Ah, social media. It’s everybody’s favorite way to interact with others around the world and to market their products and services. Some people reach the elevated status of Social Media Darling while others are posting day in and day out without any nibbles whatsoever.

What’s the difference between the Darling and the Wannabe? Most importantly, the differences are in their social media planning and their ability to develop relationships. Even if we’re talking about selling the exact same product, how the Wannabe approaches the opportunity is often quite different than how the Darling approaches it.

Let’s break it down more:

The Social Media Darling cares about other people. She interacts with people every single day on social media by answering questions and replying to comments both on her own posts but also on other posts in her feed. She shares snippets of her life instead of bombarding her followers with product pitches. The Darling also knows, through trial and error, which platforms give her the most engaged audiences and this is where she spends her time.

The Wannabe also cares about people but she’s posting product photos on every single social media platform available, desperate to make a sale. She figures that people don’t buy the first time they hear about her product so she continues to post about the product. She doesn’t notice when people leave comments or doesn’t know how to respond back. She comments on only a select few posts and is spread too thin across all the different platforms.

How to Revise Your Social Media Plan

The beauty of owning your own business is the ability to do what you want. There aren’t any hard and fast rules about which social media platforms you should use so approach this methodically. If you’re posting random photos on Instagram and get a few likes here and there, is it really worth your time? If you post an article once a month on LinkedIn but have an inbox filled with unanswered invitations to network, should you continue to use this platform?

First, determine where your target market hangs out and learn how to use that platform. If you’re aiming to attract professional clients, then LinkedIn might be your ticket. If you’re looking for other solopreneurs or small business owners, check out Facebook. Want to market yourself locally? Alignable is a new platform to try. Can’t fit your thoughts into 144 characters? Then drop Twitter instead of stressing about it.

Second, remember to be social. You’re much more than your business so show that to your followers. Yes, share about your business because that’s your passion and a part of your life but share about your other passions. Trips and travels; favorite hobbies; favorite sports teams; favorite movies or television shows. Let people get to know the whole you, not just the business you.