- Feb 22, 2021
- 5 min read

Are you a Social Dieter?

Don’t be ashamed ...but…do you start your social and become active one week and then disappear the next? Is this your typical yo-yo look on your social networks? You are not alone, many small business owners struggle with consistency.

I was thinking early in the year when everyone was starting these diet trends and how it is similar to our social channels and how we are truly committed. This commitment isn't just for our business it's to show your following how committed you are.

Take a popular diet like the ‘whole 30’. I’ve personally done this trend similar with a different program and it really worked and stuck more than other types of diets.

Why did it stick more for me I wonder?

Was it that it fit my lifestyle or is it that I’m older and wiser and I get it now…or was it something else? Alright you're not here to learn about personal diet trends and don't worry I'm not gonna dive into that, however diets and managing your social marketing is similar when it comes to your behavior.

So here is what it comes down to...

#1 Mindset

You must have the right mindset going into a diet, meaning you cannot just say ‘I need to lose weight’ it can be part of your goal, but it can’t be the only goal. Honestly, you need to dig deeper, like why do you think you need to lose weight? Do you have health problems? Do you have physical limitations? Do you have a partner fitter than you?

We can go on and on with these types of questions. The point is, find your bigger ‘problem’ and make it into a goal that is achievable, that’s stage one. Each month as you improve and move forward you need to increase that goal. Because that goal still has to be challenging - you need to climb that mountain in order to get to the peak. What does that ultimate accomplishment look like to you? What is your dream when you reach the top of the peak?

#2 Prepare

Alright now that your mind is right, next you need to prepare for the diet. Eliminate all the bad foods from your cupboards immediately. Donate them or give them to a family/friend that will appreciate it. Go shopping with a list of the approved items to diet with. Many people take Sunday’s as ‘meal prep’ days for the week.

This I have found (when I do it) is very valuable for controlling what you are eating for the week, at least one meal each day for the week. Lastly, prepare a 'safe food' list from your favorite fast food/out to eat restaurants, because there are those times when you need last minute meals so prepare ahead what the best choices will be.

#3 Plan

I know planning can be difficult. Most of us are visual people so get out an old fashion calendar of the month or use an app on your phone and plan out your meals each day for the entire month. It’s ok if things change, it’s ok if you didn’t eat what you planned because a random business lunch came up...or whatever it may be.

So the reality is at minimum you need to plan out the week ahead if not the entire month. This really helps with mindset. Because if you are writing it down it becomes an actual activity in your head and your preparing yourself for it, instead of dreading it.

#4 Execute

Now that your mindset is right, you’ve prepared, you’ve planned – time to execute! If changes happen along the way, then make note/journal those changes happening. It’s ok not to be perfect, but really take it week by week and say ‘I got this for 7 days!’, then tell yourself you got it for the next 7 days and so on..

Executing and the success of it working more will be easier if you follow #1 thru #3 steps. If you go in with a minimum mindset and no plan, you will fail quicker, you’ll give up quicker – because the results won’t show and you won't accomplish that goal.

#5 Don’t give up – even if you Fail

So that leads us to the last tip…Don’t give up! As part of your mindset give yourself one fail...don’t call it a cheat! Cheat is a term people like to use to not feel bad that they failed. Bottom line is - use the word fail. Accept your failure, because it’s the process of learning about yourself.

Don’t give up, just move on and do better. Learn why you made that mistake and prepare or plan to minimize it happening again. The whole thing is a process, no one is perfect – even at dieting!

How does any of this relate to Social Media Planning?

Well let’s go through all the main points again...

1. Mindset

Take what you do know about social media and go with it. If using multiple social channels is too overwhelming, then just focus on the one with the most followers and engagement. Don't try to do it all, use the features that you are comfortable with.

Understand that whether you need more sales or not. Being on social isn't just about selling for your business, have the mindset that you want to build a community and brand of followers similar to you and what you are trying to accomplish.

2. Prepare

You need to have the right knowledge and tools. Learn a little bit extra about a social platform and it’s features. Say you will learn one new thing a month. Join a Facebook Group or follow other professionals to get these free tips and training's. If you’re a business you gotta use some kind of posting management tool, whether its free like Facebook Creator Studio or something like LATER. You should not manually be posting anymore!

3. Plan

Now that you have the mindset and are prepared with the right tools, plan a month ahead. Layout themes, ideas, promotions, employee highlights, product highlights, and whatever you think of. But once you see things jotted down for the month (you don’t have to post 7 days a week) it will become clear as to what your focus and theme is. Then the anxiety and overwhelming affect diminishes.

4. Execute

So taking the management posting tool and start implementing images/captions on the themes/topics you planned for and schedule them out.

5. Don’t give up – even if you Fail

Expect that you’ll mess something up. Even if you originally planned something, sometimes it has to be moved to another day/time. Expect that some posts may not get any engagement. Maybe you’re not getting the likes or follow you thought you’d get…but you won’t

You gotta stay in the game and be consistent for several months to see changes and improvements. A lot of it is seeing what works and what doesn’t work. If you are posting ‘quotes’ and you don’t get anything from it…remove it from you marketing plan. It’s all about adjustments and making it work for your brand and your community of followers.