Once you’ve learned how to manage social media marketing for businesses, it may be time for you to take the leap into starting your own business.
It’s a great idea: almost all companies today have web presences and social media accounts that need management, and by becoming an independent contractor in this field you can reap the benefits of flexible work hours while earning a good income.
It’s not easy, though. You’ll need to learn what it takes to run a business before taking that plunge. Here are some things to consider if you’re thinking of going out on your own as a freelance social media manager.
Takeaways |
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1. Assess your readiness for starting a social media management business. |
2. Identify your niche and target audience for specialized services. |
3. Develop a solid business plan outlining your goals and strategies. |
4. Build a team or network to support your services and expertise. |
5. Understand the financial aspects and set a budget for your venture. |
6. Learn about legal and regulatory requirements for business setup. |
7. Utilize online platforms and networking to attract potential clients. |
8. Stay updated with industry trends and adapt to changing social platforms. |
9. Provide value to clients through effective social media management. |
10. Continuously refine your strategies for business growth and success. |
Know What You Want
You are now fully aware of what can be involved in starting a social media management services business. If you’re still interested in doing so, then here are some tips on how to do it:
Know what you want! Knowing your goals will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the process. Make sure that whatever goal(s) you set for yourself are within your reach, but also challenging enough so that achieving them isn’t 100% guaranteed.
Know what kind of businessperson you want to be known as! What would people say about how professional and competent they think someone like this would be? Think about all the different ways in which someone could describe themselves as an individual or as an organization.
If you’re taking the leap into the world of social media management, you might be wondering how to assemble an effective team. Learn the essential steps for forming a successful social media team in our guide on how to start a social media team. Building a cohesive team can greatly enhance your management services.
Consult Your Network
To get started, we suggest you consult your network. Ask the people in your life who have worked with a social media manager what their experiences have been like.
If you know someone who has hired a social media manager, ask them for tips and tricks on how to approach the business. You should also ask whether or not they would recommend it as a career path to pursue.
Know Thyself Before Going Forward
If you’re going to be in business for yourself, it’s important to know yourself. You should know your strengths, weaknesses, and goals before you start a social media management services business.
Because this will help you focus on what kind of activities are going to be most effective for your situation.
If you want to start a social media management services business, take some time out of each day or week (depending on how much time you have) and do some research on what others in the industry are doing.
Talk with people who are already doing this work and find out how they got started in this field as well as how much money they make per year.
The more information that is available about an industry, the better-prepared individuals can be when starting their businesses within that field
Take Care Of The Numbers
You’ve come a long way and are almost ready to start your social media management services business, but there are still a few things that you need to take care of before you hit the road.
The first step is to track your numbers and make sure they’re in line with your expectations. If any of them seem off, you must figure out why so that you can adjust accordingly.
This is how businesses succeed: by finding out what works and what doesn’t, then making changes based on the data collected.
To do this, there are some different things worth tracking:
- Clients (how many have been acquired, how much revenue has been made from each client)
- Costs (what does it cost to run your business?)
- Revenue (how much money has come in?) -Expenses (what has gone out?) Time spent working on projects/in meetings/on emails/etc., etc., etc…
Running a social media management services business doesn’t have to break the bank. Discover valuable insights and strategies to efficiently manage your budget in our article on how to save money with social media management services. Minimize costs without compromising quality and effectiveness.
Vet The Companies You’re Considering Working With
Now that you’ve done your research and have a good sense of what your potential clients want, it’s time to vet the companies you are considering working with.
To do this effectively, ask yourself these questions:
Does the company have a website? If not, why not? Who is running their social media accounts?
What experience do they have managing the type of business that would hire you as an independent contractor? Do they have any testimonials or case studies showing results from their work?
Is this company willing to sign a contract with me that outlines our responsibilities, terms, and conditions as well as timelines for payment so there won’t be any misunderstandings or confusion later on down the road if things go awry (which happens less often than one might think)?
Understand Your Audience
Understanding your audience is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business. It’s so vital that we’ve devoted an entire section to this topic!
When you understand your audience, you can learn what they like and dislike. You can also figure out what they want and need from social media management services. This way, you’ll be able to provide them with the best service possible.
To get started on understanding your audience:
Ask questions about how they use social media and how often they use it
Learn about their interests by looking at what websites and apps they visit every day – this information will help inform content ideas for posts or ads on Facebook or Twitter (if these are platforms where customers are active).
Be Ready To Work Hard And Have A Certain Degree Of Flexibility In Your Schedule
Before you can start your social media management company, you need to be ready to work. The job is not easy and it will demand a lot from you in terms of time, energy, and effort.
You should be willing to work long hours at all times of the day and night (or at least on weekends).
There may also be some periods where there is no activity on your client’s social media accounts for several days in a row but then suddenly it becomes very busy for two weeks straight. That’s when your availability counts!
You will need a flexible schedule so that you can occasionally juggle multiple clients with different needs without having too much trouble juggling them all by yourself.
Finding the right social media management firm for your business is crucial. Make an informed decision by following our guidelines on how to hire a social media management firm that cares. Ensure you partner with a firm that aligns with your goals and values.
Make Yourself Available As Much As Possible
Not only should you be available to your clients 24/7, but you should also be available when they need you when they can’t get to you (like on a vacation), and even when they want to talk with or hear from you.
You want to make sure that there are no barriers between them and the help they need not even distance.
“I know this sounds like common sense advice…but it’s true! You have no idea how many times I’ve been asked ‘Can we schedule a meeting?’. No one wants to sit down face-to-face with someone who isn’t available or willing to work around their schedule.”
Be Courteous, Open, And Honest With Clients Or Potential Clients
The first step in starting your social media management business is to be courteous, open, and honest with clients or potential clients.
You need to earn their trust, which is why you should be respectful of them as well. It may seem like common sense, but being professional is an essential part of building your brand.
Be kind! This means not only being patient (it takes time to build relationships) but also flexible in case they want something done differently than specified (like changing the format of their posts).
Another part of being kind is being consistent if one day you respond immediately and another you take longer, then it’s likely that they will notice this inconsistency and become less responsive themselves when dealing with your service.
Likewise, always deliver on time because otherwise, people will start assuming that nothing is coming from your end before giving up entirely on waiting for it and this could spell disaster for both parties involved:
No work gets done; no payment gets made; no happy client who might refer someone else!
Plus if there are deadlines involved then these should always be met so everyone knows what exactly can be expected from each other when working together collaboratively towards achieving certain goals.
Like releasing content or promoting posts across multiple platforms during particular periods specificially targeted towards reaching new audiences.”
Always Tell The Truth And Deliver On Promises
When you’re in charge of managing social media for a client, there are a lot of different things that could happen. Your client might try to get you to do something that isn’t within the scope of your agreement.
They might ask for a change in plans, or they might want something adjusted. Or maybe their expectations are just too high and can’t be met by anyone on earth.
Whatever it is, when this happens, it’s important to remember: Always tell the truth and deliver on promises.
If your client asks for something impossible or unrealistic like getting hundreds of likes on all their posts overnight it’s time to say no! You don’t want them thinking that you can do anything or everything they ask because then they’ll expect it next time, too!
And if your client wants a bunch of stuff outside of what you’ve already agreed upon (for instance: “Oh yeah! And also make my website look pretty”) then politely explain why those things aren’t possible right now (for instance: “I have limited resources at hand”).
Always be honest with clients about what’s possible given what resources are available at any given moment;
If there are certain things which need more time than others then communicate this information clearly so everyone knows exactly where they stand from one day/week/month/year into another.”
Transitioning from freelance writing to social media management is an exciting journey. Discover how one professional made this shift successfully in our post about switching from full-time freelance writing to social media management. Learn from their experiences and insights.
Don’t Promise Something You Can’t Deliver On
You’re going to be managing the social media accounts for a variety of different businesses. Don’t promise something that you can’t deliver on.
If you don’t know how to do it, then don’t say that you do. You may get away with this once or twice, but if you try to keep lying about your skillset and abilities, eventually people will catch on and stop trusting your services.
You should also be careful not to make claims about what clients can expect from working with you that are too far-fetched or unrealistic.
It is important not to overpromise when working with clientele who have never worked with a social media manager before because they might have unrealistic expectations of what they can achieve through hiring someone like yourself (e.g., “I can get 5k followers in three months!”).
Small businesses can greatly benefit from hiring dedicated social media managers. Explore the reasons why in our article on why every small business should hire a social media manager. Gain an understanding of the value these professionals bring to your business growth.
Conclusion
The road can be rough, and success is never guaranteed, but the rewards are more than worth it. If you’re looking for a job that gives you the freedom to work when and where you want, social media management is a great choice.
There are many different paths you can take in this field: freelancing, starting your own company, or working with an agency.
All three of these options have certain pros and cons to consider before making a final decision on what’s right for you as well as professionally. We hope this article has helped provide you with some information needed for making that choice!
It sounds like there’s a lot to think about before getting started, but trust us when we say there’s nothing better than working from home while doing what you love — especially if it’s helping others find their social media voice too
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to help you delve deeper into the topic of starting your own social media management services business:
How to Start a Social Media Marketing Agency: Explore this comprehensive guide that provides insights, strategies, and step-by-step instructions for launching a successful social media marketing agency.
Social Media Marketing Business Ideas: Discover a variety of business ideas related to social media marketing, offering inspiration and potential directions for your new venture.
9 Steps to Start Your Own Social Media Marketing Agency: This article outlines a concise roadmap with nine essential steps to kickstart your journey towards establishing your social media marketing agency.
FAQs
How can I find clients for my social media management agency?
Finding clients involves a mix of networking, leveraging online platforms, and showcasing your expertise through content and case studies.
What skills do I need to run a successful social media management business?
Running a successful business requires a blend of skills such as social media strategy, content creation, client communication, and staying updated with platform trends.
How do I determine pricing for my services?
Pricing can be determined based on factors like the scope of services, industry norms, and the value you provide to clients. Research and competition analysis can help set reasonable rates.
What are some effective strategies for growing my agency’s online presence?
Utilize social media platforms, content marketing, and engagement with your target audience to establish credibility and visibility in the digital landscape.
How do I stay updated with the ever-changing social media landscape?
Continuous learning and staying informed through industry news, webinars, and networking events will help you adapt to evolving social media trends and technologies.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.