Spring is around the corner and it’s time to start planting your Social Media Garden.

Small business owners often tell me that they have set up a social media platform or two, but haven’t really been using them. The reasons vary — not having enough time, what should they post and not understanding the interface. “I’m a luddite!” – is the common refrain. 

Well, as they say about acting – if it was that difficult no one would have done it in the first place. So don’t abandon ship. Here are a few easy suggestions to help you re-activate your social media efforts.

When it comes to content, you’re the expert. It doesn’t matter in which field or business you work, you can educate your clients. So share you’re expertise.

I recently returned from the food service show in NYC where I talked with business owners at dozens of booths. I learned about how to make apple cider, why a Long Island Duck is beyond compare, what to look for when buying a coffee server, what makes a great blender, how to sharpen a Japanese knife and how to package food with green materials.

Each of those business owners were a wealth of information. Beyond talking to me, they can share that information in tweet after tweet, one sentence at a time. No information is too basic or simplistic. A dentist on the Doctors TV show recently did an entire segment on flossing.

You’re not a luddite. If you can manage email, the internet, or some of the features on your smart phone then you can manage Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other popular social media platforms.

I heartily recommend trying Hootsuite.com as a one stop interface to manage almost any social media platform. First time users are given free access to Hootsuite University that contains How To videos that make learning easy.

With Hoosuite.com, one can quickly learn to schedule your Twitter or Facebook posts. With a click on the calendar button, Tweets and status postings for a week can be set up in advance. So spend 20 minutes on Sunday and parcel out your expertise.

Additionally, I suggest ten minutes a day engaging your social media. Like brushing teeth, it will become a healthy habit. You will learn what other people are saying and discover why these platforms are so popular.

Your Social Media garden requires regular attention to grow. But you need not spend an inordinate period of time or have a graduate degree to reap the harvest.