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So you think it's time to hire a social media manager. So exciting. But I want you to have the best experience possible. So I'm sharing all of the steps you will want to take before you hire that social media manager. So teacher authors, go ahead and reheat that cup of coffee, because I'm your host, Cassandra Foster. And we're about to get schooled in socials. Welcome back to school and socials. So you've decided to take the next step and hire a social media manager such an exciting time, or at least I think it is, you might just be ready to throw your social media to whoever can get it off your plate, which is a totally valid feeling, by the way. But before you go searching for an amazing social media manager to help you with your marketing, there are three steps that you'll want to take to make sure you get the most out of that experience. Step number one is that you need to get clear on your business goals. Without clear business goals, it can be hard to create social media goals that will help support the success of your business. And in turn, make it hard to assess the success of the social media strategy you and your social media manager put into place. So take some time to reflect on what you really want to achieve in the next quarter, six months a year, your social media manager will need to have these goals in order to create targeted social media content that will get you there. And they'll also need those goals so that they can figure out what kinds of metrics and insights they should be looking at and reporting to you so that both of you can see what is working and what is not working to get you towards those goals. Step number two, decide what parts of social media you want taken off your plate. There is a wide variety of services that social media managers can offer you from scheduling content, all the way to in depth strategy and content creation where you are completely hands off. So know what you want that relationship to look like. Which platform or platforms do you want them to help you with? Do you just want someone to create and post content while you answer comments, and DMS and engage with other accounts? If you use Instagram? Do you want them to also handle your stories? How much content do you want them to create? How much content will you be able to provide them to use such as short video clips, long form content to repurpose graphics templates. All of this can make a difference when it comes to finding someone who will truly fill your need. Some managers only work on certain platforms, some managers only create feed content, etc. everyone kind of has their little niche and what they're comfortable with and what they feel like they're an expert on. So getting clear on exactly what you want taken off your plate and your potential social media manager to handle for you will help you better find and connect with a social media manager that can do just that. There is so much pressure this time of the year to buy more stuff from Black Friday sales to Christmas ads. But I don't want you to buy more stuff, I want you to get the right things you need to uplevel your business in this season. So that's why I've opened up my mini Social Media Console scheduled for the next three months. So that we can make resources that are going to get stuck in your downloads and courses that are going to go immediately to your desktop graveyard like thing of the past. Instead, you're going to get my brain and your business for a focus 30 minutes so that you can make sure you have a solid plan moving forward. And you know your social media will help you reach your business goals. This is not a one size fits all solution. Instead, you're going to get targeted advice that is focused on you and your business. And for Black Friday. And until the spots sell out. You're going to be able to get it for $47 which is the lowest price point these mini consults have ever been. We're talking transformational advice that will make your social media work harder for you for less than a night out. This isn't stuff. It's the thing you need to get clarity and move forward with your social media marketing. You can grab your discounted spot right now in the show notes. But hurry, because once these spots that I've opened up for the next three months are gone. This price point will be gone too. I can't wait to make 2020 for the year that your social media marketing helps you reach all of your big business goals. Step three, you're going to want to assess your budget. There is a wide range of pricing when it comes to social media managers, and most require some sort of retainer. For me, my clients signed contracts for three months at a time. This is kind of typical in the social media world because it takes time to properly implement a strategy and see results. So if we just had people coming in for a month, and then leaving, they're really not going to get to experience the results that we could potentially give them just because social media does take time. So you want to be clear on how much you can allocate to social media services each month. And how many months in a row, you would be comfortable doing that for three months, six months a year, everyone kind of has their own different ways of setting up their retainer. So make sure you go into it, knowing a price point or a range of price points, and how long of a contract you would be comfortable into entering into. And you may also need to adjust your expectations for what can get taken off your plate that we talked about for step number two, based on your budget. So my suggestion is when you are doing these three steps is to kind of assess your budget and figure out what you want taken off of your plate simultaneously. So what you'll want to do is you'll want to look around at different social media managers packages, so you can get an idea of what you'll be able to afford, and what that can get off of your plate. And if that aligns to the things you truly want taken off your plate, so you aren't disappointed when you start that hiring process. Hiring a social media manager is a big step in your business. So make sure you have solid goals. Know what you want them to take over and have realistically assessed your budget so that you can have a pleasant hiring experience, and get the biggest bang for your buck when you hire out a social media manager. Now, not sure about your business goals and how they translate to social media or what you really want to get off your plate or how to even start assessing your budget. No worries. That's why I'm here for you. These kinds of questions are exactly why I created my mini social media consults, so you could pick my brain and leave feeling more comfortable in your social media decisions. I'll leave the link in the show notes for you so that you can learn more. All right, cool coffee friends. Thanks so much for listening. If you're loving getting schooled in socials, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Also, I would love it if you left a review so that other teacher authors like you can start getting schooled in socials too. All right, I'll see you in the next episode.