Instagram is the NUMBER ONE underutilized social media platform for attorneys. With more than 1 billion monthly active users, every individual, professional, company, and brand should be on Instagram.
Professionals such as attorneys, dentists, medical doctors, and accountants ask me all the time if they should be on social media and my answer is a resounding YES.
You Need to Market Yourself.
As a business professional, you are busy serving your clients and trying to increase your profits by growing your company. This is a good thing and exactly what you should be doing.
Don't do it all ourself.
Unfortunately, many professionals try to handle all aspects of their business, which is a mistake. Just because you can type 140 words per minute does not mean that you should handle the notes, emails, and invoices in your business.
Similarly, anybody can do social media, but it doesn't mean that you should or that you would be good at it. You should do what you do best, your profession, and partner with a professional marketer who does what he does best, markets you.
You Need to be on Instagram.
Here are 5 facts that will blow your mind about Instagram:
- Instagram currently has one billion monthly active users.
- Instagram will bring in $6.8 billion global mobile ad revenue this year.
- 60 percent of the adults on the internet use Instagram.
- Users “like” 4.2 billion posts on a DAILY basis.
- 300+ million users use Instagram stories every day of the week.
- 50 percent of businesses publish an Instagram story on a consistent schedule.
The potential reach and impact of this social media platform is massive and cannot be overstated. You need to be on it.
A common criticism I hear against Instagram is that, "it's for teenagers" OR "only women are on it." Both are untrue. With one billion users on Instagram, you cannot afford to NOT be on it -- whatever you think.
Yes, women make up the majority of users, but are you willing to take a pass on the 48 percent of men who use it?
And yes, Instagram started as an app for teenagers -- but like every app, it ages up -- just like Facebook did, drawing in broader audiences. Sheer numbers say -- "BE THERE."
Instagram is too big and too important for you to pass on it. Think of it this way, how would you feel if your competitors were on Instagram and you weren't?
You Need to Define Your Goals.
The first question you need to ask yourself and answer is, "what is my goal?"
You can have more than one goal but you should at least identify what you hope to get out of social media.
Common Goals Include:
#1 Personal Branding.
This is what people think of and feel when they hear and see your name. The warm & fuzzies, the good or bad memories, and what others comment about you. Instagram is the perfect platform to tell & create your story. Showcase your interests, career, passions, family, events, and all the other great things you do.
Remember, people follow people and business is about relationships. When you share your life with the world, you'll find other like-minded people who want to work with you because of who you are.
#2 Corporate Branding.
Your company stands for something and Instagram is the best place to showcase that. Are you a defender of victim's rights? Do you value entrepreneurship? Whatever it is, you need to tell people about that because it's part of your brand.
Your brand is the lifeblood of your company and everything you do revolves around that brand. Therefore, it's your responsibility (or your marketer's) job to make sure that brand gets shared with the world.
#3 Thought Leadership.
Content is your new best friend.
You need to deliver content that people find valuable and interesting. Yes, social media tells your story but more importantly, social media tells your story for the sake of others.
Let me explain:
Hey its great to see a picture of you fishing, but what's even better is when you tap into the passion of fishing that others have. That's how you create a connection.
Remember Four Things When Creating Content:
#1 Be specific.
#2 Be relevant.
#3 Be varied.
#4 Be valuable.
Don't post something just to put something.
Don't copy and paste articles and re-type the title. This looks terrible. It's better not to post at all than to post junk.
Here are good things you can post:
- News & commentary related to your business.
- Advice & best practices.
- Testimonials (yes! post these all the time!).
- Profiles of your employees and their hobbies.
- Case studies of how you helped others succeed and/or profit.
- Surveys, polls, & infographics.
- Jokes, it always helps to lighten somebody else's day.
#4 Engage the Community.
Business is all about people and you need to figure out how to connect with and relate to your community. Your community could be professional, neighborhood, local government, school & sports, or anything else.
You need to think of yourself as the go-to person for whatever community you target. Remember, don't spam that community, provide value and in time you will become a centerpiece of that community.
Practical things include promoting your local high school because your kids attend there. Make sure your friends donate to the team, attend the games, and help fill the stadiums.
Make other people the hero and you'll gradually become a hero yourself.
#5 Networking.
It's always good to meet new people because that is what relationships are all about. One of the best things you can do is give shout-outs to people in your network. By promoting the businesses of others, you are becoming their advocate and their ambassador.
56 percent of posts on Instagram receive more engagement if it promotes somebody else.
You may not receive immediate rewards, but that's OK because you are in it for the long-haul. Grow your network by liking and commenting on others' posts, following them, and re-posting their content.
#6 New Clients.
Everybody wants marketing to equal sales, but remember, marketing is not the same as sales. It can help, but it's not the same.
Your job when hiring a marketer is to make sure that he is bringing potential clients to you. It's your job as the businesswoman to provide a product or service, sell it -- then convert it into a new client.
Marketing the right way is crucially important to bringing new clients into the fold. If you aren't marketing --and a potential prospect look you up and doesn't find anything -- then what? You lost a potential client.
But if a client is on the lookout for your product or service, and sees an amazing Instagram profile (that also details your services, testimonials, and contact information) then, Bingo! You just brought somebody into your sales pipeline.
If you don't market for new clients, then you can expect your competitors to do it for you and capture those clients.
#7 Recruiting.
Bringing new and amazing people into your company is at the core of growing your business. Instagram is a terrific source of recruiting because you are able to showcase your company values, what you do, what life is like, and how your potential recruit can fit into the team.
This is the fun part. Does your culture have a unique thing for hiking? Well, post pictures of all the terrific hiking trips you do.
Behind every professional is a personality with interests and likes. Instagram allows you to tap into the passions of other people and create the desire for them to work for you.
If you're still not sold, just think of your competitors using Instagram to recruit. Pretty good idea, right? You better start doing it now.
You Need to Know Your Targets
The power of the internet is vast and the amount of data at your fingertips is unprecedented.
Once you define your goals, you need to know who you are trying to reach.
Consider who you are trying to reach in terms of:
#1 Sex (male/female).
#2 Location (can be as specific as street address).
#3 Interests (keywords such as: fitness, health, insurance, teenagers).
#4 Age (any range you define).
By knowing who you are targeting, you can cater your message to that group, which allows you to be more effective and relevant.
You Will Be Left Behind If You Don't Do This
Instagram is here to stay and should be an critical component of your marketing strategy. Remember, 10-20 percent of your top-line revenue should be dedicated to marketing.
This doesn't mean that Instagram is that full 10-20 percent, but it should make up a large portion of it.
Quit the mailers, the coupon ads, the radio placements, and focus 100 percent on digital marketing. It's less expensive, more effective, and provides a personalized touch that outdoes the best email marketing campaigns.
Instagram has one billion active monthly users. Surely, some of these users fit your client profile and you should start marketing to them, now.