8 Biggest Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make Online That Could be Costing Them Followers And Sales

Written by: Stephanie Pye, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise

We want our business to grow, our brand to grow, and ultimately to monetize social media. That’s why we use it, isn’t it? To grow our brand, our business and make sales? If this is you, read on to have thriving socials that work with your brand, not against it.

Number 1 - Using Social Media as a User /Consumer, Not a Creator

This means the time you spend on social media, you’re spending with no purpose, no structure, and you’re taking in more than you are creating. You find yourself 20 minutes in, with no new leads and no one to talk to, if you do have people to talk to, they’re probably friends and have no hope of becoming clients. It’s time to flip the switch, when you’re on Social Media for your business, treat it like that, and focus on the activities that move the needle.

Number 2 - Engaging with The Wrong Accounts

The accounts you have been engaging with are your friends, you watch your friend’s stories, high-end celebrity stories and other accounts that will never be your clients. You like their pictures, answer the polls on their stories and send them some emojis. This is great for maintaining relationships, but is it really moving the needle in your business? If you want to grow, set aside 20-30 minutes per day to find and engage with new accounts and prospects. Comment on their content, real, genuine comments, as if you were having a conversation in real life.

Number 3 - Not Sending Connection Messages

When you connect with someone online, whether it is Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, it is important to acknowledge the connection and start building the relationship. This is a missed opportunity to show the algorithm and the social platform that you and this person have a connection, (then when you add content, they’ll see it on their homepage)and it is a missed opportunity to get to know the person and start building your network.

Number 4 - Using Connection Messages to Sell

This immediately gets the other person feeling slightly uncomfortable and used. This is not the way to build a relationship and can turn a deal sour before it even begins. Connection messages are for exactly that, connecting with the other person. Not to sell or talk about yourself.

Number 5 – Content Based Around What You Can Do, Not What You Can Do for Your Customer

Flip the switch, the sooner I realized that no one actually cared about me; they only cared about what I can do for them, my business grew. When my audience view any of my content on Instagram, it is all based around adding value and what I can do for them. People do not by products or services anymore, they buy on emotions, and they buy the transformation. They buy the dream of what your service can do for them and their life.

Number 6 – Not Having Optimized And Well Aligned Profiles

If you want others to connect with you, follow your pages and engage with your content, your profiles need to be clear, concise, and aligned throughout all the social platforms. A clear message, vision, with the same branding and colours. This helps your ideal clients see and recognize your content everywhere they go. At an absolute minimum, a clear, front on picture of you, your message, your company, and your website. Take the time to make sure all your profiles are set up to put yourself and your company in the best light. As a business, these are your resume.

Number 7 – Trying to Sell in Every Post You Do on Social Media

Our audience does not want to be sold to in every post, and if the only content you put out is about sales, you’re probably going to lose connections, get unfollowed, and seen as spam. This is not what we want. There is a time and a place to sell, however, not all the time. As a general rule, add value first, then have a Call to Action (CTA) at the end, but not every post! Give more than you take. As Zig Ziglar says, “If you help enough people get what they want, you’ll eventually get what you want.”

Number 8 – Not Having Your Ideal Client in Mind When Creating Content

There are 3 content pillars I like to follow and suggest to all my clients to follow when it comes to creating content and these are to Educate, Entertain and Inspire. Firstly, think about why you follow and connect with certain people, then think about how you feel after you read their content. We want to ensure our audience feels the same. 70% of all content I put out on social media consists of me educating my audience on my expertise and adding massive value. Then there is 10% Entertaining content (in line with what my avatar finds entertaining) and the same with Inspiring. That leaves 10% of content about who I am, my values and a little about my life.

I have my Avatar (Sally) in mind every time I create a piece on content. When I am creating I think to myself, will this educate Sally, with this entertain her, or will this Inspire her.

You want to take your audience through the know, like and trust process and build your network. Remember, not everyone is ready to buy right now, but you want to be the person they think of when they are.

Follow me on Instagram and visit my website!

Stephanie Pye, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Stephanie Pye is an Internationally sought after Time Management and Instagram Coach, with a passion for helping women in business, particularly mums become more productive, more profitable and monetise Social Media. She teaches them, they too, can have it all. As a mum of young children herself, she knows the importance of adaptive planning, a strong why, a strong vision and to focus her daily activities on getting her closer to the vision. She has helped women all over the world gain clarity, balance and become more productive in their business.