Do you struggle with having a great social media marketing plan, yet no budget to actually implement it?
An idea will remain an idea if you don't have the funding, energy or ability to ever execute it - some of the best strategies never make it to market simply because the people behind them don't know how to get the buy-in, budget and support to make it a reality.
Do any or all of these problems sound familiar?
- You struggle with getting budget approved to implement your social media plan
- Your executives don't understand social media
- You struggle with articulating the goals and objectives of your social media program to key stakeholders
- You feel like you're boiling the ocean as it relates to getting your social media plan approved
- You lack needed support and buy-in for your social media program and plan
- You don't know how to align social media to business goals and objectives your executives and key stakeholders care about
- You know your organization is filled with employees who want to power up your brand and could be loyal brand advocates, but you can't get the support you need to empower them
Would you like strategies to resolve these issues? If yes, then you've landed on the right blog and podcast today.
Getting approval from key stakeholders, executives, board members, or even investors is key to success for any major program, and this includes social media. Social media shouldn't be a band-aid you slap on the side of your business, hoping you can improve your bottom line with more amplification via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn. You get out of social media what you put into it - and that includes budget. This is often a hard nut for many executives new to social media to swallow.
Take a listen to this episode of the Social Zoom Factor podcast and learn how you can setup a 6 month plan for budget approval. The key is to earn the trust and respect early on in your social media program so that you can earn the additional needed budget in later phases of your project. The podcast will provide you with the foundation to help you win support of even the toughest to please C-Suite executive and stakeholders as early in the process as possible.
Take a listen and be sure to subscribe to the entire series on iTunes, Stitcher or SoundCloud.
Episode Highlights
- 5 things you MUST do to get approval for your social media budget and plan
- 5 things you should NOT do if you want to obtain approval for your social media plan and budget
- Why you must have a solid foundation that includes knowing your audience, goals, and objectives
- Why starting with a well-defined scope and plan will help you achieve results faster than trying to boil the ocean from day one
- Why you need to simplify your plan for key stakeholders to understand and provide you the buy-in you are seeking
- Why you need to know where you're going, and why, before you can get others to board your train
- Setting key performance indicators (KPIs) and ensuring all stakeholders and executives understand them
- The importance of ensuring all team members and executives are speaking the same language
- Consider doing a survey to help you better understand the skill and needs of your executives, stakeholders, team members and employees
- Why you have to align your social media efforts to your top business goals and objectives
- Why collaboration is key and you must avoid working in a bubble
- Why you shouldn't "fake it until you make it" and instead get the necessary thirrd party help if needed
Supporting Resources:
- How to Get Your Social Media Budget Approved (white paper)
- Audience Analysis Worksheet
- 10 Questions You Must Answer Yourself Before Hiring a Social Media Agency (episode 197)
- Welcome to the Inspiration Age - Are You Ready?
- Welcome to the Participation Age
- How to Tap into the Power of the OPC - Other People's Content & Community
- Social Trust Factor: Ignite Results with Trust and Authority
- 8 Steps to Develop a Social Business Plan (white paper)
- How to Build a Social Business Strategy & Plan (episode 14)