership. And really, it kind of ties together a lot of what we we’ve been talking about is that, you know, I came into this online space, and I really saw that there’s so much advice, there’s so much overwhelm, there’s so many different paths that you could go and like you said earlier, Shannon, like sometimes people are gonna take your money, sometimes people are just gonna say like, Yes, I can help you. And the result doesn’t end up being what it is. And so what this membership program does is it really empowers you as a business owner to better understand your marketing and how to attract ideal clients, where to start, and where to go from there. So that you can learn throughout the process and be part of that and infuse you into that process versus you know, continuing to throw spaghetti at the wall and that hope something’s going to work because because I’m with you and I get it anyone who has tried I bootstrapped my business.

I didn’t have a big chunk of cash to put into it. And so I thought free is good. Um, but then of course you realize free to cost you your time and you don’t get that back and now you’re uh, you know, and so it’s so yeah, so my membership, it’s a six month membership, and you get access to all of my learning modules. that focus on how to build your brand and where to focus to be really strategic with attracting and messaging to your ideal clients, how to focus your marketing, and then really how to get organized with that entire process. Because I’ve heard from a lot of people as well that, Oh, I know, I should be doing this with my marketing, I know that it’s important to do XYZ, but you really need tools and and a system to make that successful. And so yeah, you get the course modules. And then also, every other week, we do a live coaching call. So that’s a chance for people to get individual and personal questions answered. And then also an online community as well. So, you know, I really just I want people to I want business owners to feel like they have their marketing under control, and then it can be really approachable, and it can be fun, and it doesn’t have to feel like a grind.

Shannon Baker

Awesome! Yeah, this is definitely much needed. So before I let you go, cuz you share some juicy nuggets in about 15 to 20 minutes with us today. How about you share with us? This is a bonus question you didn’t know about.

Natalie Swan

Okay, perfect!

Shannon Baker

What is one system or routine either in your life or in your business that you can’t live without?

Natalie Swan

So I love creating agendas in spreadsheets! And this is something that, you know, when I started my business, I was working more with one on one clients. And so I would come in to, you know, oftentimes a very busy, fast paced environment, and I would need to immediately add value to them. And so I’ve keep agendas for every single meeting that I’d have with them with very detailed notes, dates, everything like that. And then the next time that we met, or I was, you know, working with that client, I would know exactly where everything was, you know, the exact verbatim conversation that we’d had previously, and didn’t lose any time, you know, digging for resources, or uncertain about what needed to happen next. And so that’s one of my biggest things, especially again, if you’re, if you’re running a small business by yourself, have have a system, we’ve said that word a lot today, because I know Shannon, that’s what you’re so good at, but have your tools in a place where you can easily access them. And that you can always have that. That moment of, Hey, I’m coming back to this and I know exactly where to get going. Because your clients are going to be blown away by that. And you’re going to save yourself a lot of headaches.

Shannon Baker

Awesome. But thank you again for sharing all this with us today! Natalie now, where can everyone find you online?

Natalie Swan

Yeah, so I primarily hang out on Instagram. And I love to connect as Shannon said, you know, she and I met there! And you know, we haven’t really touched on this. But a takeaway I would say for the listeners is really just be human on social media. It’s meant to be social. You know, you can start conversations with people, you can build them up, you can connect with others. So if that sounds good to you, then I would absolutely love to have a conversation in the DMS.

Shannon Baker

Awesome! So make sure you connect with Natalie, I am going to drop a link to her Instagram, as well as her membership in the show notes. So you can check that out when you get a chance and hopefully you’ll connect with her and chat with her or myself in dams as well. We love hanging out there. So thank you again for spending time with us this afternoon.

Natalie Swan

Thank you so much Shannon for having me. It’s been a pleasure.

Shannon Baker

Definitely!

To hear all of my chat with Natalie, listen to episode 68 of the podcast. Click below and tune in on your favorite platform.

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