Small Business Social Media Marketing Guide

Business consulting social media strategies

Written by: Braden Zoet

The impact of social media transcends our everyday existence, intermingling with politics, breaking news, and how we conduct business. It’s used by both companies and consumers, and has proven to be an excellent channel to interact with your target audience. This is especially the case for small businesses ; knowing how to leverage social media to establish your brand, engage your buyers, and increase demand is an invaluable tool. To digital natives, interacting on social platforms is rudimentary, but new businesses join these services every day, and navigating the complex intricacies of building a social following can be a daunting task for the uninitiated.

That’s where we come in. Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay, and it’s changed the digital marketing landscape. That being said, our social media usage and habits are constantly changing, especially among millennial’s, and so establishing a network that delivers real value to your company demands both hard and savvy work. This blog post serves as an introduction to social media and the most effective social platforms for business marketing. It is the first of a multi-part series on Our Guide to Social Media , so stay tuned for more blog posts that explain how you should be utilizing your online presence!

Social Media is Important for my Business *

90% of marketers say social media is important to their business

Those of you who are new to social media are probably wondering what it is and why we use it. Well, social media originated as a way for people to communicate and interact online, but social networks have since developed their own unique ecosystems. For businesses, the shift from a passive to an interactive web led to a rise in web consumerism, and with it came the growth of the social network. Facebook inspired a Hollywood blockbuster and entered the dictionary as a verb before businesses embraced its potential, but since then consumers have largely come to expect companies to have a social presence. And I’m not talking about a monthly update sent to your neglected Facebook page or a sporadic tweet announcing your annual sale, I’m talking about constant and meaningful communication.

I know what you’re thinking: “This sounds like a lot of work.” And I’ll be honest with you, it is. I manage the social accounts for IA and several of our clients , and it can become tedious creating content to post and tracking the accompanying analytics. The irony of it all is that I don’t actually like social media (which isn’t something you’ll hear from most millennials), but it’s true, my personal pages are fairly void of activity. My point in saying this is that you don’t have to embrace social media to recognize its massive potential for your business. Whether or not your company is active on social media, your potential customers are there looking for information, recommendations, and entertainment. If you’re not online to interact with them, one of your competitors will be.

Weekly Time Commitment for Social Media Marketing*

63% of marketers are investing 6 or more hours into social media every week, and 39% are investing 11 or more hours every week

Perhaps your greatest hesitancy about jumping on the social media bandwagon is the concern over the eventual time commitment you’ll need to make, to which I’ll say this: a limited social presence is better than none at all. The time commitment is largely based on the amount of content you’re sharing and the level of engagement you have with your community. A common mistake many businesses new to social engagement make is limiting their content to promotional updates. While it is good to promote your product or service, your followers will grow tired of hearing your pitch. Instead, consider broadening your scope to include sharing related content such as articles and comics to make your posts more engaging and lower the burden of creation.

As a rule of thumb, you should be posting no less than once a week, but no more than once a day (unless you have reason to). Status updates don’t remain visible to your audience very long, users quickly move on to new posts in their news feed. You need to update your account regularly to foster engagement and entice users to follow along. That being said, don’t talk for the sake of talking; posting updates with the intention of meeting a quota won’t help you establish a following.

The most important takeaway from this blog post should be this: be human in your interactions on social media. It may sound obvious, but human engagement is the objective of social networking, and you should keep that in mind as you develop your online presence and a voice that is representative of your company’s personality. Your social posts shouldn’t be overly rehearsed, don’t try to be something you’re not – it will be obvious. Instead, try to capture your company culture in a way that users can relate to and build a relationship with. Be sure to maintain a consistent voice throughout all of your posts (first / third person, I / we, etc.), as it helps to create your brand’s identity.

Benefits of Social Media Marketing*

89% of marketers indicated that their social media efforts have generated more exposure for their business

Much of the customer experience now lives on the web, and most of your customers’ web-based interactions with your company are transactional, which doesn’t allow for much buy-in. However, social media affords an opportunity to grow lasting and scalable relationships with your organization’s customer base. This provides an excellent feedback loop concerning your customers’ opinions of your product or service, and their experience of interacting with your company. Additionally, those online interactions create the basis for one of your best marketing assets: customer advocacy.

Now that I’ve (hopefully) convinced you to adopt social media as a marketing tool, if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to discuss the most effective social networks for business marketing. I’m sure at this point you’re tired of reading, and if we’re being honest I’ve grown weary of writing, so let’s pick this up on the next blog post. What exactly will we be discussing? We’ll go into depth about which social networks are the most relevant to your industry and how you should be using them. We’ll talk about the following sites:

Commonly Used Social Media Platforms*

Facebook continues to be the top platform used by marketers

Maintaining an online social presence will help your company expand its organic reach in an authentic manner, drive qualified traffic to your website , increase your brand’s recognition, and gain valuable data on your customers for insights-based decisions. Whether you’re a beginner to social media or need advice on best practices, I encourage you to keep an eye out for our next blog post!

Do you have any questions about social media that you’d like me to discuss in an upcoming blog post? Write a comment below and I’ll be sure to address your question in our next post!

* Taken from the Social Media Marketing Industry Report

© Individual Advantages, LLC 2017

The post Small Business Social Media Marketing Guide 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

May 29, 2025

Hello, team! Mary here, continuing our journey through the I in Team series, where we challenge and empower you to Find , Be , and Build Your Influence. One of the most common things we’re asked to help our clients with is toxic workplace recovery. This directly connects to the culture of the team, and while rebuilding that culture takes time and intention, it is absolutely possible. In fact, with the guidance of our I in Team approach and S.M.A.R.T. Management system, we’ve successfully helped more than 19,000 teams evolve into high-performing, values-based cultures. If you’re ready to take the lead and breathe life back into your team, we’re here and ready to support you. Practice Emotional Intelligence One of the most impactful steps you can take on your toxic workplace recovery journey is to practice emotional intelligence (the ability to recognize, understand, and manage both your own emotions and the emotions of those around you). Toxic environments are often the result of emotional disconnection, poor communication, unnecessary competition, and a culture that avoids constructive feedback. Begin by shifting your perspective: respond with empathy, ask thoughtful questions, and use “I” statements. These habits model two traits, emotional regulation and empathy, that influence how your team interacts and solves problems. Start small. For example, set a personal goal to give one piece of sincere praise or recognition per day. This is a S.M.A.R.T. goal, and it starts to reinforce positive emotional exchanges. Over time, this contributes to a psychologically safe environment where people feel seen and supported. Foster Open Communication Once emotional intelligence begins to take root, toxic workplace recovery is just around the corner. Open communication becomes more natural because when team members are aware of their own and others’ emotions, communication becomes seamless. The number one rule? Listen. Really listen. Without listening, communication is incomplete. Try implementing monthly influence partnerships—team pairings that rotate so members can get to know each other beyond surface-level roles. This creates connection and, when done with consistency (Timely), fosters trust across your team. Another way to build open communication is by creating a structured feedback loop. Clarify how and when feedback should be given—perhaps during weekly one-on-ones or monthly review meetings—and make sure all team members understand the difference between criticism and constructive feedback. S.M.A.R.T. feedback is Specific and Relevant, and when delivered with respect, it encourages team members to grow without fear. Lead by Example As we say throughout the I in Team series, everyone is a leader regardless of title. Whether you’re in the C-suite or just starting your first job, how you show up directly shapes the culture of your team. To begin, set some respectful boundaries rooted in your values. Let others know what you need to succeed and what behaviors support or disrupt your work. When disagreements arise, demonstrate what respectful disagreement looks like—calm, focused on solutions, and free from personal attacks. If your workplace has leaned into competition, shift the focus to collaboration. Collaborate on micro-goals, like shared tasks or cross-functional projects. Make the results Measurable and celebrate wins together (publicly, if possible). Consider S.M.A.R.T.-based team-building events (like problem-solving challenges or goal-setting workshops) to reinforce collaboration in a meaningful way. Final Thoughts Toxic workplace recovery starts with you. Every interaction, every word, every moment of listening is a chance to model what’s possible. Show up the way you want others to show up. If your team is struggling to rebuild or you need expert guidance, reach out . We’re here to help. Let’s keep influencing responsibly and positively together.