None of these lines is silly. We keep saying them because each one has something true in it. So instead of arguing, let's open them one at a time and see where they're right and where they're a little different from how they sound. Everything here is a rule of thumb, not a rule. All five tend to end in “not now,” so let's stay at that door a little longer.
“My customers aren't on it”
Some of them aren't, and that's fine; they matter just as much. But someone who doesn't scroll can still look you up. If a friend mentions your name, they may type it in before they come.
The feed is then like the notice board at the mouth of the alley. A customer's friend or family may see it and pass it on. Not everyone reads it, but it's worth putting up for the ones who do.
“You have to post daily”
Consistency does matter. But consistent isn't the same as daily. The local bus doesn't sit in front of you all day. It has a timetable, and that's what lets people wait for it.
Our rule of thumb is two or three days you can actually keep. A rhythm you can hold beats a daily plan that you drop before the month is out. If three is too many, start with two.
“I can't write, and I have no eye for it”
Writing is hard, and it's fine to say so. But a post doesn't need fine writing. It needs what you'd say across the counter: “Welcome. This is good today.” Write that down and it's already a post.
Someone else can draft the sentences. Only you know what's true, and only you can hear whether a draft sounds like your shop. Those two parts stay with you.
“Social media is for big brands”
Big brands have teams and budgets, that's true. But there are things they can't do: have the owner make something by hand, say what came in this morning, and know a customer by name.
Think of the woman at the market who says, “These are best today.” Her words tend to stay with you longer than a supermarket flyer. A small shop's feed isn't about looking big. It's a way of saying you're nearby.
“I'll do it when things quieten down”
The busy stretch is real, and your time really is tight. Still, it's like a leaking roof: you can't mend it in the rain, and when the sun's out you don't feel like it. “Later” always points at next week, and next week is busy too.
Quiet days come less often than we hope. It's faster to shrink the job than to wait for the time.
Don't wait for the quiet week. Shrink the job to a size you can do while busy.
That's enough talking about it. Go back to your work; the feed can start small.
