There’s a real lack of social media when it comes to small businesses that appear on reality TV shows!
Call me a business reality TV junkie but I watch a ton of CNBC business shows: The Profit, Shark Tank and Restaurant Startup to name a few. I enjoy the small business advice, process and the deals made by the investors. Unlike most people - I’m usually watching these show live and thus track the small businesses being helped on social networks. Stay with me, but I’m always astounded by how bad there social media is - if any at all!
Many have no presence, some have a few tweets and followers and others simply get a boost from the show appearance. I’ve gotten to a point where I troll these companies to see if they need help and many don’t ever respond.
So what’s going on?
Socially, the network CNBC understands social media and they do a fantastic job of building up the entrepreneurs, the show and even the small businesses that appear, mostly on Twitter. There’s a good social conversation going on about the episodes. Marcus Lemonis from CNBC’s The Profit even has dabbled into Periscope during the course of the show and the social media traffic is unbelievable. But, just like a birthday party once the candles are blown out so does the social media attention.
For CNBC it’s a win - win, but for the small business it’s mediocre at best.
For example take Restaurant Startup which gives aspiring chefs and restaurant owners a chance at an investment from Tim Love or Joe Bastianich. Great show, great social buzz but the restaurants fail afterward on Twitter and even Instagram - give me some food pics, talk about your appearance on the show or just give me some menu specials! Nothing.
Here’s my checklist for any small business on one of these Business Reality TV Shows:
1 - Find your audience before your episode appears (follow them, engage them about the upcoming episode).
2 - Keep the conversation going with the entrepreneurs from your episode during and after the show (CHALLENGE THEM WITH COMMENTS).
3 - Most small businesses would revel in this type of exposure, so make what you had last. Use CNBC’s posts and tweets, take your own images and talk to fans.
Finally, don’t be another social media tombstone. Post and Tweet every day.
