By Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko
A few months back I decided to remove myself from social media. Okay, let us say a percentage of me. Or, was it a decision to remove social media from my life? I made a conscious decision to limit my time on it for personal reasons. The biggest reason is social media is LOUD. And most of the time the loudness is so much negativity and pain happening all over the world. So much information filed into my mind on a daily basis, and in some instances I found myself interacting emotionally, it was just not good. One of the reasons our grandmothers have great skin is that they honestly didn’t know as much as we know about everything…and they made it through life!
I deleted Twitter. Without even a doubt in my head. So, both my personal page and the business one are now not on my phone or laptop. I access the business profile once a month to check if there is anyone looking for me specifically. Every time I log in, I find another reason to get off immediately. And I do. Twitter is a lot. It is all the major metropolis of the world in one place. Imagine New York CBD, Joburg CBD, Tokyo CBD, and add them all…together in one place. I cannot cope. There is also this trend of being combative on twitter. People’s comments on other people’s posts are seldom to add or build, but instead to challenge and brew some friction. Even when it is a compliment, the compliment is said in a way that can start a fight. Tiring! For a business, Twitter is great for exposure. Sales….hmmmm not as much. But that could be for many reasons, maybe Roka Roko is just not a Twitter kind of business.
Facebook! Man. These new phones come with Facebook installed permanently on them. So I cannot delete it. It requires discipline from me. So much work. My personal page is totally ignored. My other personal page which I cannot delete because it is linked to the business page keeps testing me every day. I managed 2 months without getting on it. Then, I got in - and out just as fast LOL. I now check my Facebook once every week maybe, and I can only take 2 posts from other people at a time. One of the biggest reasons I go in there is because my sister’s business is active on this platform and I like to share her posts; another is I am in love with the page ‘Humans of New York’! Facebook is great for marketing and sales. I have gotten a lot of clients from it, and it's resulted in actual sales. Don’t ask me to equate it to actual cash….The Roka Roko page is a stunning drawcard. And it works.
Instagram. Now, look. I need at least one social media platform for the business right? I love Instagram. So giving up my personal account was painful. I have not logged into it in months, and it hurts. I console myself by using the business one to scroll through everything. I am definitely still wasting a lot of money with the time I spend on Instagram, but it is for ROKA ROKO right! And Instagram is less intrusive really, I post a picture and respond to messages. People seem more mature here and less aggressive. They are kinder and more about business. And Instagram is so artsy! I'm in heaven! Yes, I have made money from clients who found Roka Roko on Instagram, even friends and business allies.
What are the benefits of removing part of me from social media?
- Less negativity in my ears. Less to worry about in the world. I will just pray for all of us.
- Less about me heard by the world. Honestly, a lot of information about you into the world creates so may opinions about you; which come back negatively. This is also pushing me to talk to those close to me rather than about my wins and losses; rather than ask for sympathy from the world at large.
- Peace. I don’t need to clarify this, do I?
- I now spend more time on maximizing Roka Roko on social media instead of personal interaction. I go in, post, respond to messages and leave.
- I have more time to read! YASSSS!
Social media is not the devil; the people using it are. And you find yourself being part of those people. Twitter is both funny and horrific. No, not your interpretation…just horrific comments and nasty jokes. But on the flip side, it saves lives in cases of crimes against humanity and people. A post about something criminal can roll into a movement in 1 hour. Facebook can be beautiful like the Humans of New York page; it is a day late on everything by the way. Posts you see on Facebook were on Twitter a day or a week ago. But it’s powerful on exposure and reach. Instagram is gold. I mean come on. It’s for those of us who like to look but no one must see us.
I believe you know what your business needs. Some businesses are better on LinkedIn; or on nothing at all. Some don’t use WhatsApp as a business tool; with me…WhatsApp runs my business. Knowing what works in your business is part of understanding your business model. And stick to what you know works for your business. Don’t get pulled by everything available for the sake of FOMO. The biggest question is what can you (1 man show) manage?
Many of us like to ignore our sanity in the name of running a business. So an insane manager is better? Remove what diminishes your potential and add what maximized you. I have had many complaints about my pull back from all of these social media platforms, but I don’t think I have ever been this clear while making dresses ever. They just keep flowing in.
Brigette Mashile is the founder and creative force behind Roka Roko, a custom fashion design business based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company passionately delivers quality tailored and trendy fashion to make their customers happy, and specializes in styling women by creating unusual combinations with fabric, culture and style. Brigette has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a Fashion Diploma from Studio5 School of Fashion. She’s a former fashion buyer for a major retailer in South Africa, and an international direct selling company. She’s been passionate about fashion since the age of 10 and gained invaluable experience in the fashion world running informal fashion creation businesses until the day her own Roka Roko brand was born. Find out more by visiting the Roka Roko website www.rokaroko.co.za
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