‘Nobody talks about entrepreneurship as a survival, but that’s exactly what it is and what nurtures creative thinking,’ said Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. ‘Running that first shop taught me business is not financial science; it’s about trading: buying and selling.’
In a world that constantly requires businesses to market themselves and their unique offerings, social media can be an invaluable window for small women-led businesses to tell their story and make the trading process a more personal one. Whether it’s a mompreneur creating homemade jams or a snazzy Gen-Z designer, a thriving online presence on social media can flip the way their business is viewed and impact sales.
Aarthi Ramakrishnan, a content strategist at a multimedia management firm, says, ‘People view social media as a place to just post. But posting for the sake of making numbers is not really going to get you or your business anywhere. Your entire social media page has to reflect your intention and work with the sole aim of driving business. It has to be authentic, scalable, and effective.
Define Your Purpose
Yes, you offer a product or service, but why? What is unique about your offering, and what gaps are you trying to plug in your industry? Your core values and purpose need to shine through in your social media content and strategy. Work around aspects such as sustainability, genuineness, and creating a positive impact with your business.
Understand Your Target Audience
As much as you’d like your product or service to appeal to everyone, pick a set of people that you’re specifically targeting. These could range from new mothers looking for skincare solutions for their babies to travellers and tourists who want an immersive experience. Ensure that you speak their language, both visually and verbally. It helps to create a couple of people who fit the personality and traits of your audience, as this can provide clarity while designing your social media strategy. Keep demographics in mind, but also ask questions about their aspirations, needs, and most importantly, their digital footprint. Gen Z and millennials are likelier to be on Instagram, while boomers may choose Facebook, and professionals spend time on LinkedIn. Select the platforms that align with your core group and focus on maximising those. Instagram is hugely popular, catering to businesses in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and wellness. Pinterest is apt for products that offer a visual appeal.
Pay Attention To Design
Says Aarthi, ‘While your content may be riveting, don’t just mindlessly put out images and text. There has to be instant brand recognition when someone visits your social media handle. This means focussing on colours, fonts, spacing, and layout. Beyond that, it also means ensuring that your unique voice shines through. Do you want to convey a bold, pop brand aesthetic? Or a soft, elegant neutral palette? Don’t randomly choose – ensure that it matches your brand’s values. On Instagram especially, your grid can make or break the way your business is perceived and drive sales. You don’t have to spend a lot to achieve this. There are some great software options like Canva Pro out there that can simplify the process.’
Create Appropriate Content Buckets And Calendar
Schedule posts to go out at regular intervals. Don’t spam the audience one week, and lie low the next week. Create a schedule and post in rotation every week, but also leave room for spontaneous content once in a while. Other than promoting your brand (which is a given!), put out related content that is engaging and informative. Aarthi adds, ‘If you’re a spa owner, create posts about related topics such as the benefits of different kinds of massages, why we need essential oils, and so on. If you can, request key clients and consumers to share reels or posts that validate your business first-hand. To make it more relatable, share your challenges, struggles, and beliefs. You can put out content on how you faced gender bias or your struggles in raising funds. Celebrate your wins – whether it’s reaching 10k followers online or receiving an award.’ Also, create behind-the-scenes snapshots of how your business works. A baker can showcase her production process, or a designer can highlight her workshop. Lastly, it’s a lot more work, but video is a non-negotiable tool. It may be tempting to stick to photos and posts, but videos capture the imagination of audiences like nothing else. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect, as long as you stay real and authentic.
Interact
Whichever platform you choose, take the time to engage with customers. This could mean reposting their stories/posts on your handle or simply just liking them. It could also mean responding to their comments or sliding into their DMs with a small discount or a free service for being loyal. Aarthi says, ‘Stay open to collaboration with other small businesses online as well, especially if they match your brand values. These could include Instagram Lives, or co-hosted giveaways. Ensure your online promises and claims match your offline delivery. If you don’t deliver, no amount of social media is going to help.’
Adjust Your Strategy
Social media is constantly changing. What worked last year, or even last month, is no longer applicable. Review your engagement and analytics. Which posts were neglected? Which ones saw traction? Stay abreast of how various platforms are rewriting the rules and accordingly shift your strategy. You can create a mix of organic promotion and paid ads on a small budget, boosting any content that has performed well. Keep your content welcoming without using any discriminatory language or tone. This shows your commitment to being an inclusive brand. Although it may be tempting, don’t aim to go viral and then fizzle out. Consistency is the buzzword if you want your social media strategy to succeed and your business to thrive in the long run.