Business owners and senior management who focus their attention on growth often struggle with how to get started on social media. A company’s social media presence needs to be crafted by someone who understands the brand and is fluent in social media strategy. For many SMB’s and larger brands, the best possible formula is outsourced strategy development that is collectively implemented by the company and their “Social Media Pro” partner.
Here are some tips on how to outsource your company’s social media strategy:
Know What Your Responsibilities Are As a Client
Before the project starts, be sure to read the contract so you understand what services you’ll receive. It is important to take note of the responsibilities that your organization will have at the start of the project and while the project continues.
Your professional consultant will need information and resources in order to get started. Your outsourced partner will need to know about your goals, your objectives with social media and any other important benchmarks. In order for an external company to carry the voice of the client online, there is a little heavy lifting to be done internally. If you and your team are prepared to give the outside social media experts what they need, the launch of your project will be a lot smoother.
Establish Benchmarks and Be Honest About Your Needs
A consultant or outsourcing team will need to know how you’re currently performing so they can help you improve your results. Be open and honest so that you can get a real assessment and accurate road map to improve. It’s like going to a trainer to get in shape—you need to give an honest personal audit to help them prepare the right plan for you.
If nothing else, this internal audit will also help you understand what type of help your company needs. For example, if you are active on social media but you aren’t seeing the results you expect, you need to bring in a team or consultant that specializes in engagement rather than on page or profile launches.
Get Your Team on Board With The Hire
You should get your team on board with outsourcing if you want it to be effective. Everyone should be aware of the relationship and eager to embrace it for the greater good of the company. Even if you only need your consultants to refine your company’s approach to social, there can be some ruffled feathers.
Before beginning your outsourcing service, make sure that anyone involved on your side of the fence is fully invested in what you are going to be doing. Share the benefits of the outsourcing service. Help everyone understand how it will increase your company’s success with social media and streamline internal resources.
Manage Your Expectations
Once a project is complete and a business feels empowered, the team tends to expect big wins overnight. Your company may have been waiting for expertise in the area or may have limited investments up until the point at which you decided to outsource. Now that you have had some success, there is an assumption that future ventures will be very easy. While they may be strategic and pursuant to your plan, they will not necessarily be easy.
It takes time for your social media partners and your internal team to get the ball rolling in an efficient and effective way. Don’t try to do too much at once and manage your expectations of how much your team can handle and the results they can produce in a relatively short amount of time.
If you consider these four things, you will have a better outsourcing experience. Social media strategy is an important function to outsource to experts because of how dynamic and effective the medium is. People who know the landscape and who closely monitor its changes are the best suited to write your playbook and point you in the right direction.