Kristin F. Simmons

Category: Media Tips & Tricks

Business on Social Media

Posted on by Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons

How to share your tourism destination on Social Media.


What is the best way to share your business on social media? I don’t know about you, but when I lay in bed at night, scrolling through my iPad, searching for the next latest-and-greatest place I want to visit, I tend to stop and linger at pretty pictures and videos or real people doing fun and engaging things.

I am not alone in this.

Over 45% of the world’s total population are on social media, spending on average, 2.5 hours per day on social networks and in messaging apps.* (Hootsuite, 2019)

Social media users love travel photos and destinations profiles.

Travelers want what is REAL and RELEVANT. They want to be shown what it would truly be like to travel to a destination, and what to expect along the way. Travelers want to connect with the EMOTION of the experience, long before they step foot in the hotel lobby, or get in their car to the airport.

How can YOU, dear gentle business owner, benefit from this knowledge and cater your social media marketing to potential tourism and hospitality customers?

  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Share views from your resort dining room. Guests can dream about sitting there and taking in the view.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Do you make gourmet food on-site? People love food photos and want to dream and salivate.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Does your resort have big comfy beds? Show them off. People want comfort and relaxation.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Do you have iconic views that are Instagram worthy? Show them off.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Guests want to see happy people at your business. Share the smiles.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Imagine yourself here! Share views from around your property.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    Do you have regular visitors like a resident seagull? Tell the tall tale or local legend.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    What is special about your business? The Sebasco Harbor Resort has a vintage bowling alley that guest can use. Share what is unique and special.
  • How to Share your Tourism and Hospitality business on Social Media Kristin F. Simmons
    What are your business amenities? Show them off.

It’s as simple as 1-2-3 to market your Tourism and Hospitality Business on Social Media.

1.PLAN AHEAD

I promise you, your marketing outreach will be SO much easier if you do a bit of planning ahead. You KNOW that the “spray and pray” method of throwing up a social post here and there does not work. It is ineffective and causes social media burnout. It makes you question, “Why am I doing this at all?”

A little creative brainstorm and a quick run-down list can make all the difference in your staying power on social media.

Download the Quick Draft Post Calendar here and follow these steps:

Jot down the answers to the following questions: (Sample Business Draft for the purpose of demonstration: Fairwinds Coastal Resort in New England)

What do we share for sales and specials for our Tourism and Hospitality Business? Pre-Memorial Day 40% for stays more than 2 nights; 25% off stays in June or July of 7+ continuous days.

What can we post seasonally? Staff profiles; Photos of rooms types; Wedding events; On-site and off-site catering

What special events, including charity events do we do? Our Local Brews & BBQ Weekend; Our Kids Fairy Festival in May; Our Lobster Roll Festival in August

What are some behind-the-scenes parts of our business we can share? Set up for a wedding; Opening of the pool; Videos of the chef prepping in the kitchen.

Then, fill in your month of social media posts ideas:

Week 1: Share photos of the past Local Brews & BBQ Events with a link to ticket sales; Share a series of photos from a couple who were married on the property with a link to the sales team phone number.

Week 2: Share our seasonal sales specials with a direct link to our booking page; share photos to the property to get people exciting about the upcoming season.

Week 3: Share photos and brief bios of the staff. Share photos of the newly refurbished rooms with link to booking page.

Week 4: Post photos of the Fairy Festival with links to the gift shop and our collection of fairy house books; Share photos of our chef making lobster rolls and ask guest to share their photos of when they ate lobster rolls on property.

One of my favorite quotes: “Chance favors the the prepared mind.” The same goes for YOU and your social media planning. The better the outline and plan, the better your chance of reaching your marketing your goals.

Credit -Louis Pasteur

2. SHARE USER GENERATED CONTENT

Guess what? You don’t have to do all the work. That’s right, you heard me!

You can look up what people have posted about their stay, and then SHARE that on your social media. In fact, this is a GREAT way to fill up your social media posts as both a regular part of your weekly plan AND when you are feeling that low-motivating-oh-dear-I-feel-so-uncreative-kinds-mood.

Here’s what you need to know:

YOU MUST get permission. YOU MUST credit the photo and/or source link that you repost. As a business owner, you need to follow the ethical guidelines set forth by all-that-is-respectful in the world.

Share what is referred to as “User Generated Content” in your social media posts. Make sure to give credit and celebrate the fact that your customers are acting as ambassadors.

It’s easy and it looks like this:

Sample outreach to client —-

“We loved what you posted on Facebook. We are so happy you enjoyed your stay. We would like to share it with our users and credit you and your account.  Would you be be comfortable if we shared it on our Facebook page? Please contact us at info@fairwindscoastalresort.com.” And then post away dear friends!

3. Be of SERVICE

Let’s face it: The WHOLE point of social media is to be of service.

Before the sales, before the song-and-dance, we are here to be of SERVICE and to help our clients.

Ask yourself this question: Is what I am posting online helpful? Does it help my clients see the full range of services that we offer?  Does it help them make a decision about booking with us?

To put it another way, are you walking into the room and using a bullhorn to brag about your business and then walking away? Or are you purposefully asking questions, introducing yourself, and listening to what is going on? If its the latter of the two, then you are being of service.

Everything you post for your business on social media should be planned and purposeful, providing both future clients and return guests a chance to share and shine.

Have any questions or need further help?  Like us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our email list to follow along for the latest updates and classes. Our goal? To help you feel confident, competent, and creative online.

A very special thanks to Cait Bourgault for her photo at Cafe Miranda in Rockland, Maine, and to the Sebasco Harbor Resort for hosting me for a wonderful press trip.

5 Tips for Amazing Social Media Posts

Posted on by Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons

5 Tips for Amazing Social Media Posts.

I have a great solution for you when it comes to what to post on social media.

We ALL — and I MEAN WE ALL have times when the words don’t flow as easily from our fingertips as we had hoped; or we have impostor syndrome and we don’t think we are good writers; or we just don’t feel like posting..and blah blah blah.

5 tips for Amazing Social Media Posts What to Post on Social media with Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons

I get it.

I fall back on this simple formula of 5 Tips for Amazing Social Posts ALL-THE-TIME. It helps me to stay focused and get creative even when I feel as juicy and exciting as a piece of cardboard.

These steps help me to stay-on-task as a business owner who uses social media as one of my primary marketing tools. It is crucial that my posts be purposeful and a means-to-an-end, whether it be feel-good branding or targeted sales. (The “Spray-and-pray-haphazard-method of social media posting is a sure-fire way to burn out and lose, rather than engage, an audience.

5 tips for Amazing Social Media Posts What to Post on Social media with Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons

I remember the mantra: “All you need is already within you. You are creative and powerful” and then I take these steps:

5 Tips for Amazing Social Media Posts

  1. ENGAGE

    Start with a hook in the form of a question or quote.

  2. INFORM

    Share your personal perspective and expertise.

  3. SHOW

    Add great photos or video to bring your posts to life.

  4. LINK

    Include a link to your business/booking page.

  5. INVITE

    Ask your followers to share & comment.

Formulas help me know that I am on-task and on-target in my business goals, and this outline does the trick.

I invite my community in by asking a question; I share myself, which is an important part of my connection to my customers; I show a photo or video because I know this is part of getting good visibility; I make sure to link back to my business; I invite them to share and be part of the conversation.

For example:

Have you ever driven a vintage truck? (Tip 1)

I drive an old Ford F150 all through college that I bought for $500 cash. I called it “Beatrice” because it meant “blessed.” That’s the way I felt in that old truck and I loved it. (Tip 2)

You can see all of the vintage truck we have on our lot here: ArundelFord.com  (Tip 4)

Did you ever drive a vintage F150? Do you have a photo? We would love to have you share it in the feed below. (And let us know if you had a name for it!) (Tip 5)

And make sure to jump back to Tip 3 to share a photo with every post you do. It doubles your engagement!

Do you have a post formula you like to use? You can download my mantra and my 5 Tip Outline here for your desktop when you sign up for my mailing list. CLICK HERE. I don’t spam or sell your information ever.

Let me know your tips and tricks for great posts on the Facebook Page.

Happy Posting!

A special thanks to the team at Arundel Ford for letting me share one of their posts. They are incredible clients I Iove helping them tell their stories on social media.

Ask a Question: What to Post on Social Media for Small Businesses?

Posted on by Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons

Do you ever wonder what talk about  on social media? Do you get excited to use social media for your marketing, but then lose steam after a few posts and then give up?

I hear you.

We have all been there. The stops. The starts. The lack of feeling creative. The need to take care of EVERYTHING else in your business and Social Media becomes ONE-MORE-THING you need to juggle.

Fret not, fellow business friend. I am here to help. I have a full-proof tip to share with you, so that you know what to post on social media.

Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons Social Media Tips and Tricks What to post on Social Media Desk with Social Media and Connection Concept

Here it is: ASK A QUESTION OF YOUR AUDIENCE

 

Yes. THAT is what you should talk about on social media for your small business.

You should ASK A QUESTION of your community, the likes of which YOU are asked all of the time. As business owners, we solve problems everyday and answer questions.

Some juicy and/or mundane examples may be:

What kinds of service do you offer on old cars? Can you mail a package to Borneo? Do you offer small party catering? What time is your 3 o’clock seminar? Can you hem pants AND dry-clean clothes? Do you have evening hours?  How much for drop-in child care?  Do you allow dogs in your hotel?

You get the calls. You read your emails. You have the lady that wants to hang out, chit-chat, and then pepper you with questions about pairing wines and cooking for 20 people at the holidays. You know the drill and you answer these kinds of business questions EVERYDAY.

Guess what folks? These questions are AMAZING fodder for social media posts.

Ask a Question: What to post for small business on social media Kristin F Simmons
Click Through for a step-by-step video on “How to Ask Questions of your Audience on Social Media.”

Now that you know WHAT to do, it’s time to take action and get posting on social media.

 

Take a look at the steps below, and download a brainstorming guide to help get the juices flowing.

Grab a piece of paper or download the worksheets below. Write down at least 5 questions you are asked everyday in your business.

Remember: All social media posts need to have an image or video attached to them to be the MOST engaging to your audience.

When you look at the most commonly asked questions, feel free to provide an answer directly in the post, or leave it open ended for your community to respond. Here is an example: “Have you ever come to on of our yoga classes? We would love to hear feedback from you!” or “We are asked if we fix older models of cars in our shop all the time. Here are some photos of the antique autos we have repaired. Have you seen them on the road? Share your antique auto photos below or call us for a repair at 555-1212.”

Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons Ask A questions What to post on Social Media

Make sure to ask in a way that encourages a response. Our social media business posts are seen on average by 2-5% of our TOTAL audience. Up-the-ante by creating a “Ask a Question” post and over time, you can improve your visibility ten-fold.

Use this as an opportunity to connect with your community. The more you respond, the stronger the connection between you and your clients. (AND, the more comments and feedback, the better your posts perform, and are shared with a wider audience.)

Get your staff in on the social media action. A good group brainstorm helps to engage your team IN REAL LIFE. Everyone loves to participate and feel like they can contribute.

WORKSHEET PDF TO DOWNLOAD

If you get a customer with a legitimate concern, offer to take the conversation offline and provide a direct phone # for them to call.
If they get nasty, inappropriate and/or abusive, delete it and/or block them. We WILL get concerns and comments. There is NEVER a call for abuse or snarkiness.

So, when you wonder: “What do I post on social media for my small business?” you NOW know what to do.

Remember: My goal is to help you feel CONFIDENT, COMPETENT, & CREATIVE online.

Share your comments below an on my Facebook Page at Kristin F. Simmons Digtal Media | Visual Storyteller. Make sure to keep these worksheets on-hand as a reference and LET ME KNOW how its going.

Need help with planning and execution of social media? I can do that. See my services here. I look forward to hearing from you!

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Get Organized & Ready for 2019: Social Media Consulting for the New Year

Posted on by Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons







Get Organized and Ready for 2019: Social Media Consulting & Instruction.

Are you in need of a social media boost for 2019? 

Do you want to get in-depth, personalized training on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, or Pinterest for your business? 

Do you need step-by-step instructions and a clear path ahead on how to BEST use social media for your business?

Then this is the package for you!

Social Media Training and Classes with Kristin F. Simmons Digital Media Maine

At Kristin F. Simmons, my goal is to help you feel competent, confident, and creative in your social media marketing.

It is my goal to help you get the most from your marketing outreach and maximize your engagement through connected, relevant, and engaging stories.

Social Media Marketing is cost effective – especially when you know how to use it and use it WELL!

The HOLIDAY Package includes:

  1. A 2-hour, custom, one-on-one lesson on the social media platform of your choice.
  2. A comprehensive review of ONE of your social media accounts and a personalized, detailed recommendations for improvement and how to best maintain and use your social media accounts. (Consistency is KEY to mastering social media for business!)
  3. A Detailed 3-Month Editorial Calendar with daily, weekly and monthly post planning to help you reach your 2019 Business goals.
  4. A 1-hour post training follow-up Skype call to review best practices and troubleshoot.
  5. BONUS! Three custom designed photo & graphics posts to use on your social media platforms.

Regular price: $1,500
HOLIDAY SALE PRICE: $799 

Only 5 packages are available until they are sold out for the season!

Email more for more information: kristin.f.simmons@gmail.com

Terms: All sales final. Maine State Sales Tax included. Buyer must send phone and email address to Kristin F. Simmons at kristin.f.simmons@gmail.com to schedule trainings. Payment must be made via PayPal. All initial trainings must be complete by June 1, 2019. 

Questions about the package and what can best serve your needs? Please reach out to me at kristin.f.simmons@gmail.com

I am here to help you be your BEST on social media.

Remember: My goal is to help you feel the “Three C’s: Competent; Confident; Creative.”

Happy Holidays and MY BEST to you!

-Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons
kristinsimmons.com

Social Media For Business training and Classes with Kristin Fuhrmann Simmons
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