Hey sole trader, ain't that mister mister on the social media channels?

Being a sole trader is a bit daunting, isn't it? You're all on your own, you don't get to shower as often as you'd like and the big bad world gangs up against you whenever it gets the opportunity. But it doesn't have to be as difficult as you might think. Thanks to the wonder, neigh the miracle that is social media you have thousands of potential customers just waiting to read what you have to say. Amazing! This is the opportunity you've been waiting for to show the world just what the hell you can do so let's have a look at how you can grasp this potential with both hands, shake it firmly by the shoulders and loosen all the little nuggets of chance that it's got hidden in its pockets.

How to use social as a sole trader.

You don't have to be alone.

YAY
As an individual you have free reign over what you talk about but that doesn't mean you should talk about everything. Set yourself some social media outlines and stick to them.

NAY
If you're using social media as a tool to try and sell your services then don't do things that might put potential customers off. I used to follow a designer on Twitter who did really nice work but also swore at celebrities and retweeted crude jokes. It came across as being incredibly unprofessional and didn't seem to fit in with his desired tone of voice. I don't follow him anymore.

YAY
Tone of voice. Tone of bloody voice. TONE OF VOICE. You need one and you need to use it all the time so that people know what to expect and can spot your message out of a crowd of noise. I like to think my tone of voice is unique enough so that I stand out in a hustle of other people who claim to be good at writing (it's only a claim, I'm the real deal) and you need to have that too, unless of course you're also a writer in which case back the hell off.

NAY
No-one cares how many people have followed and retweeted you in the past week. Seriously, not one single person. While it's nice for you to know these stats, and you should keep track of them, sharing them with your followers or fans just looks a little arrogant and seems pointless when the figures are often so low. Stop doing it or I'll send someone round to have words.

YAY
You're interesting. People who are going to use your business are going to do so based on whether or not they like you and social media gives you a great opportunity to encourage that. Don't talk about work all the time, don't bore people with offers or deals. Instead you should mix it all up with a personal touch and keep your fans up to date with your general life as well as your professional one.


Now go out there and make me proud. I have faith in you.