It’s essential for a company to have a social media presence these days. You probably already know that.

But do often get pushback from upper management? Resistance when you want to spend time or dollars on Facebook, LinkedIn, social advertising?

Your CEO may be reluctant because he or she is not even on social media.

According to a study by Domo and CEO.com, 61 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are not active on any of the major social networks. And if they do have an account, many were found inactive.

It’s hard to gain buy-in for something they’re not using or seeing the business benefits. 

Related Read: Don’t Post on Social Without Doing these 5 Checks

How to Gain Management Buy-In for Social Media

So when you’re proposing a social media budget, don’t start with the tactics. Show them a solid strategy behind why you want to post. Who are you targeting? What are their interests and pain points?  What are your objectives and goals? How will you measure ROI?

Social media posting in business can be used in many strategies. 

• It can spread brand awareness and create excitement around an event, product launch or new service.

• It can show your brand’s personality. Put a face to your brand and make your company relatable.

• It can be used to share thought leadership, industry insight, tips and trends. Show your company as a leader with value-added content.

• It can be used to entice your buyers into your sales funnel and lead them to your website for more information and lead capturing opportunities.

• It can also be used for recruitment and to help show company values.

Strategy before Posting – always

But most importantly, before you start any social media posting, develop a strategy. Know your target audience and competition, set objectives and goals, have a content plan, and capture the right data. Show your CEO why everyone’s on social media and why your company needs to be there too.