In today’s digital age, social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses to connect with their audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales. However, despite its potential, many companies make critical mistakes when it comes to social media marketing. In this blog post, we’ll explore the top 8 mistakes businesses often make and explain how good social media companies excel at helping businesses overcome these challenges.

1. Focusing on Quantity Over Quality

The Mistake: Some businesses fall into the trap of posting on social media frequently without giving due attention to the quality of their content. Example: A restaurant posts multiple low-resolution images of their dishes daily, resulting in low engagement and few conversions.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: Such a company understands that quality matters. Their team of creative experts ensures that every piece of content they produce is not just frequent but engaging and impactful.

2. Not Having a Clear Strategy

The Mistake: Lack of a well-defined strategy can lead to aimless social media efforts and wasted resources. Example: A startup launches a social media account without clear objectives, resulting in random posts that don’t resonate with their target audience or business goals.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: A good social media company is strategy-driven. They work closely with you to establish clear goals and develop a tailored social media strategy that aligns with your brand’s vision and objectives.

3. Ignoring the Importance of Visuals

The Mistake: Neglecting the visual aspect of social media can lead to posts that don’t grab attention in the crowded digital landscape. Example: An online clothing store posts text-only updates about new arrivals, missing out on the opportunity to showcase the latest trends with high-quality images.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: Visual storytelling is at the core of their approach. They specialize in creating captivating visuals, including stunning images and engaging videos, that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

4. Being Overly Promotional

The Mistake: Constantly bombarding followers with promotional content can make a brand appear pushy and self-centered. Example: A smartphone manufacturer exclusively posts product advertisements without engaging content, resulting in followers unfollowing due to the relentless sales pitch.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: They strike the perfect balance between promotion and engagement. Their content is designed to provide value and build a genuine connection with your audience, enhancing brand loyalty.

5. Not Engaging with Followers

The Mistake: Ignoring comments and messages shows a lack of interest in the audience’s opinions and can damage a company’s reputation. Example: A tech company receives questions and complaints on social media but fails to respond, leaving customers frustrated and feeling unheard.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: They are committed to active engagement. Their community management team ensures timely and thoughtful responses, nurturing positive relationships with your followers.

6. Not Measuring Results

The Mistake: Without tracking metrics, it’s impossible to assess the impact of social media efforts and make data-driven decisions. Example: A fitness influencer posts daily workout videos but never checks engagement metrics or conversion rates, missing out on opportunities to optimize content.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: They are data enthusiasts. A good social media company provides in-depth analytics and reporting, allowing you to measure the success of your campaigns and refine your strategy for maximum effectiveness.

7. Neglecting Social Media Advertising

The Mistake: Relying solely on organic reach may limit a business’s potential audience and outreach. Example: An e-commerce store doesn’t invest in targeted social media ads, missing out on the opportunity to reach potential customers who fit their ideal buyer persona.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: They leverage the power of social media advertising to expand your reach. Their expert team crafts tailored ad campaigns that target your ideal audience, maximizing your return on investment.

10. Not Adapting to New Trends and Features

The Mistake: Social media platforms evolve rapidly, and failure to adapt to new trends and features can lead to stagnation. Example: A fashion brand doesn’t explore the use of Instagram Reels, missing the chance to showcase its products in an engaging short video format, while competitors embrace the trend.

How a Good Social Media Company Helps: They stay ahead of the curve. A good social media company is always on the lookout for the latest social media trends and features, ensuring that your brand remains innovative and relevant in the ever-changing digital landscape.

In conclusion, social media marketing can be a powerful tool when used strategically and effectively. A good social media company is here to guide you on your social media journey, providing expertise and solutions that address these common mistakes and help your company thrive in the dynamic world of social media. Remember, it’s not just about being present on social media; it’s about standing out and making a lasting impact, and that’s where a good social media company truly excels.

If you know of a company looking for social media support, Nayan Leadership is partnered with HachiMedia to support its clients. HachiMedia is the sister company to Nayan Leadership, also founded by Dr. Dhru Beeharilal, with support from talented and experienced marketing minds focused on your business’ success. HachiMedia is also the only social media and digital marketing company that approaches marketing your business through a business coaching lens, providing holistic and seamless solutions that are customized to you and your business. Reach out to us to explore how HachiMedia and/or Nayan Leadership can support your business.

When it comes to hiring marketing professionals, many companies often make critical mistakes that can hinder their marketing success. Great marketing companies understand the importance of finding candidates who possess the right mix of strategic thinking, cultural fit, and diverse perspectives to create impactful marketing campaigns. Here are ten common mistakes companies should avoid:

Mistake 1: Focusing on technical skills over strategic thinking

While technical skills are essential, companies must not overlook the importance of strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities. For instance, hiring a social media manager solely based on their proficiency with different platforms may lead to a lack of cohesive marketing strategies.

Mistake 2: Ignoring cultural fit

Neglecting to consider cultural fit can result in conflicts within the team and hinder collaboration. Evaluating candidates’ values and working styles is crucial to ensure they align with the company culture.

Mistake 3: Not testing candidates

Companies often make the mistake of solely relying on interviews and resumes, which may not provide an accurate assessment of a candidate’s abilities. To truly gauge their skills, companies should provide candidates with real-world scenarios or sample projects.

Mistake 4: Relying too heavily on resumes

Resumes might not always showcase a candidate’s full potential or relevant experience. It’s important to complement resume reviews with skills assessments and behavioral interviews to gain a comprehensive understanding of the candidate’s capabilities.

Mistake 5: Overemphasizing industry experience

While industry experience can be valuable, it’s crucial not to overlook candidates with transferable skills. A candidate with a diverse skill set might bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that can revitalize a company’s marketing efforts.

Mistake 6: Failing to provide clear expectations

Unclear expectations during the hiring process can lead to misunderstandings and unmet objectives. To avoid this, companies should provide a detailed job description, clearly outlining the responsibilities and expectations for the marketing role.

Mistake 7: Neglecting soft skills

Soft skills like communication and collaboration are indispensable in the marketing world. A candidate might possess exceptional technical skills, but if they lack the ability to work well with others, it can hinder the success of marketing campaigns.

Mistake 8: Not considering diverse candidates

A lack of diversity within the marketing team can lead to homogeneous ideas and limit the company’s ability to reach a broader audience. Companies should actively seek out and consider candidates from diverse backgrounds to foster creativity and inclusivity in their marketing efforts.

Mistake 9: Focusing on salary over potential

While competitive salaries are essential for attracting top talent, companies should not overlook a candidate’s potential for growth within the organization. Investing in candidates who demonstrate long-term potential can lead to more significant contributions to the company in the future.

Mistake 10: Rushing the hiring process

Hiring in haste often results in poor choices and high turnover rates. Taking the time to thoroughly evaluate candidates ensures a better fit for both the role and the company’s culture, reducing the likelihood of frequent turnover.

Conclusion

In conclusion, avoiding these common hiring mistakes will significantly impact a company’s ability to create meaningful and impactful marketing campaigns. Great marketing companies recommend finding the right marketing professionals who possess strategic thinking, diverse perspectives, and strong soft skills. By focusing on these qualities, companies can build a marketing team that excels in delivering exceptional and customized marketing solutions, setting them apart in today’s competitive landscape.

This is why we recommend using a company like our sister company, HachiMedia, for your social media and digital marketing needs. HachiMedia focuses on giving everyone a voice and allows companies to create and achieve meaningful, impactful, and customized marketing goals, not just generic and meaningless ones. Their expertise in social media and digital marketing can help your company reach its full potential and stand out in the crowded digital landscape. Don’t make the mistakes mentioned above; partner with HachiMedia for unparalleled marketing success.

Promoting employees within an organization is a crucial step in nurturing talent, fostering growth, and ensuring long-term success. However, many companies fall into common pitfalls when it comes to promoting individuals. In this article, we will explore the top 10 mistakes companies make when promoting people and discuss the importance of avoiding these errors to build a thriving and equitable workplace culture.

1. Promoting for seniority, not skill

   One of the most significant mistakes companies make is promoting employees based solely on seniority or tenure. While loyalty and dedication are admirable qualities, promotions should be primarily driven by an individual’s skills, performance, and potential for growth. It’s essential to recognize and reward talent to create a meritocracy that motivates employees and fosters healthy competition.
   
   

2. Inadequate training and support

   Promoting employees without providing sufficient training and support can be detrimental to their success. A lack of guidance and resources may result in frustration, underperformance, and decreased confidence. To ensure a smooth transition into their new roles, companies should invest in comprehensive training programs and ongoing support tailored to the specific needs of each promoted employee.
   
   

3. Lack of clear expectations and goals

   Without clearly defined expectations and goals, employees may struggle to understand their new responsibilities and perform effectively. Transparent communication about the requirements and objectives of the promoted role is crucial. By setting clear expectations, companies enable their employees to align their efforts with organizational objectives, ensuring productivity and success.
   
   

4. Overemphasizing technical expertise

   Technical skills are undoubtedly important, but promoting employees solely based on technical expertise can lead to imbalances within teams. Neglecting critical skills like communication, leadership, and collaboration may result in poor team dynamics and hinder overall organizational growth. Companies should evaluate candidates holistically, considering a broad range of skills and qualifications.
   
   

5. Not considering the impact on colleagues

   Promotions that disrupt team dynamics or create imbalances can have a detrimental effect on morale and productivity. It is essential for companies to consider how a promotion may impact colleagues and take steps to mitigate any potential negative consequences. Open communication and transparency can help address concerns and ensure a smooth transition for all team members.
   
   

6. Ignoring external factors

   Companies that fail to consider external factors when making promotion decisions may find themselves out of sync with the market and their long-term goals. Economic conditions, industry trends, and market demands should be evaluated to ensure that promotions align with the company’s strategic direction. By adapting to external factors, organizations can maintain their competitive edge and make informed promotion choices.
   
   

7. Unfair promotion practices

   Promotions marred by nepotism, favoritism, or bias can erode trust, demoralize employees, and create a toxic work environment. To foster a fair and inclusive culture, companies must establish transparent and objective promotion processes that emphasize merit and potential rather than personal relationships. Equal opportunities for growth should be available to all employees.
   
   

8. Insufficient evaluation of performance and potential

   Failing to evaluate employee performance and potential accurately can result in missed opportunities for growth and hinder professional development. Companies should establish clear evaluation criteria and processes, such as regular performance reviews, to ensure fair and consistent assessments. By doing so, they can identify top performers and nurture their potential through appropriate promotions.
   
   

9. Poor role fit for the employee

   Promoting employees into roles that do not align with their skills, interests, or aspirations is a recipe for underperformance and dissatisfaction. Companies should assess candidates not only based on their qualifications but also consider their compatibility with the new role. Providing opportunities for employees to pursue roles that capitalize on their strengths and interests fosters engagement and enhances productivity.
   
   

10. Inadequate attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion

    An entire blog post could, and will in the future, be devoted entirely to the concept of diversity, equity, and inclusion; specifically, what it really is and how to truly do it properly. That being said, diversity, equity, and inclusion should be at the forefront of promotion decisions. Neglecting these crucial aspects can perpetuate inequalities, limit representation, and hinder innovation within an organization. Companies must prioritize diversity and inclusion initiatives and establish clear processes that create equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of their background or identity.

Conclusion

Promoting employees is an opportunity for companies to cultivate talent, foster growth, and build a robust organizational culture. By avoiding the top 10 mistakes discussed above, organizations can ensure fair, effective, and successful promotion processes. Prioritizing merit, providing support, and considering diversity and inclusion will not only benefit the promoted individuals but also contribute to overall employee satisfaction and long-term organizational success.

How does this article resonate with you? If you think your organization could benefit from diving deeper into this topic, or if you’re just curious to learn more, schedule a Clarity Call with us today!

Discovering your coaching niche can sometimes feel like a burden to new coaches who are just kick-starting their careers. This self-inflicted pressure of establishing who you want to coach, what type of clientele you want to attract and what businesses or industries you want to hone in on are all steps of the coaching process that will come over time. The pressure of feeling like you need to know the specific people you need to be coaching is unrealistic and detrimental to new coaches and their business.

There are five things new coaches need to invest in before discovering their coaching niche.

Focus on the Basics

Number one is focusing on the basics and not so much on certificates and certifications. While certifications look great, they also cost time and money. Some coaches will spend months and years working on certifications and trainings only to realize they are not progressing their business and instead have wasted time and money.

Focusing on the basics and collecting certificates as you go can be beneficial to new coaches. Get out there first and see what you need as you go; try observing which clients you resonate with first and foremost, then whichever certifications you actually need will become more apparent.

Take Your Time

Number two, take your time. There is no rush in coaching. Coach as many people as you can and find who you like to coach. This could be a specific person, a specific industry or even a specific demographic; it’s really whatever you make it. There is no rush in finding what you like. You will be a better coach if you actually enjoy who you are coaching.

When I first started coaching, I had a client who was difficult to connect with. He would show up for coaching sessions and check all the boxes, but he demonstrated very little growth. In reality, his goals were different than mine and I knew that there was a disconnect when I wasn’t excited about the coaching sessions myself. Eventually, we had a conversation and I referred him to a different coach who would best suit his goals and aspirations. It’s okay to take your time and figure out who you want to coach. You’re not going to connect with everyone. Ultimately, it has to be the right person in order for your clients to grow and be successful.

Get the Paperwork Done

Number three, get your practice set up the way you want it; meaning get that paperwork done. Determining if you want to create a group practice, an independent consultancy or an LLC is the first step in setting up your business. Getting organized with marketing, websites, business insurance and so on is an important step of the process as well. Establishing your practice the way you want it isn’t cookie-cutter. Make it yours!

Network

Number four, network, network, network. Getting your name out there is so important when starting up. If people don’t know who you are, how are they supposed to use you? Networking can be anything you make it. Talk to people; tell people what you are doing and what your mission is. Getting your name out there as much as possible is key. It’s not what you know, and it’s not who you know. It’s who knows you.

Ask for Help

Number five, seek help! There are people out there who have experience and who are willing to guide and mentor you. Finding mentors will not only benefit you but it will benefit your business as well. Invest in growth. Time is far more valuable than money, and where you spend your time matters—so spend it with people who push you to be better. Tapping into the coaching community can be beneficial to your personal and business development. Get out there and seek guidance; it’s okay to ask for help.

Establishing a coaching niche takes time. Following these five elements of business development can help propel you to where you want to be, and your niche will come naturally. In order to succeed as a coach, you need to be all in and invest in yourself, your business and growth. If you are willing to grow and learn, the rest will come with time.

This blog was originally published on Forbes as part of the Forbes Coaches Council. Read more from Dhru and the Coaches Council.

Professional coaching has become an immensely popular tool for personal, professional and executive development. However, it remains an unregulated industry in which anyone can suddenly decide they want to call themselves a coach and start taking on clients. To realize the actual benefits from the experience, you want to make certain that you choose a coach who aligns with who you are and what you want to do. With a little bit of leg work, you can sift through those who only appear competent and find the ones who have the proper skills and training to deliver true growth.

Here are five questions to ask when looking to hire an executive coach:

1. Are they a skilled coach or a good marketer?

Coaches market in a number of ways. In addition to optimizing their websites for organic search, coaches appear on podcasts, conduct seminars, and create content to present their philosophy and perspective to the public. However, these formats don’t necessarily reveal whether they are skilled in actual coaching. A good marketer knows how to speak to the desires and fears of their target audience, while a good coach also knows what questions to ask and what tools to use to empower their clients to overcome their specific challenges. While you can find coaches through marketing, make sure to do additional research into each candidate to make the most of your time, money, and effort.

2. What are their credentials?

It is tempting to see a mention of accreditation on a coach’s bio or resume and feel some measure of assurance that this person has received appropriate training and experience to do this work. However, the organizations that provide accreditation are no more regulated than the industry itself, so it is important to take the extra step of researching what training the coach has received. For example, there are some coaching certification programs that last only six weekends and provide minimal or no hands-on experience as part of the training. Other programs — some offered by reputable universities — offer a far more robust curriculum that includes direct client work necessary to develop the skills of their students. Taking the time to pull back the certification curtain will help screen out amateurs.

3. How much coaching experience do they have?

A coaching certificate is not the only way that a person can become a good coach. Certification programs have only gained popularity in the last 20 years, and there are coaches who have been doing the work effectively for longer than that. Instead, take a look at their resume and bio for other indicators of a solid career providing the foundation and substance of the person’s coaching ability. Years of coaching can be supplemented by practical experience in a specific industry. Be careful though: You want to make sure that the coach has actual experience working one-on-one with clients as a coach. An industry leader may have the skills and experience to be a great mentor or consultant, but it takes specific training and experience to know how to be an effective coach. There is no substitute for actual coaching experience.

4. How did they do in the interview?

Before hiring a coach, be sure to do a thorough interview of the coach. Ask them how they work with their clients. Do they know how to adjust their approach to cater to the needs of the client? Does this match with what you hope to get from your experience? You can also ask what they have worked on with clients in the past — if their successes have been in specific areas that don’t coincide with your needs, they may not be a good match.

Also, pay attention to their ability to ask questions and the specific questions they ask. If they jump to giving advice or solutions without asking clarifying questions about your goals and what success means to you, that is not coaching. You want the relationship to produce meaningful results and a coach can not do that if they do not genuinely care about what is meaningful to you.

Lastly, look for someone who makes you feel comfortable, but will also push you. It’s lonely at the top — often you will be sharing very personal aspects of yourself with your coach. A coach is not someone who is going to tell you exactly what you want to hear all of the time. Often, they will ask questions that might evoke feelings of discomfort because they hold up a mirror to show you things you might not want to face. Be wary of folks who tell you exactly what you want to hear all of the time, and choose the person with whom you feel you can share your vulnerabilities more freely.

5. What do their other clients say?

Your coach candidates do not have to be your only interview. Other clients can be an excellent resource for evaluating a good coaching match. Coaches can often provide references who can attest to their ability to help their clients realize effective change and growth. When checking references, ask them about their goals and explore how the coach worked with them. What is the coach’s style? How do they help with identifying issues, accountability and getting unstuck? Don’t be afraid to ask whether other clients found value in the investment and be certain to ask about the coach’s weaknesses.

By doing your due diligence about a potential coach, you can establish an important foundation for success. Starting with confidence in the coach, as well as a good understanding of the coaching experience they offer, paves the way for a deeper coaching relationship.

This blog was originally published on Forbes as part of the Forbes Coaches Council. Read more from Dhru and the Coaches Council.