Your KLT Factor: Social Media and Likeability is about Giving, Not Getting!

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With many aspects of marketing you ask yourself “what is my ROI?” Just as with other key business decisions, you weigh your time, effort, and investment against potential gains. However, there are always exceptions. One big rule-breaker is social media, where the objective is nearly all about the give. Indeed, My Golden Rule for Social Media is: 92 percent give and 8 percent get.

People do business with people they know, like and trust (KLT). To create the “like” your social media must focus on your audience and what they want, not on the sell. Why, you’re wondering? Simple. Clients and prospects can stop following you with one easy click if they dislike your content.

To provide that give, you need to consider three primary elements with your social media interaction: intention, story, and voice.

Intention

Simply put: how are you helping people? As a financial services professional there are countless ways you can provide valuable insight and understanding of what can be a confusing and complex undertaking.

Social media postings give you the chance to give, and in turn, develop good will with your connections. With intentional, consistent, and meaningful postings, your social media interaction can help you build long term relationships.

Story

Your social media story should align with your brand and marketing message. In a sense, the story is the technicolor you bring to the market that no one else can offer. To formulate your story, consider the following:

  • What are you core values? For instance, if you place emphasis on holistic financial services then you might want to share posts that address this approach with any and all aspects of living and learning, not just business services.
  • What makes your firm truly different and unique?
  • What are you doing to make people happy?
  • What are you doing to inspire your community?

Voice

Just as your intention and story need clarity and purpose, so too, does your voice. Be careful that you don’t create a disconnect between who you are in person and who shows up on social media. Be true to yourself and your followers. If you are factual, funny, or friendly in person, then be that way with your postings.

Granted, you may tweak your voice a bit for different platforms, but the change shouldn’t be too drastic. For instance, on LinkedIn your updates should be a little more succinct and professional, while your Facebook posts can be more personal and relaxed.

To convey the true you, pay attention to your wording, sentence structure, and tone. Watch the use of jargon as well; if people expect industry-specific terminology, great, but if they don’t, then try to avoid it as much as possible.

Infographics, photos, videos, and other visuals should also reflect your voice and personality.

Social media should be an integral part of your marketing plan. Just remember, the ROI is not immediate, and always means more giving than getting.