Social Media Management Part 2: Handling Objections

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I hope you all enjoyed part one (You Do WHAT For A Living?) of this three-part series on Social Media Management and Consulting by Dawn Sievers. In this second instalment, Dawn will be explaining how to find clients and how to answer some of their objections.

I’m so delighted to have these articles published on the blog for all of you to read and I want to take this opportunity to thank Dawn again for agreeing to guest post on Derek’s Home and Business Blog and for providing my readers with such great content. To learn more about Dawn’s technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com.

Without further ado, here’s part two of this exclusive three-part series:

Social Media Management Part 2: Handling Objections

If you’re reading this second article in this series about social media management, then you’re already somewhat familiar with the concept. A social media manager or consultant handles the online daily duties, posting, blog writing, etc., for clients.

So, now let’s move forward to finding clients and answering some of their objections. Being able to give effective answers to inevitable objections is about 80% of your battle to landing a paying client. My main advice to you is to research, research and research some more on your topic. Run online searches for social media reports. Find definitive evidence that social media can and does contribute to marketing and sales goals. Be able to offer specific examples of how social media broadens awareness of any business. Have print outs to show your prospective client. Clients love visuals like graphs, charts and percentages to indicate results. I suggest Mashable.com as a good resource for solid reports on social media, but you’ll probably find a myriad list out there with any given key word search.

Let me give you common objection:

“Why should I pay you when I have a 14 year old at home who spends the majority of her waking hours on Facebook and can do all of this for me?”

How would you address this challenging question in your presentation? I’ll share with you how I respond, as I hear this objection on a regular basis. By the way, you can substitute the “14 year old” with “secretary/assistant/receptionist/spouse/friend” and give the same general rebuttal.

“It’s great that your 14 year old is computer and social media savvy. I’m sure that she can do a great deal of what we’re discussing. With that being said, let me remind you that you’re not looking for a child’s perspective here. You’re running a business and you need a mature, responsible and experienced hand supporting your marketing plans. Your teenager will be easily distracted and might not always have the same dedication that a motivated professional will give you. If you’re also thinking of handing this duty off to a current employee, consider that you’ll run the risk of getting less than 100% attention to your social media presence while that employee splits their focus amongst myriad daily duties. What I can give you is an educated, focused, experienced management plan that will optimize your social media and grow awareness of your brand. I am dedicated to giving your social media presence the best possible support.”

That’s a rather lengthy example of what I offer as a rebuttal to that type of objection. Be aware that convincing people to pay for social media management can sometimes be a bit of an uphill battle to begin with. Occasionally, you’ll meet people who are very aware of the value of hiring a social media consultant and are just looking for someone who has the skills they need. Those people are rare, however, so I advise sharpening your ability to calmly field endless objections and challenges when you’re pitching your services to prospective clients.

Do your research and educate yourself about the growing niche market of social media management and consulting. Identify the components of this field that you want to pursue and study the dickens out of it. Become an expert in those components and project a sense of confidence that you are the best person to provide this service. Having facts and examples to offer in a presentation to prospective clients will set a professional tone. Being able to respond to objections with reasonable rebuttal will keep the balance of power in your hands when it comes to negotiating terms and contracts.

Social media management is not an exact science. I adapt my presentation and my fees to each client’s needs. The field itself is constantly expanding and changing, as we all know that social media is also constantly morphing and growing. If you choose to pursue a career in this field, expect to constantly be kept on your toes to keep up with the equally constant changes in social media. You can rarely rest on your laurels in this field, and you are regularly expected to produce miracles. Polishing your presentation skills and having the ability to adapt to a wide range of personalities will stand you in good stead.

Personally, this constant change one of the aspects that I enjoy about my job, as it constantly keeps me challenged. If you prefer a job that is repetitive and comfortable on a daily basis, social media management might not be the field for you. If, however, you’re a creative mentality who enjoys a fast pace and constant level of change, then I encourage you to give this career a try. The possibilities are endless for creating your own business in this market.

Social media management is still a young concept, but I do not see it going away. This means that employment opportunities in this field will grow right along with the life cycle of the two big dogs of Facebook and Twitter. Neither service is going to fall off the planet anytime soon; they are both here to stay, and smart entrepreneurs are going to grab onto those coattails to create attractive careers for themselves.

In the third and final part of this series which will be published on Friday: How to market yourself in this growing niche.

About Dawn: S. Dawn Sievers is a Freelance Technical and Creative Writer, Editor and Blogger, founder of Facebook group Authentic Blogger, and Social Media Management Consultant to a wide range of industries and corporations. To learn more about her technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at
http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com. The Facebook Fan Page for this is http://www.facebook.com/dawnwritingservices.

Additionally, you can follow Dawn’s personal blog, Healing Morning at http://healingmorning.blogspot.com. The Facebook Fan Page for Healing Morning is http://www.facebook.com/HealingMorning. You can also find her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sds2965

Do you like this guest post by Dawn Sievers? Please show Dawn your support by leaving her your valued comments.

Related articles:
Social Media Management Part 1: You Do WHAT For A Living?

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).

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Until the final instalment on Friday, enjoy the rest of the week!