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As a business owner we juggle so many hats. It can be hard to draw the line between who we are and who the business is. When I first started my business in 2019, I used my personal Instagram as a way to share projects I was working on, as well as what my life looked like behind the scenes. This helped people get to know me better and I gained a lot of clients this way. This worked really well, until it didn’t.
In this blog post, I’m sharing 5 benefits to having a separate Instagram for your business
How it helped me create a better work life balance
How to use your content to speak directly to your audience
How to create posts that spark new connections
How to turn followers into paying customers
How to sell without making it feel icky
What Happened When I Made The Shift
After a year or so, I honestly got so sick and tired of constantly being present online. The pressure to post my projects and updates on my life started to get overwhelming. I knew I needed to shift and start an Instagram for my business so I could start to create some sort of balance. I went back and forth for months because I’d already started my business and starting a new Instagram from scratch felt like so much pressure. Thoughts like, “What if they don’t take me seriously because I don’t have a lot of followers?” then I would think, “Well, I don’t think that way when I connect with someone new on Instagram.” To be honest, no one is going to look at your Instagram and judge you for the lack of followers you have. I PROMISE.
If they are, they don’t truly understand the right metrics to look at. There are plenty of ways to get fake followers, but all this does is make your account appear stronger, when in actuality, it’s not. I’ll spare you from my fake follower rant ;). A new account grows, one follower at a time. The only way to see real growth is by sharing content that relates to someone, adds value, or entertains them in some way.
1. How it helped me create a better work life balance
When I started an Instagram for my business something shifted in my mind. Questions started to arise like, “Who am I outside of my work?” “What do I post on my personal Instagram, if I’m not trying to use it for business?” This whole process actually helped me create more work life balance. This shift created a clear line between me and the brand. It’s still somewhat of a fine line, but now I could actually see it!
2. How to use your content to speak directly to your audience
Having a business account allows you to focus more heavily on the type of people you’re wanting to attract. Understanding who your target audience is really makes this come alive. Having a business account has given me so much more creative freedom that I didn’t have when I used my personal account. The majority of the people I work with share with me that they consider themselves not creative or not tech savvy, or both. Understanding who your target audience is allows you to create content specifically geared towards them. I’ve started integrating simple tech savvy tips that specifically relate to things I know my target audience is struggling with. Since adding these how to's, I've had clients and friends reach out sharing how helpful they've been! This is a great way to build trust and be a blessing in the process!
3. How to creating posts that spark new connections
Understanding the struggles that your target audience is facing helps you create content that relates to them directly. Lately, I’ve gotten so many fun messages from people thanking me for sharing these tips! Those messages have been from new people I’ve never met as well as current and past clients. The purpose isn’t to convert every follower into a client or customer. The purpose is to add value no matter what. This is what begins to build your brand’s personality. When your brand is seen as a company that cares and wants to help people no matter if they’re a paying customer or not, helps people trust and appreciate your brand so much more.
4. How to turn followers into paying customers
There’s a simple process all of us go through before we open our wallets. First we get curious. We see a product or service and think, “hmm this looks interesting”. Something about it sparks our curiosity. This is phase 1. Phase 2 is called the enlightenment phase. This is when our curiosity shifts and we realize how that product, service, or person could actually help our life or business become better! The majority of posts should speak to those first 2 phases. When someone moves into the enlightenment phase, it’s just a matter of time before they buy. Phase 3 is when they’re ready to commit. The timeframe it takes someone to go through all 3 really depends on them and the urgency they have to solve their problem. If they’ve been following you for a while, they know they can access your website in your bio. Once they click your website link, it needs to be very clear what the next step is. This means your call to action needs to be strong and visible before they start scrolling. Request a Quote, Buy Now, Call Now, Request an Estimate, these are all great examples of simple call to actions that convert.
5. The real reason sales feels icky
I’m not going to lie, sales still feels icky to me. There’s a stigma behind it no matter if you’re on the selling end or the buying end. No one wants to be talked into something they don’t want to do. Have you ever walked into a mall and been approached by someone at a kiosk full of products? Just typing this, makes my skin crawl. It’s so cringy when someone tries to sell you something that you haven’t even shown an interest in. The cringy feeling happens because they’re wanting a commitment before you’ve even shown interest. This would be like going on a date with the perfect guy and he proposes to you on the first date. It doesn’t matter how perfect and wonderful he is, you’d say no because that’s crazy! Sales is just like relationships. If you ask for the sale too soon, they’ll run away! If you only post content that asks them to make the commitment, all you’ll hear is crickets.
In conclusion, it's totally up to you if you want to use your personal account or create a seperate account. I don't truly think there's a right or wrong to this. The beauty of owning a business is you get to decide what's right for you! No matter which you choose, I pray this helps you make the right decision for YOU!
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