Does Social Media Cost Thousands of Dollars per Month?

Social media consulting costs

Written by: Brian Smith

I wrapped up a presentation last week on “Running a Prosperous Business”. Speaking to the 30 plus business owners was a blast and helping them run a prosperous business is near and dear to my heart. It’s our goal when we help other business owners with their business. Everything starts with this simple question: “What does running a prosperous business mean to you?” It’s a slight variation from another great question: “What do you want your business to look like and why?”

What I found the most fascinating about the group I presented to is this: One of the people there wanted to talk to me about visibility with her company. This isn’t that out of the norm. It’s a big piece of our business; helping other companies remain visible to the right people.

The fascinating part was that she wanted to debate me about social media.She thinks social media is a fad. She was determined to tell me all the reasons she thinks it’s a waste of time and money. I listened carefully and even offered some questions to try and better understand. After a few minutes, we finally got to the bottom of her concerns.

She wanted to make sure she didn’t waste thousands of dollars on a fad that wouldn’t be around in a few years. It’s a valid concern. After talking about other marketing efforts she has tried, it made even more sense. She wasn’t successful with other online advertising like Yelp. She had spent $500 per month over the last year trying to advertise on Yelp and was sure that all social media efforts would yield similar results: no new clients.

Let’s start with her main concern: Social Media costs thousands of dollars per month.

It’s just not true. Sure, it could cost this much and some companies choose to use this avenue as a major source of their business. Most companies that we work with don’t have budgets for thousands of dollars per month for social media , mainly because their capacity to handle more work isn’t high enough to justify the dozens of inbound leads it would generate.

When we work with small business owners to develop a social media marketing strategy, we have to be very mindful of their budget. We also need to review the business’s website to see if it’s ready for social media. What were really trying to determine is: If we drive a bunch of traffic to your website, will people like what they see and ultimately contact you.

Her second concern is that social media is a fad. Some companies treat social media as a fad. They hear other companies having “success” at it. Their competitors have a lot of “likes” on their Facebook page, or they have a lot of twitter followers. It may look impressive from the outside. So, a business “tries out social media”. This is where the fad starts. A business owner dabbles in social posts on Facebook and, after countless hours of time and dozens of posts, gives up after two or three months.

There are four main components to winning at social media.

The first component is having appropriate expectations of your efforts.

If your budget for social media is $200 per month, it might be unrealistic to expect to create a massive following after the first few posts. On the other hand, a larger budget doesn’t guarantee you success in social media. To better understand how social media can help your business, contact us for a free consultation.

The second part is understanding your target market.

Until we understand who we’re targeting, it’s impossible to create a strategy. We want to get super specific with defining our target market. What are they interested in? What are their priorities? Are they laid back or super driven? Creating a very clear image of your target market helps win in social media.

The third (and perhaps the most important) part is creating a message that resonates with your target market.

Nothing helps advance social media efforts more than driving home a point that gets your target market thinking, “Wow. This company/person really understands my struggles.” The other part of creating a message to your target market should repel people who are not in your target market. This is an often unpopular concept, but in practice it helps bring the right people to your business.

The fourth and final point is driving a consistent message to the right people

Consistency, in any marketing efforts, takes time and commitment. Partly, it shows your target market that you aren’t a splash in the pan that is going to be out of business in a few months. It’s also important because some people take time to take action. People tend to have to see the same message or advertisement multiple times before taking action.

I want to be clear about the cost behind Social Media Management. It doesn’t need to take dozens of hours a month, hundreds of custom curated posts, or cost thousands of dollars to create a winning social media page. What it does take is the right content. Oh, and we can help!

© Individual Advantages, LLC 2016

The post Does Social Media Cost Thousands of Dollars per Month? appeared first on IA Business Advisors.

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How to Mitigate Financial Risk Using the S.M.A.R.T. Management System

June 9, 2025

In an increasingly volatile economy, businesses cannot afford to be reactive when it comes to their finances. Whether you're a startup founder, a growing enterprise, or a seasoned business owner, the risk of financial instability is real—and growing. At IA Business Advisors, we help companies proactively navigate these risks using our comprehensive S.M.A.R.T. Management System . S.M.A.R.T. is more than just a goal-setting acronym. It is a decision-making and execution framework that brings clarity, structure, and alignment to every part of your business. From six-week action plans to one-year targets and long-term strategy, S.M.A.R.T. ensures your financial operations support healthy growth and resilience. Understanding Financial Risk in Today’s Business Climate Financial risk is multifaceted. It ranges from cash flow disruptions and market shifts to internal mismanagement and over-leveraged growth. As Brian Smith shared on a recent Daily Influence podcast episode, unchecked growth can drive a company into bankruptcy. Scaling without intention—chasing fast growth without aligning the internal team and financial resources—leads to diluted communication, quality issues, and operational chaos. Mitigating financial risk begins by understanding that more revenue doesn't always equal more stability. True sustainability comes from building systems that support intentional, well-paced growth. The S.M.A.R.T. Framework in Action: Reducing Financial Risk Our S.M.A.R.T. Management System guides businesses in creating resilient, financially stable operations through: 1. Specific: Build with Intentionality Clarity is power. One of our podcast guests, Mike Heatwole (CEO of The Dala Group), emphasized the importance of sitting down to define what matters most—whether that’s paying down debt, investing in growth, or launching a new venture. When your financial goals are specific, your strategy becomes targeted and less prone to reactive decision-making. “If we don’t know what the goal is, how do we get there?” — Mike Heatwole, CEO of The Dala Group 2. Measurable: Track What Matters Many companies are blindsided not by invisible risks, but by unmonitored ones. We help clients implement tools to track cash flow, margin fluctuations, and budget variances in real time. Visibility into your financial health gives you the power to respond early and course correct as needed. 3. Achievable: Assign Financial Stewardship Risk is reduced when financial responsibility is distributed. Through teamwide financial literacy and clear accountability, we empower organizations to make stronger daily decisions. No individual person should carry the entire burden—and no key area should go unmonitored. 4. Relevant: Make Risk Management a Habit Quarterly or biannual financial health check-ins create a sustainable rhythm. These don’t have to be complicated—they just need to be consistent. Regular reviews embed risk awareness into your company culture and decision-making process. 5. Timely: Foster Honest Dialogue Financial silence is a hidden threat. As Brian noted on the podcast, emotions like fear or shame can prevent businesses from facing financial realities. We encourage honest, blame-free communication around financial performance, creating space for solutions and collective action. Case in Point: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Impact One of our clients, a family-run distribution company, had strong revenue but was bleeding cash due to aging receivables. Together, we built a six-week S.M.A.R.T. Plan focused on accounts receivable recovery. We implemented weekly check-ins, assigned ownership, and used real-time tracking. Within 90 days, their outstanding A/R dropped by 22%, freeing up capital and restoring operational confidence. It’s Never Too Late to Get Financially Intentional Many leaders in their 40s, 50s, or 60s worry they’ve waited too long. But as Mike Heatwole wisely shared: “It’s never too late. Just get started. Do something.” Progress—not perfection—is the goal. Start small. Build momentum. Take the next best step. This mirrors a concept we love from The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan: measure progress based on how far you've come, not just how far you have to go. Final Thoughts: Make Financial Stability a Strategy Mitigating financial risk isn’t about a dramatic overhaul. It’s about consistent action, visibility, and intentional decision-making. With the S.M.A.R.T. Management System, IA Business Advisors helps businesses turn risk into clarity, fear into focus, and instability into opportunity. If you’re ready to start, we’re ready to help. Let’s have a conversation about what matters most to you—and build from there.

Enhancing Interpersonal Relationships for Toxic Workplace Recovery

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