Social media isn’t rocket science. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if you already have an active account for at least 3-4 different platforms and you use them daily. Yet despite already using them, you may not be having the success you would like, or think you deserve, for the effort and time you put into it.
Well I’m going to put it out there and say that’s because your efforts aren’t that good. Most people suck at social media. Heck - I even such at social media when I first start using a new platform! However, I am good enough to be able to push my content through social media so that it gets plenty of eyes and ears on it.
After years of experimenting myself, I commonly see the same rookie mistakes made by personal trainers and coaches, which are really holding them back. The good news is, once you understand what these are, you can get to work and fix them quickly. For many people, this is probably the best place to start in order to see more success.
So let’s dive into what these are exactly...
Mistake 1: Your content is rubbish
Have you ever posted on FB and it gets no likes or comments? Or have you ever done a live video and everyone leaves after 2 minutes? Well, the number one reason for that is because your content is rubbish. And I’m speaking from first hand experience here.
People will only be interested in your social media updates if they see value in them. This means you should be entertaining your audience or providing a solution to a problem they have. If you can do both together, you’re on to a winner.
This means being more creative. You can no longer expect a lot of people to see your posts where they offer little value. So posting the time of your next bootcamp or that you’re off to have another workout means very little to the majority of people.
Ask yourself, what’s in it for them? Why should they click that link to your boot camp, why should they ‘like’ that you’re off for a workout? When you do this, you’re likely to produce much less content or updates, but instead make what you are producing amazing.
Mistake 2: You don’t know your ideal client
We’re talking about social media success, so I’m assuming your goal is to get more clients or improve your fitness business by doing it well.
If so, then you must know exactly who your ideal client or customer is. Then you should ensure your social media updates not only provide value, but value to that sub-set of people. Trying to produce content or updates to impress everyone is a sure fire way to impress no-one.
So what is it you really do? And for whom?
Just shouting from the rooftop that you’re a personal trainer and that you can help everyone get fit and healthy means very little these days. Just take a good look around and you’ll see that you’re not alone with the message.
So what if you changed this to – “I help stay at home mums improve their bodies in as little as 15 minutes a day by providing highly customized workout programmes".
Now you know what you do. Now you know who you can help. And now you know what content to share on social media to make it a success.
Mistake 3: You try to copy someone else
Perhaps you know someone crushing it on Instagram with daily quotes. Perhaps you know someone on Facebook killing it with live videos. So you think “it’s easy to do that, I’ll do that too, and it will be a success. If it works for them it will work for me too.”
Wrong. You can’t just follow someone else’s platform or formula. Why? Well think back to mistake 1 and 2. You should have your own unique way of delivering value to your selected sub-set of people.
When you get that right, you won’t need to copy other people. It means you will attract your own audience and they will keep showing up to hear what you’ve got to say. Sure, by all means take some inspiration from those who are crushing it on certain social platforms, but if they’re doing something similar to you, then you’ll just become a clone.
Mistake 4: Using every platform for the sake of it
It’s easy to feel like we need to be using every social media platform available to us, but we don’t. Again, the platforms you use and specialize in will need to be directly linked to how you deliver your value and to whom.
If your focus is you and your coaching services, then platforms that help you get your personality and advice across to people in the easiest way are best. Something like Facebook is ideal because you can create live videos to show your personality and easily share your blog posts that people will click on.
But if you have a fitness product, then different methods should be used. You’ll want to get your product in front of as many people as possible(using creative methods of course), and show the benefit of its use. So a visual platform like Instagram is ideal here, and you can also link people to your site to buy.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure as to which social platform to really get focused on, think about which one will best serve you and your potential audience. However it’s important to mention that it can be the culmination of all of your social media channels that will lead to great results.
Most people connect with their favorite brands or products on multiple platforms, so being somewhat ‘present’ on the various options available isn’t a bad idea. It can also give your audience the option on how they want to follow you.
The take home point here is, get really good at using a small number of platforms, but be socially present on the others that aren’t a top priority for you.
Mistake 5: You’re not consistent
If you take a look at anyone who has success on social media, they always have one thing in common: they are extremely consistent at posting valuable information to their audience.
You must too.
Building an engaging and loyal social following could take years. But if you’re very consistent, by which I mean daily, with your efforts, you can quickly reduce that time frame.
We all secretly want overnight success, let’s be honest. So when that doesn’t happen it can feel disheartening. But the magic happens in the long-term, after you’ve put in the hard work. For the majority of people, being consistent on social media is too much work.
But here’s the truth: The first time you post on that new social media platform, you’ll probably have no likes or comments. Don’t let this put you off, do the same again the next day, and then the next.
If you’ve applied everything we’ve discussed up to now, you should be gaining some traction. Soon, you’ll have learnt what works for you. Then it’s just a matter of ‘rinse and repeat’.
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