33 \\ Are You Repelling Ideal Clients? This Content Audit Is The Fix To Your Audience Engagement Struggles!

Welcome to Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses, where strategy meets soul and connection. Well, that's the secret sauce. Hi, I'm Cheyanne Cleyman, a wife, proud mama of three, former actress, and fitness trainer turned serial entrepreneur and online relationship expert.
Over the last decade, I've built my own brands, helped dozens of others grow theirs, and discovered one powerful truth: connection is the real currency. If you're a service-based business or high-ticket brand that wants more leads, trust, and sales from social media without the burnout or fake hype, you're in the right place.
Each week, I'm bringing you short, powerful, and packed episodes that feel like a coffee date with a best friend and biz coach all in one. Let's turn your followers into clients and content into connection. This is Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses, and it's about to change how you show up online. Let's dive in, boss.
Hello friend, or as I like to proclaim, fellow bosses. Welcome back to Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses. It's where truly the founding philosophy is that we believe marketing should feel like real connection, not manipulation. We ain't got time for that, right?
Speaking of, I'm Cheyanne, co-founder of Kuleana Connect, and I am so glad that you're tuning in again today, or maybe it's your first time. Welcome, I'm happy you are here. But before we dive into the juicy stuff, the real reason why you clicked on this episode, I want to read a quick review from one of our listeners.
This is from Drew, she said: "Practical tips, short, sweet, and applicable. Cheyanne is so easy to listen to". "I love that these episodes are short and sweet because I'm a busy mom and don't have time for 30 to 60 minute plus podcast episodes right now, she gives practical tips and action steps that help me to know what I can do next. Definitely worth a listen".
Drew, I want to say a big thank you, and honestly, amen. Reviews like that mean everything to me and also my audience, ones like you that are listening right now that want to get this going and want to get the actionable steps that you clicked on this episode for.
So if you are listening and this podcast has given you clarity at all, confidence, or even just a little dose of hope, would you mind leaving me a review too? It really does help this show reach more small business owners. It honestly keeps me going and keeps me feeling refreshed. So without further ado, let's get into it.
Now, what if you're doing everything right? You're doing all the things and still not getting engagement? Let me quickly just paint the picture. Say you're consistent, you're sharing stories content, you're posting carousels with value, you're showing up on video. You're doing all the things that you keep hearing every single guru tell you you're supposed to do, but your audience just isn't responding. In fact, maybe you feel like you're being a little ghosted by the algorithm, right? Like it hates you, or even worse, you're being ghosted by the very people you're trying to help.
Here's the thing, your content may not actually be that bad, but it might be sending the wrong signals. So today I'm breaking down three very simple relationship marketing red flags that are potentially quietly turning your audience off, and we're going to then talk about what are some simple, quick switches that you can do instead.
So whether this is your first time listening to this podcast, or if you're an avid listener, you're going to hear me say time and time again that marketing shouldn't be hard. A lot of it is we've just gotten lost in a lot of the messaging, and it's just that every business is now marketing online, so sometimes we get lost in this just sea of competition and other businesses.
So that's why I am here to cut through all the noise, because chances are, if you found this very specific episode, you're really trying to do that, right? You're trying to do your best, you're showing up, but you're just not getting the results that you want. And you also may not be able to afford an entire team, or you are a do-it-yourself kind of person.
So whether this is, you know, something you're trying to adapt to yourself, or if you're even, say, a VA listening, or you have your VA listening, I am about giving you strategies that actually work, and something you can apply, not today, not after you've paid me $500, not after you've paid someone else $500, but something you can actually do right now.
So let's get into maybe some of the red flags that you just don't see, but your audience is totally picking up, and let's flip the switch on it. So first and foremost, red flag number one is that you're showing up only when you want something. So this is a big one. I totally get it. This is the people.
And maybe you've fallen into this trap because marketing has become a real, like, second job for a lot of entrepreneurs, a lot of small business owners. So maybe you're just overwhelmed with the task that it takes to run your business. And then you remember, oh yeah, social media, oh yeah, marketing, it's time for my new offer, or it's time for, you know, this big sale to go on. And the only time you post is when you're launching, promoting, or, say, trying to get people into your new thing.
Thing is, your audience feels that your audience is paying attention, and when it starts to feel like a transaction, they're just going to back away. What they really want to feel is a relationship. They really want to feel that connection. So, you know, even if it's not intentional, if you're not doing this intentionally, it's really giving the whole like, hey, remember me, I'm back, and I need you to click this kind of vibes, and nobody wants that, right?
So what's a simple switch? What is something you can do instead? So instead of only showing up when you have an offer, a new offer, or a deal, you've got to make the time. You've got to show up with no strings attached.
Sometimes, you know, something I often talk to at this season in my life. I am a mid-30s mom of young kids, and I'm often talking to mompreneurs and a lot of other moms, and a lot of times, the one excuse you hear moms will say is, "I don't got time for that". Or, hey, if you're in a relationship, right? If you're married, like I am, so often, we can say, "I don't have time to go on a date. I don't have time to do that". Well, it's like you make the time for the things that matter in your life.
And I do believe that it's all about shifts, because we all, I don't know about you, if you've figured out how to get a 25th hour in the day, please, please, please, do let me know that and message me. But for me, you only have 24 hours, right? So it's about what you do with those 24 hours. And if you have a small business, you have to make some time in your schedule for social media, it really is quite an inevitable thing nowadays.
It doesn't mean that you have to be a slave to social media, but creating content that either serves, inspires, entertains, or educates your audience without asking for anything is going to be enough social proof to make someone lean in and say, make you stand out above the competition. Think of it like texting a friend just to say hey and not ask for a favor, right?
So business is all about relationships. I think if you've been in for business more than a week, you've realized that, and that even doubles online, because, you know, social media was created to be social, right, and as a just society, we've forgotten how to be social with it in our own personal pages. So businesses, I feel like you have that next level of expectation to basically show people yourself and your business beyond just the selling and show up with the relationship, because that's going to build trust.
All right, guys, here we go. Red flag number two. Quick review: Red flag number one was you're showing up only when you want something. What to do instead? Show up with no strings attached.
Red flag number two is you're using connection buzzwords, but not actually being real. So what is this that I mean? And this is something that's so easy to fall into, and something that I think all of us can be guilty of. So it's saying things like in your messaging, whether it's on your social media, or say it's on your website, saying something like, "I value community," or "This is a safe space". Now, having it listed there or saying your captions, is great, but you really got to make sure that then you live up to that, right?
Because, like, if your tone is stiff or say your DMs are dry, or if your comments are copy-pasted from AI, people can feel that disconnect, right? Maybe, unfortunately for us, social media users are savvier than ever, and they can really sniff out a fake interaction in seconds. Some of this, I think, is because we're just inundated with messages all day long, that you just get used to the same messaging, and when someone is actively looking for you online as well, chances are you're not the only person they've come across.
Say you have someone, say you're a realtor, and you're trying to sell a house or buy a house or become someone's realtor agent. You know, you've got people who are looking to find a realtor, they're looking for more than just you, right? They type in, you know, "Austin area realtors," chances are you among many other people are going to pop up. So how are you going to stand out?
Well, this is what I would suggest you to do instead of using buzzwords or things that you think sound good. What to do instead is speak like a human, not a headline. Headlines may pull people in, but they're going to really quickly see that you're not being real, right? So don't just say things like you want connection. Actually show it.
And how do you show it? You can do it in some simple, simple ways. You can do things like commenting back, you know, like you're texting a friend. Make them feel like there's a person behind the screen and not just an AI bot. Voice notes are one of my favorite secret tricks. I guarantee you, if you've ever reached out to me on social media, chances are you've gotten a voice message from me, because that just to me is the way to connect with someone through a phone is to show up, show off who you are and seek that connection.
First and foremost, remember, it pays to be curious, to be kind. You know, we basically call this human-to-human marketing, and it's really the heartbeat of what my team and I at Kuleana Connect. It's what we teach and what we do. So I could go on and on about all that, but you guys are here for these quick, short episodes, right?
So guess what? We are already here in less than 12 minutes to Red flag number three, and we're going to wrap up this episode. So quick review. Red flag number one, did you fill in the blank? You're showing up only when you want something. Red flag number two is you're using connection like buzzwords, but you're not actually being real.
Ugh. Number three, here we go. Your content is talking at people, not with them. This one is a challenge too, because chances are, if you're showing up online, if you're trying to do the social media thing, you're trying to put content out there, it's not always obvious to know what works and what doesn't.
Well, if your posts are always, quote, "I did this," or quote, "Here's what you should do," even if they're well-meaning, even if you're trying to give that free value, right? You're trying to coach or teach your audience may become like a silent observer. No one wants to be talked at, right? Social media isn't a TED Talk. It's like, you got to picture it like a coffee shop, right? Again, it's a conversation, not a motivational speech.
So here are things that I would suggest for you what to do instead. It's very simple, ask more questions, use phrases like, "Have you ever felt this too?" "Tell me what brings this up for you?" Or it can be very simple, like dropping an emoji, like you can say, "Drop a heart". If this resonates, this shifts the energy from what you're putting out, from broadcasting to basically bonding, and that's truly where the magic happens.
So often on this podcast, I relate so much of social media marketing to relationships, like as if you're almost dating your audience, because if you really applied a lot of the best dating tips and advice, you would get a lot further with your audience, and it really helps us make sense of it all.
So let's just finalize, pull it all together and remind you of Red flag number three is your content talks at people instead of inviting them. Don't do that. Don't do that. Now, when you look at these red flags, I know it's easy for me to say, hey guys, you know, do this. Don't do that. Well, you know, it's a challenge. It's not easy to remember all this when you're out there running your business and then trying to run your social media.
So if you're listening to this and you're realizing, "Oh, my God, I think this is me," or "I think I've been doing this," you know, really, first of all, no shame, truly. We all start somewhere. And I know about these red flags because I've done all three. But now, if you're ready to stop guessing and start growing real relationships online with your audience, I want to personally invite you to head to the show notes and download the freebie that my team and I put together.
It's short, it's simple, and it shows you exactly how to make sure that your content gets noticed and how to click with the right people. You can also take it a step further. If you want to book a connection call with us at Kuleana Connect, we can take a look at like, what's working, what's flatlining, where connection might be, breaking down your content strategy, whatever you need.
We are here to create a relationship with you and to make sure that you get real, tangible advice. Moving forward, you can find both of those links in the show notes below. All right, boss, that is it for this week's episode, start noticing the red flags.
And for one takeaway, one actionable step, see which one of these red flags you notice popping up the most on your social media. Give yourself your own audit, or maybe hand it to a friend, show them these three red flags and say, "Hey, what one do you see the most on my social?" When you get your feedback, have that be the one that you focus on this week and do the shift, shift toward real relationship building.
You're not behind. You are right on time, and your people, they're waiting for you to show up like you. So as Nike says, "Just do it". I look forward to chatting with you guys and giving you more tangible tips and tactical steps to take on the next episode. I'll see you there.
All right, my friend, that's it for today. But let me leave you with this. If your content is not converting, it's not your fault. Chances are you've been taught to prioritize the algorithm instead of the actual humans reading your words, and that that ends right here.
Go ahead and grab my free guide, "Five Quiet Reasons Your Content Isn't Converting and What to Do". Instead, it's packed with real talk, practical shifts and quick, immediate wins. Link is in the show notes below. And if you're ready to stop guessing and start connecting with ideal clients who actually buy from you, book a free connection call with our team at Kuleana Connect.
We don't do content. We do connection that converts, because at the end of the day, it's not about going viral, it's about being valuable. Thanks for hanging out with me again. I'm Cheyanne Cleyman and I'll see you on next week's episode. See you later, boss.