As we celebrate National Social Media Day, we are ever mindful of those who are not so fortunate; those who mourn this day as a reminder of their failures; and others, who, sadly, are obtusely unaware of its even existence. Creating a road map to Social Media Success can be the first step in the healing process. Here is a handy guide for making it work for you in 3 Easy Steps.

Creating Your Identity

No matter what the size of your company or how many people you have handling your social media, defining and creating your identity is the first and most crucial step. Who are you? To whom are you speaking? What value do you bring to the table? If your ‘voice’ is all over the map, chances are the people you really want to reach won’t’ hear you. Define your strategy and then make sure your team understands your plan and has the tools to put it to work.

Find Your Venue

While it makes great sense for a photographer to nurture an Instagram account, it seems a bit awkward for a law firm to do so. Not that they shouldn’t, but a more ‘professional’ gateway might be a better fit. Where are your clients and prospects? What do want them to know about you? If your business is visual or creative, Pinterest and Instagram might be just what the doctor ordered. If you’re a CPA, Twitter and LinkedIn might be a better fit.

Be Present

Pretend that your social media persona is your company, in a social setting. If you just stand in the middle of the venue and continue to yell to the room around you how awesome you are, odds are you won’t get much action. Engage with your peers, charm your potential customers, utilize the same set of behaviors you would in a social setting. If someone speaks to you (tweets, messages, Facebooks, etc.) reply! Be SOCIAL, be courteous, be engaging and be reliable. Responding promptly can be the difference between gaining a loyal fan and becoming a blocked user.

See, three simple steps. That’s really all you need to get started, now just put one foot in front of the other (or digit as the case may be) and get started!