Setting the Record Straight: Social Media Managers and Sales

Hello and welcome to the show. Today I would like to run some commentary on something I saw on LinkedIn. This is actually similar to content that I've already put out on LinkedIn in the past. It's a topic that I've already made podcast episodes about and that is on Should you hire your social media? Should your social media manager be responsible for sales? I mean, essentially, that's the whole gist. Oh, by the way, before I

continue, apologies for the noise in the background because it's a weekend, so the kids are home, so I expect to hear them faffing about and shouting and then all of that. So since this has been one of those long, rambling episodes, let's just head straight into it. Now. I'm going to read out the content of a post that was written by Timmy Topper or Lou B Ray. She's a social media manager and content marketing manager based out of Ugun State.

She's one of my first degree connections on LinkedIn. And this is another reason why you all should be on LinkedIn because of the quality of professional connections that you can make and the interesting career and business conversations that you can have. You know, these are not the kind of conversations that you have on Facebook. You know, I'm glad to see that the trend of Nigeria bom bom versus Ghanaian bom bom, which one is bigger?

I'm glad to see that that one has passed and then the trend of that boxer being knocked out, that one has passed and you know they'll move on to something else. But bottom line, these are not, you're not going to be having qualitative conversations on a bunch of all these other platforms. So if you're listening to the show, you don't have a LinkedIn account. It's straightforward. Download the app to your phone. Go ahead, follow the instructions, get it, and let's see how we can use this to improve our businesses and then improve our careers.

So I'm going to run through a copy of the text that you put up on LinkedIn, and then I'm just going to run my commentary, give some of my opinions. So yeah, so let me start off now. This is her post. And when I'm running commentary, I'll let you guys know. As a social media manager, am I responsible for sales? Trust me to give the right answer to this. As a social media manager, one of your key responsibilities is to boost visibility for your company, for your brand, for your business, not necessarily to act as the sales manager or the sales representative,

especially if the company isn't carrying out additional activities to boost sales. So that's the first paragraph of her post. So now let me run commentary a little bit. So what she said here, in my own opinion, actually reflects the feeling of most content marketing professionals and most social media professionals. They really think that it's not their job to create sales. And that is the reason why I have always advocated over here on the podcast that we need to be having frank conversations,

honest conversations regarding quota, regarding sales, regarding engagement, regarding everything with potential hires. That's if you're going to have one, if you're going to have a content marketing person, if you're going to have a social media person, we need to have those conversations from the get from the beginning. And it has to be our responsibility as the business owner because a lot of social media managers and content marketers feel this way.

But unfortunately, I don't know why they're not very forceful in bringing this up in the early conversations. And when we're wrapping up this episode, if I'm going to recommend how I think you guys should be having these conversations, you social media managers and you content marketing professionals. So we need to have these conversations early to avoid tension in the future because clearly the business owner is thinking about how content is going to lead to greater profits or more customers.

And clearly social media managers and content marketing managers in Nigeria at the very least, do not want to be held responsible for any sales targets or any quotas. So let's go back to the text of our post. So this is my lady friend again. Continuing, I find it amusing that some employers or clients expect you to generate engagement and sales for them while they sit back doing nothing to make it better. However, I wouldn't entirely blame them.

This often comes down to how you conducted the on boarding process. So let's pause how I would do. OK summary. She says that well, for her it's amusing. She thinks that employers and clients, sorry employers, the business owner sits back and does nothing and expects you, the content marketer basically to do the healthy most of the the lifting. Now this is my own commentary now I'll put it OK, yes, you're correct. This whole thing about engagement, generating engagement should be the first step in the sales process.

This is me taking a step back. Now I know that you content marketers and you social media managers, you think your job is generating engagement, but I want you guys to understand something that generating engagement actually is the first step in the sales process. So if social media managers do not want to be responsible for a sales target, a sales quarter, you need to come up with some sort of plan at the very least maybe for pre qualifying customers before you call in the business owner to say, look,

business owner, I put out this post, there has been some engagement. There are a bunch of people in the DMS, you know, come and take over this conversation, you know, that sort of thing. The other handover to the business owner or handover to a salesperson proper? Because if as a business owner, I'm paying for content and I'm paying for something, I'm paying for social media assets, assets online and then nothing is generating engagement.

But that engagement does not turn into qualified conversations that end up with me making money. Then, you know, put yourself in their shoes. They're wondering why the hell am I throwing money behind this thing? Because from the the point of view as of a business owner, engagement for engagement sake equals 0 engagement should be people are engaging, there's potential customers, there's potential stakeholders, there's potential XYZ, there's potential investors, there's potential whatever.

And that should lead to some upside of money in the future, customers in the future, that sort of thing. So content marketers, just look at it from that angle. Yes, your job is generating engagement. But from the angle of the business owner, if I'm seeing engagement and engagement does not equal customers or does not equal potential profits or does not equal potential partnerships, then essentially what I'm doing is 0.

Now, this is the reason why you social media managers, you content marketers, can you see why you guys, can you see the main reason why your business is actually struggling? Because you guys think if you generated engagement, everything is done, everything cool, you know, everything is fine. But for business owners who are throwing money behind these things, yes, the money is not much. You know, they're paying you, I don't know, 50K for, I don't know, 10 post or 20 post or whatever.

So the money is not much, granted, but as far as they're concerned, every month I'm throwing 5050 K, 2020 K, hundred 100K. However it is that they're throwing and the only thing that you're telling me is engagement, engagement, engagement. 500 likes, 200 DMS. And you know, as a business owner, liking and DM is not equal to money in my pocket. You can see the reason why they're sceptical and you can see a reason why lots of people say rather than hire a social media manager, let me just call my cousin.

You know, my cousin just finished Jam school is not resuming until November. In the three months, let him come and be helping me or let me call my younger sister or you know, my niece is there in the village. She's not doing anything. After all, I have a baby here. So let her come and be helping me with the baby and let her be managing the social media handle. This is the main reason why you social media managers actually are not making money and content marketing folks, because people don't see the value you pay 5050

K, 2020 K hundred 100 grand every month. At the end of the day, people just say engagement, engagement, engagement and it doesn't equal to money. So yeah, that's the reason why. But by the way, I just want to say one more thing. This whole thing of business owners not doing anything. Yeah, I know how that feels like business owner hasn't done anything. But actually business owners, they do quite a bit. I mean, they handle product development.

They're the one that came up with the product or the service. The business owner handles fulfillment. If you do anything and the engagement happens to turn into business, they're the ones who actually have to make sure that product is delivered, service is delivered. They are the ones who are who have the responsibility for nurturing the relationship, creating referrals and repeat business. So the business one actually does quite a bit.

So for those of you who create content, yeah, it looks like you guys are doing all the work. But The thing is, creating the content and creating the engagement is just one part of the conversation. Taking the engagement, squeezing out customers out of that, making sure the customers are happy, making sure that they come back again. That is the brunt that is borne by the business owner or the salesperson. So now let's go back to her talking.

I might discuss the steps you need to take before signing a contract with any client someday, but let me quickly address today's topic. Sorry, one moment. I think I have skipped something because this one, now we've gone straight to contract. OK, let me continue. Although I think I skipped something, let me continue. So yes, I may discuss the steps you need to take before signing a contract with any client someday, but let me address today's topic.

When you were introduced to the brand, what roles and responsibilities were stated? Did you sign the contract? What was written in that contract? These are some important things to keep in mind as a social media manager. So that is our talking now. Let me run my my commentary. So the advice I'd like to give folks as a former legal professional is this, stop relying on documents to do the heavy lifting for you. Stop relying on contracts to sort yourself out.

You should be entering into business conversations with terms and expectations that are key to you, and then discuss those things first in the conversation. As in discuss these things verbal, one-on-one. I'm looking at your eye, you're looking at my eye when I picked up the phone. I'm talking into your ear. You are talking into my ear. You discuss all those things first. Those key terms are now what you use to inform the final document.

So it's not a matter of you have some documents, you guys seem OK and then you now say, OK, what's in the in the, in the contract, and then you guys start quarrelling. The process of redlining a contract can take a long time, you know, 2-3 weeks, one month, depending on how complex what you guys are talking about. But if you pick up the phone and you have these key terms and you start having this conversation from the get, you don't need to waste three weeks with redlining.

You have a 20 minute conversation and know that or more. There's no room here. And then you guys just part ways. So my own opinion, social media managers are content marketers. You guys start off the meeting by saying this or start off the phone call by saying this. Most business owners expect social media managers to bring in sales. Is this the kind of thing you are expecting? And then keep quiet and hear what the person says.

If the person says, now, if I'm paying you as a social media manager, you're not bringing in sales, then what am I paying you for at that point? Please, dear social media manager or content marketer, end the conversation. There's no point in arguing that this is the value of a social media manager, this is the value of a content marketer, blah blah blah blah blah. This person, on the other hand, of the phone thinks social media manager equals sales.

If you do not do social media manager equals sales, then end the conversation. You say, oh, sorry, Sir, sorry, Ma. We'll, well, I'm glad that we've gotten that out of the way, that this is what you expect. But unfortunately, those are not the services that I provide. I can't guarantee sales because of this, this and that, that my own view of social media is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Is that the sort of thing you're looking for?

The person say, of course not. Why would I be spending 100K every month if I'm not going to be seeing any profits? And then you end the conversation there. You guys remain friends. So that's how you do it. Don't excuse my French. Push your foot around all these issues only to start sending contract back and forth and the whole thing takes 2 weeks and then you guys are annoying each other. Pick up the phone on day one or when you're in the guy's office on day one, the Madam's office.

Start off the conversation that way. And this is a simple formula. Madam. Most business owners expect social media managers to bring in sales. Is this a fair idea? Is that a fair idea for you? Is this what you're expecting? Is that the reason why we're having this conversation today? I mean, however you want to craft it, craft it like that and then just keep quiet when the person responds. You now know whether you're going to sit down and continue or whether you're going to move.

So if you start off conversations like this on day one, you're cutting to the heart of the issue and then you can move on day one. Day 2, you've moved on. Instead of you submit CV, you have phone call, you go to the office, you face interview panel, you review professional references, blah blah blah universe 2 weeks and then the whole thing ends in quarrel. Just broach this thing head on straight. Don't wait for the contract,

Don't wait for the contract. Do the heavy lifting yourself. This first meeting, this first phone call, just get straight straight into it. OK, now let's get back to our LinkedIn post. If you've signed up to generate sales for them, then you have to deliver. But if you didn't, your main focus is boosting their visibility and not for people to trust them and buy from them. I hope this helps. So that was how she ended the article and I like the way she summarized it.

So all social media managers, aspiring content marketers, pay attention to the warning that she gave you here. If you signed up to generate sales, then you have to deliver, right? That is the key thing I want you guys to take up from this. If you signed up to generate sales for them, then you have to deliver and then listen to broadcast like this and other kind of content so that you know that even though you're a social media manager, you're a content marketer.

You know how to engage people in conversations, you know how to qualify people, you know how to run discovery, you know how to figure out if there's a match and you how you know how to run the the sales process. So that's just the warning. Basically, if you sign up to generate sales, you have to deliver. Let's see what else. OK, she gave it. PS Join other social media and community managers who are doing amazing work and learn the best strategies to excel while having fun along the way.

So OK, yeah, yeah. So that's how she ended up. Well, of course, everybody has to put a call to action on their post. So be sure to check her out on LinkedIn for access to her community and then her other sources. Sorry, let me scroll up again. Let me get her name again. Yes, her name is Timmy Topware, Olubi Ray, the social media manager and a content marketing manager. Tammy Tuckware, you guys know the spelling. OK, Well some of you are not Nigerian.

So Tammy Tuckware is TEMITOPE or Lubiere, if I pronounced it correctly, is OLUBIIRE. That's the name to search for on LinkedIn and she's based out of Ogun. And let her know you heard about her on the podcast and I'm sure she'll take good care of you. So whatever community she has, be a member of that, you know, stuff like that. But my final word on the matter is this. This is me now talking to social media managers and content marketers, business owners.

This is something I want you social media managers to understand. Business owners and people at the helm of the business community, they view social media as a tool for lead generation and for social selling. Social media managers, let me repeat this. If you're a social media manager, you're a content marketer, you're talking to a business owner. As far as that business owner is concerned, social, social media content.

The purpose of social media content is #1 lead generation #2 social selling. Well, I'm sure there's 3456, but that is what business owners primarily think. So if you're going to agree and collect these guys money or this girl's money, you should come up with some sort of protocol, some sort of arrangements, some whatever for creating content and then handing off engagement back to the business owner or back to a sales person.

So maybe you social media managers or content managers, you would need to start functioning as BDRSABDR is a business development Rep. Basically, there are people who just try and set meetings, set appointments, but they don't have any quota responsibility. So if you look at yourself as a BDR, you know, it might be a good way to begin. So that is my final word on the matter to those of you who are social media managers.

Now let me talk to business owners. Those of you business owners listening to the show, social media managers do not like being responsible for sales. Dear business owner, if you didn't hear it, let me repeat it again. Social media managers don't like being responsible for sales. So because of that, the onus is on you before you hire this person, have the conversation with them directly from day one or else this thing is going to end in heartbreak.

There's no other way that this thing is not going to end. If you marry your social media manager, you bring her in, you bring him in, You guys have started a nice business relationship and you are expecting sales. What this person is thinking, my job is visibility and engagement. This thing will end in heartbreak. So dear business owner, bring it up and the conversation from day one because for some reason, even though social media managers know that is what people think somehow how they don't bring it up.

So bring it up from day one. Don't go through the whole thing of interview, check the person's websites, do references, you face panel, you do this, you do that, you send proposal back and forth, you red line contract and then next thing two months down the line, you guys are quarrelling and calling each other names. So just have the conversation on day one. If you call the person up on Friday, you go directly into this conversation by Saturday morning, you know what's up?

Like, man, let me move on. This is not my guy. This is not my girl. So yeah, that's it. That's my final word on the matter. Social media managers, this is what business owners are thinking. If you're not down for that, say it. Business owners, this is what social media managers are thinking. If you're not down for that, say it. So connect with me on WhatsApp. The phone number is 08064662140. The country code is +234. For those of you who are not Nigerian, also connect with me on LinkedIn.

The name to look for is Tavishyama Ayede. I'm the host of the show. You can confirm the the spelling of my name from the link. We are listening to this episode. Let's see what else? Yeah, just connect with me. Questions, queries, comments, tips, tricks, whatever. Let's let's chat. I might not respond to you guys immediately, but 24 hours last last 48 hours. I respond to everyone. So thanks for your time and attention.

I'll catch you guys at the next episode.