How to get better at social media marketing and actually increase sales

We've all heard this saying. Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% effort (most commonly attributed to Thomas Edison). Perhaps no one on this planet understands this better than entrepreneurs. It's no secret that being a founder is not for the faint of heart (in fact, according to the seventh edition of Startup His Snapshot, 44% of founders experience high levels of stress). , 36% have experienced burnout). A hat to wear.

Between long hours, high stakes, constantly divided attention, and no solid answer as to what to prioritize first (because that's usually all there is to it), being consistent in the areas you need it most is the most important thing you can do. This can be one of the big challenges.

The importance of consistency cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to digital marketing. According to McKinsey, maintaining a consistent customer experience across the journey not only increases satisfaction, but also fosters trust and strengthens loyalty. Additionally, a Techpedia study revealed that brands that prioritize consistency are rated 20% higher than those that don't. But while the evidence supporting consistent marketing is clear, many founders find it difficult to keep up with the escalating demands and ever-changing goalposts. Social media is more saturated than ever, which means your content needs to be of much higher quality to get noticed.

Business strategist and coach Julia Guerrieri knows this struggle all too well. Back in 2020, she was facing $25,000 in debt and decided to try upselling used clothing on Poshmark. Her success increased greatly after she started using her social media to increase foot traffic to her own store, and she was able to pay off her debt within six months. Encouraged by her success, she decided to try her hand at some other online businesses as well, but the marketing techniques she learned from others made her feel insecure. I realized that I was putting myself in a situation.

“I noticed that most of my profession (online coaches, course creators) talked about ‘effortless marketing’ and ‘trust in the process’, which never worked for me.” she remembers. “It put me in a constant state of fight, flight, or freeze. My income was unpredictable and I had no idea where the next money was going to come from.”

Recognizing that one of the most common challenges she and other founders faced was establishing a reliable method for consistent business, she began experimenting with different approaches and now is dedicated to teaching others how to enhance their digital marketing efforts to drive sales growth. This starts with helping entrepreneurs understand what is really required of them.

“When it comes to marketing, I believe it's not about how good you are, it's about how hard you swing the bat. Consistency means continuing day after day,” she says. “I've never been a great editor when it comes to posting. My content doesn't have high production values, but my message is consistent and harmonious.” [and] This allows us to enjoy the benefits of compound interest. ”

As a first-generation American woman, Julia encountered considerable obstacles. That obstacle has shaped her approach to marketing and growing her business.

“As a kid, I always worried about money. My parents came to America from Italy and started a business, but they had to work twice as hard to make it successful. I had to.”

This, combined with the fact that she was exposed to social media early in life, meant that although she saw glimpses of what was possible, she didn't have a clear strategy to get there.

“Seeing the wave of influencers at the time made me crave a life of financial, location and time freedom. I had to find a way to make money online. But after talking with another creative friend who told me that most people have to work on the side to support their lifestyle, I knew I had to find another way,” she recalls. “Experiences like this motivated me to create a way, even if it didn't exist.”

In a world dominated by automated funnels and passive marketing strategies, Julia still prefers to use cold calling. Although she describes her journey as “long and arduous,” she recognized the potential for sustainable growth.

“To me, the evergreen webinar funnel system is broken. It relies on scarcity and time-bound decision-making, and is driven wildly by fear. “It was a way for us to focus on only bringing people into the program that we knew would get results,” she explains. “Actually, you can't go to my website and buy my courses, and there's a good reason for that. We don't accept everyone.”

This intentional exclusivity ensures that all participants are a perfect fit for the program, aligning with Julia's long-term vision and ensuring that they are connected to what has become the social media standard: on the app. It goes against what she believes is the number one reason for being an entrepreneur: trying to convert people. She finds it very difficult to consistently market to customers and convert them.

“Instagram is a top-of-funnel platform, which means your only purpose on Instagram is to [apps like this] It's about getting someone interested from a state of no interest. The biggest misconception is that marketers think people will go from viewing content to selling directly, but relationship building is missing. ”

Another misconception she wants to debunk is that for content to get noticed, you need to spend hours creating it. “If content creation only takes two hours a week, the majority of that time will be spent on relationships with potential new clients or existing clients, getting and retaining results. People spend too much time on marketing and not enough time on the other core functions that actually make a business successful. Marketing is only a small part, but social This is the part that gets the loudest voice in the media.”

Here's Giulia's advice for consistent social media marketing success without spending a lot of time.

Stop looking for immediate results

The first challenge Julia teaches her clients to overcome is the need for immediate results for their efforts. “If you don't have stability, you won't see results. When my Instagram account was down, I posted twice a day and got it back in just 30 days. Thanks to that, I'm now consistently making six figures every month. Now you can start earning money. The initial start-up investment (also known as time) is high, but like any good thing in life, it takes a lot of work upfront to reap the benefits later. I have to do it.”

Julia understands that most entrepreneurs feel they are in the best position to share their brand's true message, so instead of thinking about leaving it to someone else, she says, “Wash and repeat. ” We are proposing to create a content system that can.

“I've developed a content system that allows me to create 7 days worth of high-converting reels in just 2 hours a week. As a busy CEO, I naturally choose to outsource creative, but creative is my area of ​​genius. , and I realize that I can't delegate that task. So I had to find an easier way. If you want repeatable output, you need repeatable input.”

Adaptation is the key

Julia knows that staying ahead means embracing change and leveraging data to steer your ship. “We track everything… Without data, we end up making decisions based on emotion.” By going into metrics like show viewership and conversion rates, she says she's not just guessing. It's not just about doing things. She makes informed choices to keep her business on track and growing.

Giulia's own Instagram journey is a testament to the power of this data-driven approach. “If we don’t adapt to the platform, we will become extinct,” she warns. Rather than riding the wave of the latest trends, she suggests checking your analytics regularly and tweaking your content strategy.

“Moving from a 'believe me' (aka emotional) approach to a data-driven approach has allowed me to separate my identity from the company. I used to think that I was the problem and that I didn't have the right mindset to become a million dollar business owner. That's when I realized that as humans, we can be very irrational when we don't have data to make decisions. By looking closely at your numbers every day, you can see where the bottlenecks are and work with your team to quickly resolve them. ”

Look beyond the number of followers

Julia's perspective on social media metrics is surprisingly unconventional. “Followers are like monopoly money,” she asserts. Even though she boasts a sizeable 70,000 followers, she recognizes that her true success is not measured in numbers, but in meaningful influence. “Success is a feeling that comes from within,” she reflects. For her, it's about tangible moments of change, like helping someone quit a job or achieve financial freedom. These heartfelt connections and changes in reality fuel her sense of fulfillment.

This is why she suggests focusing on relationship building instead. “Rather than trying to reach a large number of people, focusing on the depth of your relationship with one of your girlfriends in your audience will create a meaningful connection that will inevitably lead to a sale.”

Your unique voice will propel you further

“Storytelling is the secret,” Julia emphasizes. By openly sharing the ups and downs of her life, she has built a deep bond with her followers. “Having my iPhone camera out during the best moments of my life and the worst moments has shaped me as a powerful creator,” Julia explains. Masu. For her, being authentic is most important to her because it allows her to connect with her viewers on a deep level.

But Julia warns of the pitfalls of fluffy content and encourages creators to be bold with their messages. “Great creators thrive on polarizing and controlled debate,” she observes.

Stop trying to do everything passively

Julia is working on a campaign to make working income cool again.

“When you're doing work you love, it doesn't feel like work. If I had to do something for the rest of my life, it would be exactly what I'm doing right now. I made my purpose clear before building it, and I encourage others to do the same.

“Remember that marketing is just one part of the game. If you're not getting results, it's usually because you lack the skills needed to get there, and that's a sign of swallowing. It's a hard pill to swallow. One of my clients says, “Leave your ego at the door,” which is a great mantra to remember because you're a lifelong student. The moment you stop learning or develop an aversion to trying new methods, you will begin to decline. ”

To learn more about Julia and her work, check out her Instagram account. here.