Episode 129: The Relationships Behind Social Media With Chris Strub

Chris Strub is the first person to use live-streaming and Snapchat in all 50 U.S. states. He's also the author of 50 States, 100 Days: The Book, and is the CEO of I Am Here, LLC. Biggest Takeaway You Don't Want To Miss Social media is more important now than ever and it truly is an aspect of your business that you don't want to ignore or write off completely. It can help you make meaningful connections and engage your with your core audience in an authentic way. The biggest mistake that business owners make is that they post on social media because they feel like they have too. It's important to be authentic and post relevant, quality content - otherwise people WILL see through it. Develop a strategy that you can commit to and see how it can take your business to new heights. Show Highlights Who is Chris Strub? [2:00] Why should I incorporate a social media strategy into my business? [3:30] What social media apps should pet sitting business owners be focusing on? [6:45] How often should I be posting and engaging on social media? [11:30] What do you say to people who think social media is a waste of time? [17:00] Why do you prioritize attending live events? [19:45] Special Offer Join Chris's FREE Facebook Group, SocialWithStrub, where you can share ideas and strategies about social media for your brand. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SocialWithStrub/ Links Chris's Blog: http://givingdayguy.com Chris's Websites:  www.teamstrub.com and www.socialwithstrub.com Jump & Scale Webinar: http://jumpconsulting.net/scale Chris's Article: http://www.teamstrub.com/single-post/FemaleSpeakers Share The Show Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link – Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section Click on ‘Write a Review’ Transcript: This is episode 129 of Bella in Your Business. Do you feel like your business is going around on a merry-go-round? Well, I've got news for you. This episode is sponsored by my incredible webinar series called Jump and Scale. It gets you off that merry-go-round and up to the next level in your business. It's called Jump and Scale and it's free for you right now. Just go ahead and sign up at jumpconsulting.net/scale. You will learn how to grow your business, increase your staff, and not be held hostage to your business. So go ahead, sign up for free. That’s jumpconsulting.net/scale. I'll see you inside. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella's got your chute. Let's jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today I've got another friend with me. So glad that I get to call all these people my friends. Chris Strub is with us, and if you don't know him, you are going to know him by the end of this today. Chris is the first person to use live stream and Snapchat in all 50 states. He's the author of 50 States, 100 Days: The Book, and he's the CEO of I Am Here. Chris is a very giving person. He does a lot of giving days around the country with nonprofits and is just an all-around real, genuine person. Today, he's going to be here to talk to us about a lot of different social media topics. Without further ado, Chris Strub, welcome to the show. Chris: Bella, it's such a pleasure to be back. I'm going to pretend like we screwed up the audio on the last one just so that we could talk again because I love it. Bella: I love it. So Chris, why don’t you give us a little bit more of a background of who you are, where you're coming to us from, and your backstory? Chris: Sure. I recently moved here this month to Greenville, South Carolina, but I'm originally from New York. I went to school in Binghamton, so if you see the green hat that I wear all the time, that's my alma mater, Binghamton University. I quit my job up there in 2014 to road trip around the country to all 48 states. That led to the trip that you mentioned in 2015, where I worked with different nonprofits in all 50 states in 100 days, which led to the book, which I'm very proud of. That book has led to my career as a solopreneur, getting a chance to travel around the country and go to social media events like Social Media Week Lima, where you and I met earlier this year. I’ve also spoken in Denver, Wichita, San Francisco, and Texas. My passion really is working with nonprofits. This week I launched a new blog series called givingdayguy.com, where I'm focusing on helping organizations with their giving day plans. And we're recording right after Giving Tuesday, where on Facebook they raised more than $125 million for nonprofits just in one day, which is pretty incredible. Bella: That is incredible. Wow. That’s really awesome. This is probably coming out the first quarter of 2019, so I’m sure your blog is well underway. What was that URL again? Chris: givingdayguy.com. Bella: Very cool. So let’s talk social media in general. What’s the best advantage of actually incorporating a social media strategy into my business? Chris: I think the biggest advantage is keeping up with the people who value your business and value their relationship with you. Let’s use you and me as an example—we met in Lima, Ohio earlier this year, but we’ve been able to keep in constant contact through different social media channels. We watch each other’s Instagram stories, live streams, and tweet to each other. So we’re able to maintain a relationship that’s valuable to both of our businesses. You can apply that same thought process to whatever business you’re in—whether it’s the pet walking business or something else. Your customers are looking for ways to keep in touch with you outside of the time that they’re spending actually in your business or with their pets. We know people spend an enormous amount of time on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, so it’s critical for your business to have a presence there—not just to market your services, but to maintain a two-way line of communication with your customers so that when they do need to buy, you’re top of mind. Bella: I love that. And you’re right—our relationship is largely digital, but we’ve been able to get to know and support each other. I want to encourage business owners listening today not to just think of social media as a tool for clients to get to know you, but also for you to get to know your clients and other community leaders. Don’t be afraid to share their stuff. Too often we think we live in a silo and can’t follow the mayor or an awesome realtor who’s putting out great content. People see that and will want to do it for you too. Chris: A lot of people get caught up in all the new changes happening on social media, but really, business hasn’t changed—it’s still about relationship building. It’s about who you know and how well you know them. So if I’m trying to build a relationship with someone and they’re sharing about their life on social, when we meet in person, we already have common ground. That’s the power of social media—it bridges those gaps. Bella: Exactly. Think about the veterinarian clinic you’re trying to build a relationship with. You can start connecting online before walking in the door. That ice-breaking can happen virtually. It’s a great way to build relationships and get in the back door. Chris: Totally agree. Bella: So what apps should pet sitters be focusing on? There are so many out there. Should we do all of them? Chris: Probably not. My big focus this year has been Instagram Stories. I love to describe Stories as a happy medium between live streaming and permanent posts. You can point the camera at yourself and create content on the go. For dog walkers, it’s a great opportunity to connect while you’re out working—show real life. Stories only last 24 hours, but they keep you top of mind that whole time. People might not scroll back to see old posts, but if they see your Story circle lit up, they’ll tap it. It’s immediate and intimate. Bella: I love that, and I want to challenge pet sitters to not just post photos of pets. Show your human side—talk about what you’re doing, what challenges you’re solving, what makes you excited. Show the behind-the-scenes. That builds trust. Chris: Exactly. When people see you—your face, your voice—they connect with you. You’re not just another pet sitter. They trust you with their pets, their home, and their money. Stories let you show who you are. Think like a fan, think like a customer. Bella: So how often should they be posting? Chris: You can never provide too much value. Don’t post just to post. Post quality content that provides value. Watch your Stories and ask—am I getting bored? Be intentional. There’s no fixed rule; it depends on your capacity to create consistent, valuable content. Bella: There’s so much material out there—pet sitters get asked questions daily. Think like a journalist. And your Story doesn’t have to be all day long; it can be one hour with a beginning, middle, and end. Just share something interesting about your day. Chris: Yes—and as Marcus Sheridan says, “They ask, you answer.” Base your content around questions your clients ask. Write them down and answer them on video. That’s what people are searching for. Bella: Brilliant. And remember, you can upcycle Stories—download them and reuse them on Facebook, YouTube, or your website. If you show a shy cat coming out from under the bed, that can be a perfect example for your services page. It shows what you do in action. Chris: Exactly. And always encourage your clients to connect with you on social media. Don’t be afraid to say, “Hey, are you on Instagram? Let’s connect right now.” Bella: Perfect. So what do you say to people who think social media is a waste of time?