How To Punch Above Your Weight on Social Media

“Doing less is not being lazy. Don’t give in to a culture that values personal sacrifice over personal productivity.” ~ Tim Ferriss

The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle is one of the most useful concepts for life and time management. In business, it is essential to strategic planning which is a leader’s top quality. The Pareto principle tells us that 80 percent of consequences come from 20 percent of the causes, or an unequal relationship between inputs and outputs. This principle serves as a general reminder that the relationship between inputs and outputs is not balanced.

Sometimes, we are busy all day, accomplishing anything and everything but our goals. We let ourselves be busy taking care of small tasks. The most impactful tasks are often the hardest and most complex but the rewards are significantly greater.

Stop these bad habits. Resist the temptation to clear small tasks and focus on the most impactful ones which make up 20 percent. Before you begin each day, ask yourself “Is this task in the top 20 percent of my activities or 80 percent?” Remember to delegate the small tasks and focus on impactful tasks that yield maximum results.

Now that we understand the 80/20 rule, what does it mean to “punch above your weight”?

“Punch above your weight” is defined as to (attempt to) achieve or perform at a higher level than would be expected based on one’s preparation, attributes, rank, or past accomplishments.

This expression is typically used in situations where someone finds themselves competing outside their comfort zone and usual class. For example, weight classes in boxing matches are divided into different weight categories — heavyweight, middleweight, lightweight, etc. The sport is regulated so that only boxers of the same weight category can fight each other. When a boxer from a lighter weight category fights another boxer in a heavier category, it would be considered punching above their weight.

Photo by Timothy Hales Bennett on Unsplash

In today’s digital world, social media can provide businesses with the power to punch above their weight. Small businesses often start out being local but it doesn’t have to be that way. Some of the smallest, leanest businesses can achieve widespread exposure and appear much larger than they are, competing alongside long-established, high-volume and high-staffed operations. Avoid having your business limited to physical surroundings. Instead, expand in the national and international markets.

Some examples:

• Instagram had 13 employees when it sold for $1 billion to Facebook
• WhatsApp had 55 employees when it was sold for $20 billion.
• Shopify had 300 employees when it made $1.6 billion in sales

How to punch above your weight on social media?

The primary way for social media leverage and build your business is through the use of content marketing. As long as your content has been constructed to be relevant to your customers’ needs and continually educates them about your services, you can expect your small budget to punch above your weight.

We can integrate the 80/20 rule into social media by having 20 percent of your content used to promote your brand and sell your products or services. Then 80 percent used for enticing and unexpected content that engages your audience. Consumers use social media to be social, they are not interested in being persuaded with an online elevator sales pitch. Your social media channel should be used to build a relationship and community with your followers so that they will be a part of your brand.

While marketing is about promoting your business and generating greater awareness about what your business does, all in the name of making more sales, getting more readers, finding new clients, and so on, social media is not. If you’re going to use this marketing tool invented by millennials, you need to approach it in the same way they do.

Graphic created by: Benjamin Mumme

The 80/20 rule is not only a best practice for social media, but a must practice.

The 80 Percent

The goal of social media is to build genuine relationships with potential costumers for your business. It is not about selling your services. The majority (80 percent) of the content needs to be about your customer, leaving the promotion of business out of the picture. You have the opportunity to have an impact on your audience’s lives. Always share content that leaves a lasting tattoo impression on you as a reader or learner and that you believe others will find value in, too.

The 20 Percent

Now for the part where you can promote your business. The minority (20 percent) of the content needs to be self-promotion. The focus should be on your business now. You now have the opportunity to deliver information about your brand that benefits your audience and customers. Your business should highlight discounts, special offers, promotions. Lastly, use call-to-actions to generate future leads eventually sales. Call-to-action examples can be; click to get this great offer, read this article to learn something new, sign up to get a free consultation, and use this code to apply a 15% discount.

Do It Now!

Instead of trying to do the impossible, the Pareto Principle helps you understand which projects are most important for your business. What are the most important goals of your brand and which specific tasks do you need to focus on to align with those goals.

The temptation always exists to try the new and exciting. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but it boils down to your goals. Are you trying to grow your current business? Would an 80/20 mindset help you to stay focused on your social media plan and spend less time chasing endless new opportunities?

It’s important to remember that there are only so many minutes in an hour, hours in a day, and days in a week. The Pareto Principle can help you prioritize your time; otherwise, you’d be a slave to a never-ending list of things to do.

So, ask yourself, what 20% of your work drives 80% of your outcomes?

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This post was previously published on Medium.

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