The advice regarding your social media is everywhere, and there is a common thread through it all. Share Share SHARE! Social media strategists commonly advise their clients to share their lives with their followers. These tips are designed to build rapport and create engagement with potential clients who want to feel like they “know like and trust” you.
But what if you don’t want to share?
I hear from some people that their private life is their own. They don’t want to let clients into their downtime or share intimate details of their life. How do you be social on social media if you don’t want to let all those strangers in?
If you would like to keep your professional life more “professional” there are still strategies you can employ, and a little bit of creativity will keep your clients feeling familiar without going too far.
- Share your office – not your home. You probably work from some kind of professional space. Consider an occasional picture of the view from your window or your bookshelf. Take a picture of your office’s front door or your favourite office supplies on your desk. If you work from home, and just don’t want to share it, take some pictures at a trade show, on your way to a meeting or even shopping at Staples. (One of our most popular posts was a picture of office supplies at the local store!) Also, a selfie doesn’t have to feature your bad hair day. Show your hand holding a coffee cup, or your feet in your new shoes. We’ve written messages on a piece of paper, and snapped a pic of it with a hand still holding the pencil. Ta-da!
- Share Professional Experiences. Part of your social media plan should be to build up your authority or recognition as an expert in your field. So share what happened with a client a few weeks ago, or comment on industry news. Explain how you solved a problem or faced a new challenge in your work. You can keep things confidential by changing identifying details and names – but let people know about the kind of work you’re doing.
- Give referrals. If you don’t want to talk about yourself on social media, It’s a great idea to give a nod to other businesses that you’ve worked with. If your local pet store or boutique shop gives great service – let people know. If that business “likes” or “shares” your comment, it will expose you to some of their client base and will make you look like someone who can identify good work. Giving a shout-out always looks good on everyone.
There is a difference between being PERSONAL online, and being INTIMATE. So share your professionalism, share your sunset, share your afternoon coffee at a local cafe. Feel confident that you can build relationships without having to open the doors too far on your private life.
~Katie Dempsey
