You’re Doing Social Media Backwards

A few things I observed last week.

First, an IEC with a relatively new practice talking reservedly, but directly-to-camera on TikTok about openings she has for clients right now.

Second, an IEC sharing a detailed—VERY detailed—report on a visit to a regional university, linked to an Instagram campus photo.

Third (and trust me, I could go on and on), a very experienced IEC sharing test-anxiety strategies on LinkedIn.

On one hand, you want to applaud professionals willing to use new ways of communicating to get the word out.

Unfortunately, all three of these independent educational consultants were using social media in ways that missed the mark.

One had the wrong message.

One had the wrong platform.

And one was probably talking to the wrong audience altogether.

Earlier this week I wrote about the right messaging to sign clients at this specific time in the application cycle. Today, let’s tackle one year-round marketing tool—social media—and how too many IECs are wasting their effort.

Because here’s the thing:

You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be somewhere for a reason.