Want to Avoid the Social Media Time-Suck?

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Social media offers a great way to connect with people and is an integral part of social selling. Yet, if you’re not careful, you can fall down the rabbit hole into the social media vortex. Luckily you can avoid this time-suck with some careful planning, nifty online tools and even some no-tech tricks.

Make a Plan – A few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of crafting a social selling plan just as you would any other sales or marketing program (if you missed it, check out Don’t Know Where You Are Going?). Be sure your social selling plan clarifies your social media platforms, who you are trying reach, and how you can best meet their needs.

Nifty Tools – While a personal touch is sometimes more desirable, you can provide ongoing content or value-add material in a scheduled manner. What’s more, some scheduling apps also offer tracking and monitoring so you can easily determine which posts are hits or misses with your followers.

    • Buffer – Whether you have one or several items to post, consider using Buffer to schedule and automate your content. The app works with LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and lets you schedule the days and times you want to release each post.
    • HootSuite – Manages your social selling posts in much the same way as Buffer. The app also lets you search feeds and keywords, plus monitor tweets, responses and messages.
    •  Freedom – Sometimes the Internet is too enticing! Freedom lets you block all or part of the Internet for a predetermined time. Regardless of your device, you can set the length of the block and work offline without interruption.
    • Anti-Social – If certain sites (ESPN, Google News, etc.) are cutting your productivity, Anti-Social lets you block any site for as long as you like.

Say No or Disconnect – Remember, you need to make your connections quality connections, so be deliberate! In Filling Your LinkedIn Restaurant with Quality Connections I wrote about this in more detail, and as I mentioned in a recent Friday Tip, you can easily disconnect with unwanted LinkedIn connections.

No-Tech Tools – Sometimes the best methods for managing your time are the easiest! For instance, consider using a kitchen timer to limit the time you spend on any activity that impedes your productivity. I am also a big proponent of scheduling my daily tasks each morning. Use whatever list-making device works for you—I favor giant sticky notes—to stay on task.

There are a slew of other apps and schedulers to help you out; the key is to not get overwhelmed. Make a plan, get help and you’ll be maximizing your social media interaction, and your social selling productivity, in no time.

Want even more help with social selling? Check out my new eCourse Social Selling for Financial Advisors; sign up now to get the inside track on the course offerings and early access to the program!