Do you have a goal for your social media marketing? In the social media training workshops that I deliver, participants are learning that a strong social media focus is essential for effective social media time management. If you don’t, you could be wasting a lot of time.

Social media HalifaxWhen you sit down to do your social media, a goal determines what you next on your computer or your smart phone. If you don’t have a strong social media goal, you will always ask yourself… “What do I do next?” The lack of a goal will cause you to waste valuable time. There are so many things that you could be doing.

As a small business, you need to create billable hours or make sales. You goal is not to waste time.

When I sit down on any device, I know what I have to do first. My goal is to “Help businesses do better!” I am passionate about helping businesses do better. So what does that look like when I start using social media? I post something that will help a business do better, right away. I look for things to post that will inspire, enable or encourage businesses to do better. Once I have completed my initial goal, I can then have the freedom to explore.

Your social media goal can, and will, change over time. As you mature in your business, your focus will get more fine tuned.

A goal helps you understand what to do next. For example, if your goal is to show up better on Google, then you will start off your time by posting links to your web assets. If your goal is to connect with more people, then you will start off by trying to have more conversations. Your goal determines what you do next.

Most business people do not understand what they want their social media to do. Or they have a vague idea that does not provide a clear direction for their activity. You can waste a lot of time on social media if you do not know what you want it to do and have the focus to get it done.

In the social media program I just finished delivering in Halifax, one of the first things that I asked the participants to do was create a goal. I wanted them to start thinking about how they would use their social media. We discussed several possible goals. Then I asked them to pick one goal, and start using social media with that focus in mind.

This clear goal would help these businesses to do their social media faster. It should help them get better results for their efforts sooner.

So let me ask you this question….Do you know what you want your social media to do for your business? Many businesses get set up and then ask… “What do I do next?” When you have a clear goal for your social media usage, you will always have a good sense of what to do next. That’s the value of having a clear goal. My Halifax participants are well on the way to social media success. You can be as well.

When you have a clear goal for you social media, you will be like a ship captain with a destination. You will arrive where you set your sail to. Set your goal and follow through with it this week. Here’s to a great week of business for you. Let me know how you make out.

Here’s to a great day of business for you.