Tips to be successful using Social Media for your Business

It happened to read a quite expensive (15 USD) eBook, recently, with advice to crafters / sellers on Etsy, on how to promote their shops on social media. This eBook has thousands of sales, and I freaked!!

I copy a paragraph here, regarding your daily posts on Facebook “….To Do (personal page):
Update your status 3 times/day with something related to your business – are you currently blogging, creating something new, taking photos?….”

I mean…. Pleaseeee!!!!.

Who really cares, unless (s)he is a relative, close friend or business partner, on what are you doing this very moment? Please think!

Advices like the above are common and I have seen it several times on various “tips” from “experts”. But at least the above tip says something- even it wrong to my humble opinion. I mean, we read that we should post on social media, but no one elaborates on what we should post, where, how, and what impact we should expect. I will try to describe, based on my best judgment, what we should and what we should do on Social media. And please remember, each social media platform needs a different approach, and we talk on using Social Media for Business!


But let’s start from the beginning. Why we use social media? To engage people! To make them to remember us, to visit our shop and buy something. This is why we do it. If you have a different approach, please write it on the comments section.
How we engage people? Well, let’s go back to basics. What we did on the pre- social media era?
We were going out to meet people! In family gatherings, classmate reunions, fairs and exhibitions and other occasions, too many to list here, but you got the idea.
What we were doing when we met people for the first time in one of the above events?

If we were not shy, we would introduce ourselves, shake hands and start a conversation.

Would you instantly tell the new guy in front of you, “Hi I am “Jane, Bill, or whatever,” and I am a crafter/artist/, here is my collection”? And hand them a nice brochure with photos of your products?
Of course not!
You would start a discussion, usually about the weather, or the event you are both attending, you would discuss about some other people who are on the same event, finding common interests, and BY THE WAY, in the course of the conversation, you would bring the matter that you are a crafter, and you do it as a prime or secondary job, and you are actually selling you crafts there and there etc. This is engagement!

So, why Social Media to be different? Why should we chose a different approach?
Start easy, and be consistent. Make new friends, by opening discussions or participating in discussions. Then – By The Way- tell them what you do- talk for your passion, and the love and soul you add on every masterpiece you are creating!