Home Businesses on A Tight Budget - Part 8

Our home business series is back!! I got a huge number of enquiries on this topic so I know we need to keep seeking them out and sharing ideas till you can find the right one for you!

So this is something for the incessant pings, status updates and profile changes

Our home business opportunity for today is.........

Social Media Management. 

A few years ago, this opportunity didn't even exist. This goes to show that we live in exciting, dynamic times. There's no such thing as, 'there's nothing out there for me!' We just need to be a little more accommodating and be open to finding it, even if we need to carve it out ourselves. Social media has exploded in recent years with the advent of YouTube, Facebook, twitter, instagram, Pinterest, keek, and so many more. There are new apps and new platforms being developed every day to find more and more ways to connect the world. 

There's so much information to share and there are so many ways to share it. Businesses of all sizes have become aware that having a presence in the social sphere is key to creating a constant 'buzz' in the marketplace. The only problem is there's so much already competing for very little time. People know they need it, but they just don't know how to fit it into their already hectic schedule.

Image courtesy of [photoraidz] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The fashion designer needs to have time to design, attend meetings with clients, supervise the workforce, finish the items, sort out delivery, make alterations and so much more to remember to upload her latest embellished Ankara jacket to her followers on twitter. A social media consultant however will be in a better position to take charge of that function and make it work. The trick is to be knowledgeable about the different platforms available to users and to find the best fit for their business. An accessory business for instance is very visual and that line of marketing will appeal to clients rather than a wordy newsletter with no pictures and a visual platform like say an instagram account would be the best bet for that business owner. Social media will be here for a long time and that's a good thing so why don't we make the most of it!

From research I've gathered a few pointers on potential social media gurus out there:

• The idea is to propose the most appropriate social media platforms for a client and take on the responsibility of managing and updating the presence of the client or business as required.so that the public is always sufficiently engaged. This could be through email newsletters, Blackberry groups, blogs, vlogs, YouTube videos, twitter and Facebook competitions, etc. This role could also cut across PR functions as well since it has to do with building and maintaining the brand image. 

• Focus on areas that you're knowledgeable in or that you just enjoy. For instance. if you are a technology buff then you would do well handling the social platforms for technology based companies or clients who work in that field. If you're a fashion buff you would be the ideal fit for managing a designer, a fashion or makeup school or even a style blog or website for a client. You might have to develop content entirely on your own or as part of a team so it is important that you know a bit about the general concept because you will be spending a good portion of your time dealing with information in that area.

• Remuneration could be a fixed rate or project based. It's really up to you and your client to decide. Nothing is cast in stone, especially when you're just starting up. Be sure to keep track of all your jobs done, whether short or long term as this is where a good portfolio of clients is built. This business can be done without an office space entirely and is largely remote in nature aside meetings and consultation briefings you may have. 

• Start with your immediate network of friends and acquaintances if you're not sure where to begin. You might not be paid a lot of cash at first but keep getting the right word out and the high paying clients will come through. A lot of small businesses need a strong presence in social media circles so they can focus on maintaining brand integrity and developing new offerings to keep clients happy.  This is by no means a walk in the park. There's so much information out there and you need to find out what works in keeping people's attention on your product or service. Once you're able to create the 'buzz' in the marketplace there's really no stopping you.

The fact that you just need a smart phone, tablet or laptop to start out, this is an amazing area with a huge potential for growth. Thank goodness for mobile telephony and the world wide web. Everything you need is literally at your fingertips....(pun intended). Think about it. How many times in a day to you check your Facebook page? How often do you check what's happening on twitter? When you want to find out about fashion trends or what styles to make for that big event do you run out and stand on the street or you just go on Bellanaija? Yes. I thought so. 

Let's go!!