3 Ways to Go Beyond Instagram to Grow Your Small Business
There are dozens of ways to grow your small business these days. So if you use only social media to tell people about your offers, this blog post is for you.
Because while I’ll always preach the value of a strong social media strategy, it’s only one piece of the marketing pie.
Shortly after starting my social media consulting business in January 2018, I realized I had to go beyond Instagram to convert leads into paying customers.
Now I recommend all of my clients focus on these 3 things to help their businesses thrive:
Email marketing
In-person and virtual networking
Personal connections
Keep reading to find out why!
A Gentle Reminder
According to Forbes, owning a small business can be stressful, and entrepreneurs are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges.
So, if any of these suggestions seem overwhelming, take a breath and find your minimum.
Start with one tip and go from there. Or, don’t implement any of them now; instead, put this advice on the back burner until you’re ready.
If you need help finding your minimum, check out my free Find Your Minimum 3-Day Challenge.
Start an Email List to Grow Your Small Business
Whenever I suggest a client start an email list, I either get a resounding “YES!” or a sigh of dread.
Regardless of how you feel about email, it’s one of the best ways to market your business. Think about it: how many times have you made a purchase thanks to a perfectly timed message in your inbox?
It’s also a good investment, because every $1 you spend on your email marketing puts $40 in your bank account, according to Oberlo. And Hubspot notes that “50% of people buy from marketing emails at least once per month.”
Here’s some real talk, though: I’d be lying if I told you I was excited to start my list. It took me FOUR YEARS to commit to consistently sending emails. I had enough on my plate, and I didn’t want to add one more responsibility.
But before I launched my course, I knew I would need another, more direct way to connect with my people. Instagram was great for lead generation, but I wanted something to turn those leads into buyers.
It worked! Within a few months of launching my challenge, around 50 email subscribers became course buyers. A few months later, I started to send bi-weekly, value-packed emails to my community, and I now have 1,500 people on my list.
The best part? I can easily repurpose my social media content to email (and vice versa)!
How to Synergize Your Email and Instagram Marketing Efforts
A few days after you send an email, open your email analytics report and look at who clicks the links in the message you sent. These are hot leads – the people who are genuinely interested in your offer.
So, keep the relationship strong by engaging with their Instagram content – comment on their posts and Stories and start conversations in the DMs.
This strategy keeps you top of mind and creates a genuine connection between you and your most loyal community members.
Attend and Host Networking Events
Did you know that, according to Zippia, “networking is responsible for the success of 78% of startups?”
And while online networking is great, I prefer in-person events.
When Shannon McKinstrie and I founded the Social Squad (now The Social Squad Society), we knew we wanted to make in-person events a big part of our business model.
And our members benefited from these events in significant ways. Take my friend Beth Wood, owner of Wood and Co Studio, for example. She attended the first in-person Social Squad Society retreat in 2022; half of the attendees became her loyal customers.
I’ve also hosted two in-person networking nights to create a relaxed and fun event for local female entrepreneurs.
If you want to host your event, here’s my best advice:
Start small! Your first few events don’t have to take a lot of time or effort. Simply email a few fellow business owners and meet up for coffee or lunch.
But if hosting an event seems overwhelming, reach out to your local chamber of commerce, a co-working community, or a women-in-business organization. These groups often host in-person events.
Lastly, virtual groups are a great happy medium if you prefer to network from home. The Social Squad Society would be an excellent place to start! We host monthly virtual masterclasses and Q&As.
How to Leverage In-Person Networking on Instagram
My favorite way to ensure that people I meet at a networking event can easily connect with me on social media is to have my Instagram QR code handy.
How does it work?
First, create your QR code. You can learn how here.
Print it on your business card or keep it handy on your phone. (Or reach out to Beth! She makes impressive acrylic signage perfect for your QR code.
Then, anyone you meet can simply snap a photo of the code to instantly follow you on Instagram.
After the event, keep the conversation going in the DMs!
Use Your Connections to Connect Others
Connecting business owners to other business owners is one of my favorite parts of entrepreneurship.
For example, a friend contacted me because she needed a virtual assistant. I immediately provided her with a list of VAs to follow and reach out to, and within a few days, she hired one of them.
Creating connections is a powerful tool because you will help your fellow entrepreneurs and become a go-to resource–someone your community knows they can trust to get good recommendations.
How to Leverage Your Personal Connections on Instagram
My favorite way to share connections on Instagram is to shout out other business owners in Stories.
Whenever I have a good experience with someone, I tell my Instagram community in a Story or two.
Plus, that business owner will likely re-share my Story in their Stories, introducing me to an entirely new audience. It’s a win-win!
Let’s Wrap This Up
I love social media, but the longer I’ve been in business, the more I realize it’s only the icing on the marketing cupcake.
So much behind-the-scenes work goes into efficiently promoting yourself and your offers, so consider adding email marketing and in-person networking to your strategy.
Then, use your personal connections to establish yourself as a go-to resource in your community.
Need more guidance? Check out my 1:1 Marketing Strategy Sessions, where I’ll help you create a holistic marketing strategy without the overwhelm.
Also, be sure to connect with me on Instagram–where I share tips, tricks, and a good dose of reality tv commentary. 😉