Sippin’ Sunday: Social Media When You’re a Small Business of One

Running a small business means wearing approximately 47 hats. 😜

You’re making the products, buying supplies, answering messages, packing orders, doing markets, updating listings—and somewhere in there, apparently, you’re also supposed to be a social media manager. 😂

I’m definitely not a social media expert, but I’ve learned a few things about using it for Rise Up Designs without letting it take over my life.

Show up consistently, not constantly.
You don’t need to post three times a day. I’d rather post something that actually shows what I’m making, where I’ll be, or what customers can order than post just because I think I’m supposed to.

Show the real business.
Some of my best content is simply what’s happening: setting up for a market, a new Blind Date with a Book, a custom order, something I’m working on, or even something I learned when things didn’t go exactly as planned. People like seeing the person and process behind a small business.

Make your content useful.
Not every post needs to say BUY THIS. Share ideas. Show how something could be gifted. Answer questions customers ask you. Give other vendors a tip you learned. Then when you do have something to sell, people already know what you do.

Use AI—but don’t hand it your personality.
I use AI all the time. It helps me brainstorm, clean up grammar, write product descriptions, think through content, and turn a rambling thought into something people can actually understand. 😂 But I still read it, change it and make sure it sounds like me. AI should make running your business easier—not make your business sound like everyone else’s.

And hashtags? Use them—but don’t make them the whole strategy.
I’d rather use a few hashtags that actually describe my business, product or audience than add a giant block of random ones. More importantly, I try to use the words people might actually search for—Blind Date with a Book, book lover gift, custom gift box, San Antonio market, etc.—right in the caption.

And maybe the biggest thing I’ve learned?

Social media doesn’t have to make you famous. It just has to help the right people find you.

For a small business like mine, that’s more than enough.

☕ Sippin’ Sunday takeaway: Post what you do. Show who you are. Help people understand what you sell. And then get back to actually running your business. 

- Jecca