The greatest teacher of all time ?Jesus, taught us many timeless lessons encompassing every aspect of human endeavor and Social media and branding are not an exception.

“The 21st Century Christian/Church must rethink ministry via the lens of technology. A powerful tool in the hands of the believer.” ? Bernard Kelvin Clive

Today let's look at social media the Jesus way... lessons on strategy for social media success.

"And a great multitude followed him because they saw his miracles which He did on them that were diseased." ?John 6:2 Further readings: John 4. Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 8:4-15, Luke 9, Luke 10:38-42

Here are Eight(8) Strategies to implement!

1.Give them something worth their attention. What would they see and read? Ensure that your intention for their attention is clear. you know exactly what you want to offer, Jesus was offering salvation ? life (John 10:10). 'When they saw the miracles Jesus had performed...they followed!' Your brand visuals must be appealing and attention-grabbing to drive home your message.

2.Wow them! 'When they saw the many miracles he performed... Jesus always did something spectacular. eg. Turning water into wine. Wowing your audience leads to organic following and engagements and sales. Offer value!

People would come to your portal/ page to experience it.

3.Meet their needs all-round! Jesus taught them spiritually he also met their physical needs - hunger. He had compassion for others, driven to meet the needs of others. He fed the 5000 after his live conference/ webinar. Be sensitive to the needs of your fans and followers. Focus on your market needs, and offer solutions.

4. He established his authority and clarity.

Firstly, you need to know your assignment as a person and that of your business. That helps you weld your authority and grow your influence to impact and for profit. Know your worth and the value you are offering. Set the records straight, distill popular opinions from facts like Jesus did. The woman at the well got to know Jesus was the true Saviour ? living water. Jesus killed ambiguity surrounding the worshipping of God. His authority was at work. Jesus came to fulfill the prophecy of redemption. Your authority gives you influence. Clarity breeds confidence! Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" ? John 6:35

5. Raise brand ambassadors. The woman at the well, after engaging with Jesus, knowing the depth of his knowledge went out freely to evangelize. Your expertise will help create brand evangelists to spread your brand.

6. Use stories and anecdotes. Jesus was a great storyteller, He weaves stories and anecdotes to drive home his messages. Engage your audience with stories they can relate with while teaching them. Stories sell your brand well, creating lasting memories.

Great brands use stories in marketing their products and services. What's your brand story like?

7. Have private and public engagements. Jesus had some private meetings at some level and public ones. He engaged Mary & Martha privately and did so with His disciples (key ambassadors), regularly. Segment your audience to know what's for the masses and what's for a select group.

Provide products and services for the different categories of your market.

There are times you need to engage with some of your fans via inbox (private groups, membership, and premium access) and other times publicly. Be sensitive and selective with private and public data sharing. So don't you don't 'throw your pearls before swine'? ? Matthew 7:6

8. Understand your audience: Use their language! Jesus used terms based on the cultural background and settings of his market so he could communicate clearly and precisely. Where he had told his disciples he will make them 'fishers of men' ? He was speaking to a predominately fishing community. (Matthew 4:19) The 'parable of the sower', he used the analogy of farming, with that his audience can grasp the depth of his message.

Use industrial jargon in communication sparingly; performing audience analysis would better inform you on the choice of your language, tone, and strategy.

Bernard Kelvin Clive is an Author, Speaker and Corporate Trainer. Africa’s foremost author(ity) on Personal Branding. An Amazon bestselling author of over 40 published books. As a speaker & trainer he has been known to simplify complex ideas about branding and life and present them to audiences in clear, actionable steps. He has over a decade experience in digital publishing and has globally consulted and trained thousands of entrepreneurs, pastors, and people like you to write books and build brands. He hosts the number one ranked Career & Business Podcast in Ghana. Bernard is a brand strategist at BKC consulting and runs the monthly Branding & Publishing Masterclass.