Make Money as a Social Media Manager

1. Tell us about yourself, your family, and how many hours you’re working on your social media management business.

• • I am a work from home mom and farm wife from Southwest Minnesota (Tracy, MN). I have been married to my husband, Brett, for nine years and together we have spunky daughter, Georgia, who will be three in May with another little on the way in August. My husband and his brother operate a grain production operation (raises corn and soybeans) in Southwest MN and Eastern South Dakota. I help with day to day operations like book work, payroll, parts runner, meals on wheels for our farm crew, and a lot of misc. projects.
  • I am currently working my social media management business in the morning before my daughter wakes (5:00-7:00am), during naptime (1:00-3:00pm), and after she goes down for bed (8:30pm-on) to fulfil the needs of my current clients. This schedule will ever be involving as I continue to grow my business to serve my current clients and others in the future.

1. What’s your work at home mom schedule look like?

• • My current work from home schedule looks like the following:
    • I wake to work on client work for my business before my daughter gets up in the morning (5:00am-7:00am).  
    • Then I take a break to greet my daughter a good morning and have breakfast together and establish our mornings together.
    • Depends on the day, but mornings are typically home projects or farm projects depending on the season we are in. Spring and fall are our busy times on the farm where Georgia and I are on the road helping with spring planting and harvesting all day.
    • After Lunch, Georgia lays down for a nap between 1:00am-3:00pm and I am available then to devote more focused time to my clients work and growing my business.
    • After Georgia’s nap, I love to enjoy one on one intentional time with my daughter at home or through a specific activity we do outside of the home/farm like go to the library, park, walks, an outing, etc. I don’t want to miss the creating memories and moments with her so devoting intentional time is a priority of mine when it fits into our busy farm life schedule.
    • We then have a night routine of dinner (supper) together as a family, family time, and night routine for bedtime. After Georgia goes to bed, I then devote more time to my business (8:30pm-on) until I met my priorities for the day.

1. What does a social media manager do?
   • A social media manager works virtually managing social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.  for businesses/entrepreneurs. By allowing a social media manager to manage business’s/entrepreneur’s social media platforms, it frees up their time to be working on other more profitable areas of their business. A social media manager can also serve as another team member to bounce ideas off of for content, design, and customer relations within their business. Some additional services a social media manager, like myself offer, administrative support services like email management, newsletter creation, calendar organization, scheduling, website development/management as well as social media coaching sessions.
2. Did you have any experience in marketing or business before starting a social media management business?
   • Yes, prior to establishing my business I worked in nonprofit for nine years. I was in charge of leading a staff team to achieve a large portfolio of fundraising event goals in conjunction with volunteers. With this work, we used social media platforms and websites to spread the word, communicate our mission, and fundraise.
3. What made you look into social media management as a stay at home job?
   • I didn’t want to miss moments with my daughter growing up with working outside of the home, traveling for work, and not having time to spend helping our family’s farm operation. I realized I will never be able to get this time back and for me quality time with family is time well spent.
   • I came to this conclusion after my mom passed away from cancer in November of 2016 way to young. She taught me and my siblings that quality time with the ones you love is the most important.
   • I don’t know how long I have to be my children’s parent, help my husband and his brother with their goals and visions for their farm operation so I want to devote my time to what matter most to me, which is family and our family’s business.
   • It’s a perk too that social media management allows me the opportunity to still pursue a career of my own so I stay true to myself to as a business women all while being flexible in how I can meet the needs of my clients, which is so important to me. My clients have developed into not just being clients, but relationships beyond partnering with their business too. It is heartwarming and such a great feeling to help others achieve their goals; I love it!
4. What does a work day as a social media manager look like? (Are you on social media all day?)
   • What I love about social media management is there is variety within my days. I am never doing the same things day to day. Therefore, a typical week (instead of day) for me in the social media manager role consists of me focusing on client’s graphic designs, developing their content, and scheduling on their social media platforms. I work on website development/management for a client so that consists of me designing and creating content for their website, uploading blog posts, sharing blog posts via their social media platforms. I also work on social media engagement and growth strategy for platforms so that consists of me engaging with client’s followers by answering questions, replying to comments, and growing their social media platforms to ensure we are engaging the right audience for their business.
   • I am not on social media all day. I use a variety of web base tools to complete my work to fit my client’s needs.
5. How much does social media management pay?
   • Social Media Manager hourly rates can range from $25-$75/hour. Pay also can depends on the type of service the client is looking for as well.
6. How long did it take to find your first client?
   • For me, I started pitching as soon as I completed the course within two weeks. This allowed me to land my first client a month after I completed the course. I found the key to landing clients is to be willing to share what you are doing with your social media networks and not being afraid of hearing no from potential clients you pitched to.
7. What’s the best part of starting a business as a social media manager?
   • Working from home and owning own business is a perfect fit for myself because it provides the flexibility to choose my own hours and overall the best part is to help my clients excel at their businesses goals and visions they have for their business. I do a happy dance when goals of my clients are met and they are thriving at what they love to do as well!
8. What’s been the most challenging part of start your business?
9. When did you take the Social Media Manager in 30 Days course?
   • I took the course right when it launched back in end of August.
10. How long did it take you to complete the course?
    • I was serious about this opportunity so I buckled down and was able to finish the course within two weeks of signing up. I was so excited about the content and opportunity. I began pitching clients and making my social media audience aware of my venture right away after to capitalize on landing clients.
11. Any pros or cons to the Social Media Manager in 30 Days course?
    • I only have pros about the course. The course can be completed at your own pace, the information within the course is educational, skill building, and useful for starting off on the right foot within your business. Content of the course includes:
      1. Getting started right
      2. Opening up for business
      3. Billing and taxes
      4. Rules of Being a Social Media Manager
      5. Sharpening Skills-Graphics, Faebook, Instagram, Pinterest
      6. Pitching yourself to Clients
    • For those wanting the freedom to work from home or earn extra income, click to enroll: https://social-media-manager-in-30-days.teachable.com/courses/enrolled/401784?affcode=266920_lgilxaz1
    • You won’t regret it; promise!
    • In addition to the course, there is an informative Facebook group that enrollees can participate in that has continuing education in social media management. There are weekly topics that are covered, opportunity to network with other social media management peers that enrolled in the course, and client opportunities posted regularly.
12. Any other advice you have for someone looking to get started as a social media manager?
    • If you are looking for the freedom of working from home, developing your own schedule, being your own boss, helping meet goals and business vision for businesses/entrepreneurs, and/or earning extra income, social media management is for you.
    • Listen to the voice within you telling you to go for it!
    • Be prepared to be focused, be a go getter, and willing to learn.
    • A key to my success is also definitely ensuring you have a weekly plan for your weeks to ensure you are meeting your priorities.
    • I am happy to speak with anyone who has questions about the course or social media management as a whole.

Additional information:

• I do have a website: mollypetersonconsulting.com if you would like to explore to include additional information about me, my services, and a testimonial.
• I am also represented on the following social media platforms:
  • Facebook: molly.peterson.31
  • Instagram: molly.peterson8
  • LinkedIn: mollypetersonconsulting