In the big world of government contracting, many contractors are beginning to realize the necessity of social media marketing in getting attention, messaging, and building relationships with government decision makers. If you haven’t already built a strong system of communication tools, including a robust social media strategy, now is the time to get going.
Here are eight steps to getting started:
1. Taking the First Step is Critical
Every great moment starts with the first step. To begin the process of building the tactics and strategies for your social media marketing program, you will first want to create a strategy that revolves around custom content, consistency and messaging. A contractor’s social content should revolve around the expertise and the resources most associated with your industry. Optimizing your website, including a mobile responsive site and develop a site structure that has a page dedicated to government contracting—is a critical step and should highlight your primary services offerings. The goal is to convert potential buyers or create touchpoints for those government leaders and institutions who view your social posts on platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook and get them to engage with your business.
2. Know That Content is King
Social media success revolves around two main items: consistency and custom content. For some contractors, time is the most valuable commodity and creating original content like blog posts, gated content, animated pieces, case studies, and white papers can be difficult. Even if you are not able to publish original content regularly, social media offers the perfect opportunity to leverage curated content and to connect a community to events you may be attending or hosting giving you the chance to communicate directly with potential decision-makers.
3. Show Your Thought Leadership
Contractors with a thoughtful and professional social media messaging program is a good indication of how your company is managed—it shows a high level of innovation and showcases you as a company that is a thought leader, influencer and has is an active member of the government contracting community. If you are interested in finding potential contracting partners or new opportunities, having a professional social media marketing program is a terrific indicator that your company is ready to grow well into the future.
4. Rinse & Repeat Every Single Day
Consistency is key. If your business is serious about winning government contracts, a good social messaging platform with a well-developed brand will aid in the process of attracting attention. It’s not a process you see immediate results from; it takes time and commitment. It takes time for search engines to index your website, realize that you are regularly updating content, and to take account of what keywords you use. On the other hand, it takes time for users to notice your newfound visibility, and developing an audience can take a while. On average, you should see some noticeable bump in your leads after six to twelve months, but search engine algorithms are tricky, so you may need to adjust your approach along the way.
5. Let them Know – What You Do and How You Do It
Using your social media to convey technology and news about your products or services may develop key partnerships and clients in the future. You can also leverage the social platforms to let your audience know about any new hires and what skills they bring to your team. Providing the most up-to-date information making it easier for potential clients to find what they’re looking for and can help you to win contracts.
6. Hire Great People
In today’s rough and tumble job market, having a well built and current website plus a communication tool like social media makes a strong case for job candidates when they are considering responding to a position. Finding the right person for the job is always going to be a cumbersome process, but having a positive outlook and a message-oriented toward the strength of your organization can make it more manageable.
7. Tell them About Yourself
No web page outside of your homepage gets more visitors than your “About Us” page. Get the right fit employees and showcasing their expertise only builds a stronger case for why you should be awarded a contract or cement a great relationship with a current client.
8. Take it One Step at a Time
Numbers make the world go around but rarely tell the whole story. To understand how to measure success, contractors should build a steady stream of impressions, engagement, and conversions. This level of activity is a good sign that what you’re doing in social media marketing is yielding results, but that may not shed light on the whole story. Measure the metrics that matter, such as how many touchpoints content consumers must have before they convert to a lead. You may realize that some a particular style of social posts are much more effective than others (like images of your people doing team building or lending time in the community) and that other outlets aren’t worth your time.
Now Go Forth
Social media is an incredible opportunity for government contracts to communicate the strength of their business, success stories, and project a positive brand identity. Having a presence on social media can establish your organization as an industry influencer, resources, and can generate buzz about your business. Social media use for government contractors can be nuanced and complicated, so taking the time to develop a solid strategy is key. Don’t let the moment slip away by waiting to tell the world about what you do and how you do it. StellaPop can help you build for success.
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