There are plenty of great things about social media, however, one common drawback that many people are finding about the many platforms is what to believe.   

There are lots of things that are shared on social media and quickly become viral, but these things are not entirely accurate and some may be completely false.   

When you consider this, it is easy to see why many people simply don’t believe or trust what they see on social media. When you consider how important social media marketing is for many consultancy firms, you can tell how much of a problem this could grow to be.  

The good news is that consultancy firms can ensure that they come across as authentic on social media. It just takes some effort and careful thought.   

To help you to ensure that your consultancy firm is on the right page, on social media that is, I have put together my top 10 tips on how you can be as authentic as possible on social media.   

Be as human as you can  

Your potential clients must recognise that your consultancy firm is human. After all, we all relate to humans a lot more than we do robots! By opening up and showcasing your human side on social media you are showing that you are vulnerable and that you are real.   

This can come in a variety of ways, one great idea is to acknowledge any hurdles or challenges that you have faced as a firm over recent times. This not only shows that you can face issues that come up, but that you are strong enough as a firm to move through them and succeed.   

Valuable content share on social media

Social media isn’t just a tool for self-promotion, it is also a tool for sharing valuable content with those who need it. This means that you need to try and focus on sharing posts and links that are going to give the person who reads them some worthwhile information or knowledge.  

This content doesn’t always have to be groundbreaking, sometimes, it is the simplest tips that can be enough for your followers to believe in what you have to say.   

Be true to yourself  

Now I know that this is one of the more obvious tips out there, but it is true. You, as a consultancy firm, have clients on board because they have chosen you to represent them and help them, which means that your firm has something that appeals.  

It is important to ensure that the persona that you create on social media is a true reflection of who you are as a firm. The last thing that you want to do is to create a voice that doesn’t match your real values and missions.   

If you do then not only will this be untrue, but it could also be detrimental when it comes to clients choosing you for who you appear to be, not for who you are.   

Give your followers the gift of time   

Social media is all about communication and engagement. Not only do you want this to be for your clients and followers, but also for them to want to engage with too! If they have taken the time to engage with what you have to say, then the least that you can do is then engage back with them.  

You should do this in a friendly manner (and, above all else, in a timely fashion). Not only will this help to show that you are listening to what people say, but it also shows that you are authentically engaging and posting on your social media profiles too!   

Keep the same voice on social media   

If you want to build a feeling of trust in who you are, then you need to keep a consistent voice on your social media platforms. There can, of course, be changes from time to time, but if you have the same voice then your followers are going to feel that you are who you say you are.  

The easiest way to do this is to simply share posts that are written in a way that reflects your actual voice, then you won’t have to worry about what you are saying and how you are saying it.   

Don’t be all about the sales   

Whilst you should be using social media to promote your firm and what you can do, this should never be the sole focus. Using calls to action is great for ensuring that your firm attracts as much traffic and leads, but you should use them sparingly. Or at the very least given some time off from time to time.   

Mix things up and don’t always have a call to action on your posts. The good news is that it won’t have too much of an impact on the success of what you say on social media, but it will show that you care about your followers and their needs rather than solely being about what you need.   

Use emotions….but carefully  

Emotions are a clever marketing tool because they make your audience feel something. These emotions then, in turn, encourage them to trust and believe in what you can help them with. They feel that you will understand them as a person and the way that certain situations (often tricky ones for that matter) may be affecting them.  

You will also appear as a completely human consultancy firm, dedicated to providing them with a human level of service too!  

Be wary though of trying to utilise emotions too much on social media as this could then send your audience the other way and feel that they are being manipulated.   

Showcase your values   

Your consultancy firm is likely to have a set of values and issues that you feel passionately about. There may be a certain community or group of people that you feel needs your focus, or perhaps you may be involved in the work of a certain charity.  

You may even have a particular holiday season that you love most of all. Whatever it is that makes you, well you, don’t be afraid to showcase it. These posts are going to come from the heart and believe me when I say that those reading them will know this!   

Don’t always follow the trends   

Trends are great because they can help you to get noticed, but they can also make you seem like you only ever swim along with the crowd. Every so often it is great to allow your social media to follow particular trends, especially if you think that they are going to align with your values and voice.  

However, if you keep on doing this then your audience is going to see you as being dishonest and altogether not a real human company.   

Encourage a community to form on social media  

A great part of social media is the fact that it brings people together. This means that you need to make sure that you encourage this sort of community to form within your pages and posts.   

Not only can you engage with, talk to and provide additional information to those who take the time to comment on the posts that you share, but you can also encourage your followers to do the same with one another.   

If you create a community feel on your social media, then you are going to soon see that your followers chat amongst themselves. They may even share experiences that they have had with your consultancy firm if they are an existing client and help to bring even more clients into your list.   

These are just some of the ways that you can be as authentic as you can be whilst using social media as a marketing tool. If you always remember to be true to who you are as a consultancy firm, then I am sure that you will always be seen as a name that can be trusted amongst the noise of the industry.   

Take a look at some of my other blogs you may be interested in:

How interim marketing directors work with existing marketing teams

Mission, Vision and Values – what’s the difference for a B2B Business? 

Need help?

If you would like help with your marketing then bringing on a marketing consultant with a fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference. I work with B2B businesses and professional service firms in London, Kent, UK and Europe as well as specialising as a Legal Marketing Consultant. Please get in touch or book a free 30-minute consultation.