Is there a need for Social Media Managers? Understanding Social Media Clients

In order to land clients who need a social media manager, you have to know what they want, what they need, and what they fear. If you can recognize what they think they want, understand what they really need, and are prepared to deal with their questions and fears, half of your job is done already!

 Clients want everything to be simple. Most business owners don’t have the time or the knowledge to deal with online marketing – they just know everyone is telling them they have to “do social media” to be successful, and what they want is to not have to deal with it.

 Clients need an online connection. Ignoring social media doesn’t mean it ceases to exist, or doesn’t affect them. They need a social media game plan, and they need a social media manager who can help them create an online presence and maintain it so they don’t have to deal with it.

 Clients fear what they don’t understand. They worry about going online because they heard a horror story about a business that got a bad review. They panic when they think about having to deal with anything internet related.

 A social media manager can help simplify social media for his or her clients by explaining the concepts in easy to understand terms; by creating and carrying out a social media plan of action; and by taking basic precautions to prevent the most common causes of a “bad reputation” as well as dealing with reputation management issues if needed.

 Becoming a social media expert automatically makes one the person these business owners turn to when faced with the need for an online representation of their brand.

 There are plenty of companies out there who have figured out they desperately need a social media manager. The next step is to make sure they find one .

 Business owners have realized the multiple benefits of hiring freelancers to handle the various aspects of online marketing. They find it easy to post a job online, let freelancers bid on the job, and then select the one whose price, time estimates and expertise best match their needs.

 As we have discovered, social media management is a field with almost unlimited potential for growth in the coming years – and not nearly enough competent professionals to meet the demand from countless companies shifting large portions of their budget to online marketing.

What Kind Of Clients Are Seeking Social Media Managers?

All kinds of businesses are shifting their focus to online branding. These include companies from every service industry, well known and emerging product lines, educational organizations such as schools and colleges, and even charities. 

 Companies which traditionally depended on word of mouth referrals are turning to the world of social media to increase their reach, while other businesses that used to devote large amounts of their budget to direct mail and print advertising are finding the online medium more cost effective.

 Who Is Getting Social Media Right?

 Several large companies which are doing social media “right” include:

Ford

Zappos

Old Spice

Burger King

Pepsi

Volkswagen

Ikea

Smirnoff

Cadbury

BMW

These companies jumped on the social media train early, and have been reaping the rewards ever since, with increased brand recognition, increased sales, and increased consumer engagement.

Industries that have been a little slower to get into social media include less “sexy” fields, like machine related industries (including large equipment manufacturers, efficiency companies and industrial operations), niches that traditionally depended on a firm owner’s personal reputation (such as executive recruiters, lawyers or consultants) and small family owned businesses that depend mainly on local custom.

According to multiple surveys and reports, most businesses with an advertising or marketing budget are planning to divert as much as half of that budget into social media over the next 5 years.