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The Gentlemen’s Corner w/ Colin Furcht -The Gentlemen’s Guide to Establishing a Social Media Presence

Colin Furcht

In today’s society, Social Media has become not only everyone’s ‘go to’ but also a revenue and income producing vehicle. Deciding to jump in as a content provider, marketer, podcaster, influencer or product focused salesperson, each has many benefits and challenges. It’s not as easy as it looks! Even just this bi-weekly article takes time, effort and sometimes stresses me out! Regardless of which direction you want to take, let me share some thoughts, ideas and best practices for anyone looking to jump in the pool!

Where do I start!

As with anything else I cover here in the ‘Corner,’ you need a plan. Don’t take on too much at once and try to do something you are passionate about. You also need to be comfortable with putting yourself out there. It’s not like a Facebook page or Instagram account. People with love and hate you. Be ready for both.

Have a plan. Are you more interested in sharing information and opinions or do you want to sell stuff? Deciding your path may be the easiest part of the plan. If you are generating content, that’s one path. If you are looking to sell products and rate them, that’s a completely different role. Sit down and write out a 3-6-9 month plan of what you want to accomplish and reasonable goals along the way.
Do your research. Is anyone else doing this? Go check out how they are doing it. There’s nothing wrong with a little peek into other platforms to see what is working. How will you be different? Understanding the analytics of view versus likes verses followers will help drive you towards your goals. Data doesn’t lie.

Pick a platform. Are you a Facebook fan but your target market is Millennials? Don’t have an Instagram account yet? There are several key platforms that you should consider based on what you will be delivering. Make sure you understand the value and the differences between them. Realize that in many cases, you can push your content to them all at once. Want to be a Podcaster? There are several platforms that will help develop the content like Descript, StreamYard, YouTube, etc. If you are a seller, check out platforms like EBAY, Amazon, ETSY, Shopify and many more. Each one has its pros and cons
Keep track of your ideas. Just like with any business, have an idea pad or app on your phone. Sometimes things will come to you when you are not at your desk. Don’t lose them! Remember, there are no bad ideas, just bad outcomes. Learn from them.
ADVERTISE. This is a tough one, especially in the early days of being online. You certainly want to grow your followers and fan base. Asking friends and family to share your stuff is a great start but you need to put yourself on different pages as well. There is SO MUCH out there, you need to stand out. Realize it will be hard to find that one thing that makes you go viral. Just keep plugging away. Most content creators post several times a day. Don’t be afraid to spend a few bucks to Boost some of the as well.
Stay current. Being new and innovative will separate you from the pack. However, find your niche and stay in your lane for a while. Being a jack of all trades is not a good strategy. Which leads me to…
Be consistent. Stay in your lane. I cannot stress this enough. People like consistency, especially online. If you are a standout with your podcast or falling down posts, stay there. Followers want to know they can come to you for content that is similar every time. Trying to be everything to everyone will make you hard to categorize.

Have fun. At the end of the day, this should be true of anything you take on. The old saying “Do something you love and you’ll never have to WORK a day in your life’ really hits home here. If generating content, updating websites, meeting deadlines and such aren’t your thing, you will not enjoy this. Doing something that brings out your creativity and gets others excited will make all of the work worth it. Enjoy!

That sounds fun but also a lot of work.

Yep, it’s both of those things. But anything worthwhile usually is. Jumping into something uncomfortable is hard. Being on camera or having to write every day is not for everyone. Unless you have the magic idea, it will take time. Be patient. Make changes. Encourage feedback. It’s ok if it doesn’t explode right away. Learn, ask questions and find your place in it all. There are millions of folks that use the Internet and Social Media every day. Why not you? Of course, get your brothers to support you and ask them to be honest with you about what they see. No better feedback than from a brother!

Take care of yourselves and your brotherhood!

Colin Furcht- BRO Beard Products CEO

Colin has been a long time Lake Norman resident and has been very active in the community. From Commissioner to founding the Lake Norman Lighted Christmas Boat Parade to now a featured Author and small business owner! His desire is to bring men together and encourage them to reach out. He has always said, ‘look out for yourselves and each other.’ All men need a Brotherhood. www.brobeardproducts.shop