Why you don’t need 10K social media followers to create a profitable small business
Have you ever had a great idea but didn’t know how you were going to get it out into the world simply because you didn’t have thousands of people in your audience to sell it to? I see this all the time with my coaching clients. They’re so focused on the numbers they don’t always see the value that’s right in front of them with their current audience. Take it from somebody with an audience of 100K on Instagram, a small audience of really engaged followers converts way higher than a large audience of passive scrollers. The more your audience grows, the harder it is to tap into relationships and connection with the people in your audience.
No matter what stage you’re at with your business, don’t discount the stage you’re in right now. There’s value to be had, lessons to be learned and money to be made every step of the way. You don’t have to wait until you reach 10K to take your business seriously or price your work fairly. You can do both of those things right now with what you currently have right in front of you.
I remember a time where 10K felt like the magic number. It was when that number was required in order to have the coveted “swipe up” feature. At that time, it felt like I would never get there. There were a lot of days on social media where I felt like I was talking to myself most days when posting on Instagram. But I kept talking. I kept showing up. I stayed consistent. If you follow along with this blog, you probably know that consistency is my secret sauce for success. Do something consistently over time and you will see results, positive or negative.
On my quest for 10K, one thing I observed often was finding other accounts that were run by creative entrepreneurs with an audience of anywhere from 4,000,-7,000, and they were running their business FULL TIME. It was kind of shocking to me at first. For some reason I had always felt like you had to reach that 10,000 person milestone in order to get close to full time income with a “side hustle”. Which by the way, I kind of hate that term now, even when I’m the one using it. I just feel like too often the term side hustle is something we subconsciously use to downplay our business, downplay what we’re doing, downplay our dreams. I called my business a side hustle for years, until I finally came to the realization, “If I’m making a full time income, is this really even a side hustle anymore?” So I’ve started calling it what it is, a small business. Okay, okay, end rant.
One other thing I noticed about some of these graphic designers, artists and creative entrepreneurs, is that they had incredible portfolios filled with work from extremely credible clients. Artwork being sold on West Elm’s website, collaborations with big apparel companies, self initiated projects that lead to partnerships with TV networks, products being sold in retail stores like Hobby Lobby and Target. Their work was INCREDIBLE. But I was always so shocked to find that they didn’t have 75,000+ followers or more like I assumed they would. In fact the majority of artists I was stumbling upon had less than 10K. Then I had my ah-ha moment, that I still have to remind myself of today. Numbers aren’t everything. 100k followers does NOT mean 100k customers, or 100,000 email subscribers, nope, not even close. But for some reason we have this notion in our minds that we can’t do much without a large audience, which couldn’t be further from the truth. And here’s why:
People are discovering smaller accounts, artists, coaches, and entrepreneurs everyday on social media.
While static posts aren’t necessarily doing the trick as often or as easily when it comes to reach and engagement, Instagram reels are making up for whatever is lacking in those formerly successful feed posts. With Instagram reels you have the opportunity to reach so many new audiences and groups of people, your content can show up anywhere and get seen by anyone, no need for a 10,000+ audience.
Of course there are many benefits to growing a larger audience:
Legitimacy/credibility
More people to sell to
Large numbers + vanity metrics get people’s attention
But a large audience isn’t a requirement or even a prerequisite for success or the possibility of going full time with your business.
My philosophy has always been do what you can with what you have. When you have a smaller audience, it’s actually easier to keep them engaged and keep close connections with them. And did you know that one of the best ways to make a sale is to get people in your DMs? It’s through actual conversation and connection that sales are made and loyal customers are acquired.
If you’re feeling down about your audience, or maybe you’re convinced you can’t do much as a business owner with a small audience, here are 4 selling tips I want you to try…
Start a conversation over Instagram DM
Did somebody reply to one of your stories? Did they tag you in a story? Share your post? Focus on wherever you can get the conversation going, consider where you can make connections and how you can be in actual conversation and communication with your followers. I honestly have had the privilege of being blessed with an audience where a lot of internet strangers have become friends in my inbox, and it’s most real and authentic when it’s not about selling, it’s just simply about building connections. So while your motive shouldn’t be to get somebody to buy something, if you keep your eyes set on building friendships and trust, they’re going to be a lot more likely to buy from you in the future, and when they’re ready to buy something, you want to do everything you can to ensure that you’ll be top of mind for them!
2. Start building that email list RIGHT NOW. Don’t wait another minute!
This is one of my BIGGEST regrets in business! I only WISH I would have paid more attention to my email list sooner. Why? Because that is one audience I actually have a little bit of control over. I don’t own instagram. If it goes down tomorrow and I have no email subscribers, then I’ve lost touch with 100k people and I’ve got no way to reach them. So how do you build an email list? Give them something in exchange for their email address. Consider it a trade, and a fair one at that. What do you have knowledge and insights about that might be useful to your audience? What can you offer for them? What value do you have to provide? Whether it’s an e-book, a cheat sheet, a guide, or something else, consider what you have that’s of use for your ideal target audience and promote the heck out of it, everywhere you can! Put it on your stories, your most visited page on your website, add it to your bio, put it EVERYWHERE!
3. Engage with your audience every day
Don’t be the person that posts and ghosts! When you make a post on any social media platform and people choose to engage with it, don’t take that for granted! Capitalize on the connection and continue the conversation. Let your audience know that you hear them! Show them that you’re listening!
4. Humanize your brand
Have you ever followed an account that you love and then one day they finally post a picture of themselves instead of their product and you’re like WOAH WHO IS THAT?! Small Business owners are waaaay too good at hiding behind their work! I’ve seen so many artists and small business owners of all kinds that hide behind their work and never show their face! People are way more likely to engage with and buy from other people, not brands. Humanizing your brand, showing the face behind the account, telling your story is absolutely ESSENTIAL for your brand, your business, and your sales strategy. You want people to root for you, but they can’t really root for you if they don’t know who you are! Start getting comfortable with sharing your face on Instagram stories! The more you do it, the less daunting it’ll be!
You’ll notice that none of these tips necessarily mean immediate money in your pocket right this second. But that immediacy isn’t the point. We’re playing the long game here my friend. While the 4 tips above don’t mean money in your pocket today, what they all have in common is that they’re part of a solid sales strategy. A strategy that’s going to create loyal customers in the long run, no matter the size of your audience. When I first started my business, my strategy was non-existent. I didn’t take my business seriously enough to know that I NEEDED a strategy. And I needed it badly. I cringe when I think about the proactive steps I could have been taking early on in my business but it just never occurred to me that I needed to do it. I never thought my business would be what it is today. I didn’t see it as a full on career path. Friend, if you’re in that mindset today I URGE you to shift your thinking and dream about the possibilities of what could be and what is truly possible with your business!
Got questions? Did any of this resonate with you? Let me know in the comments!
