It's Not Personal - It's Business

Have you ever scrolled through someone's IG, Twitter or Facebook business feed and enjoyed the content and the variety before stumbling upon a pic of their child's graduation from kindergarten, the results of their bowling league team tourney or a random picture of their kitchen?

I have. And even if I know the owner(s) personally, that oddly placed photo or video always gives me pause. Instantly, I think "What's THAT doing there?"

And I guarantee you that I'm not alone thinking that, either.

Call me a purist, but business pages on any social platform are for BUSINESS. And while part of your furniture making, graphic design or restaurant business involves behind-the-scenes stuff (like the playlist you listen to while working, the new color schemes you're considering for your office or even the stationery store you visit for your new menus), personal, non-business-related stuff is NOT that. It's not even close.

Now, adding an occasional business-related photo, video or event flyer to your personal pages to let your family and friends know what you're up to is fine, but dotting your business pages with heavy family-related or other personal information does not have the same effect at all. It just doesn't work the same in reverse.

Think about it this way: The purpose of social media for your business is to promote that thing you do by generating buzz about it. What exactly are you promoting when you post your breakfast sandwich, favorite flower or new shoes if you are not a deli owner, florist or clothing designer? Yup - someone else's business.

Again, don't entirely strip the personality away from your business page. Do include some semblance of info that shows your audience that you are human. But, like the rest of your feed, logic and order are important. If you have 10 posts about your new book tour, one about you should at least be sort of related. Sure, go ahead and add that photo of the cool t-shirt you saw, but perhaps it would be a better fit if it was about the town you are speaking in or the one you are traveling to next.

Why not avoid confusion by trying to make every effort to keep your personal and business pages separate?

Carts & Horses: The Elevator Pitch

You've decided to undertake an exciting new venture - Congratulations!

Be it opening a new business, unveiling an app, kicking off a needed service or re-vamping a project that was developed some time ago, there are certain steps you probably followed to get your idea to the launching pad.

And there are a few steps you'll need to follow to successfully see it to fruition.

But, just like you wouldn't decide on your business structure after you've filed your taxes, there is an order to putting things together marketing-wise, too. For example, you wouldn't get business cards printed if you didn't yet have an address, phone number or email address, right?

You shouldn't sit down to have your website or promotional brochure crafted until your elevator pitch is together, either.

An elevator pitch is a quick sum-it-all-up blurb used to answer that "So what do you do?" question you are often asked at networking functions or business mixers. It very succinctly tells the basics of what you do/what your venture is about in about the time it would take you to ride from the hotel floor you meet Oprah on to the one you or she has to get off on to get to your/her function (hence the name).

It should be short and sweet but hit all the important aspects of what makes you and that thing you do unique.

What it's not: A slogan, catch phrase or tag line that is a part of your business name. Feel free to include that in your pitch, but don't let that be all you include.

Don't have an elevator pitch yet? Sit down with a pen and a piece of paper (or a stylus and smart device note pad) and write it out. List the basic things you do and describe a bit about how you do them. Keep it simple and light, leaving out the high-tech jargon, five-syllable words and anything else that would make it hard to remember. Because making it as memorable as possible is really the point.

Let's say you own a floor installation company. Your pitch could tell what kind of floors you install (laminate, hardwood, concrete work floors?), where you're located (in the heart of busy Boston or on the outskirts of a quiet, rural area?), and what makes it unique (work done in three hours or less, self-manufactured materials, number one retailer in the Northeast, etc.).

Tighten those words until you have one or two sentences with some specifics and just the right amount of detail. If it takes longer than a minute to get out smoothly, keep refining it. Practice saying it until it becomes effortless and flows smoothly so you can almost say it in your sleep. Then practice it some more on live people - like your family, friends, the mail carrier, and the cashier at your favorite sandwich shoppe. Once you've gotten it to where you want it to be, make sure everyone that represents you and your brand know that elevator pitch like they know their own name. Yes, it's that important.

Now go forth and prepare to put it on the "about us" section of your website, social media platforms and on the brochure that gives a bit of detail about your company and what services you offer. Then get in that elevator with confidence just in case the doors open and there's Oprah.