When your kids are playing around with different Snapchat filters and telling you that Facebook is old news, it can easily feel like there’s no way you’ll catch up to this fast-paced digital world. But you’re wrong! While social media may not have been a part of all of our upbringings, we can still be super savvy and fabulous. And as many of us recognize, being social savvy is a must.

Diane Allen has been a beauty consultant with Aloette Cosmetics since 1993, and she joined for the same reason that so many of us join in this day and age. “As a mom with three kids, I wanted extra money for the family but I wanted to do it on my own terms.” Back when she first started she had to call her customers every single time something went on sale or a new product was introduced. “It would take forever and I was always on the phone. What’s more, since I only had so much time all I could do was sell to my customers. Now with tools like email and messenger, I can send those promotions in just a click of a button. I can also take more time to get to know my customers on a personal level, since I have time to talk to them in the social media channel that works for them.”

It’s very true that social media has made direct-to-consumer sales much more efficient and personal, but what about all those beauty consultants out there who are afraid to use these tools? Diane used to be one of those people, but in order to take her Aloette business to the next level she decided to step outside of her comfort zone.

“I’ve always used Facebook to post pictures here and there but I didn’t feel like I was fully taking advantage of social media. My daughter, however, is a social media director and her posts seem to always be spot on. So over holiday break I had her show me the ropes. I learned all about content marketing, engagement and creating a call to action on my social channels.”

That time over holiday break definitely paid off. In just a community of 300 people Diane has thousands of people seeing her videos and posts on a regular basis. So how did Diane do it? Here are her main tips to be social savvy:

1. “Take advantage of Facebook Live videos – they really work, and since not many use it, everyone who pops onto Facebook will know you’re live!”
2. “Make a concerted effort to engage with each person who interacts with your posts. For instance, I send everyone who watches my videos a message thanking them for watching me and, if they are not a fan of mine yet, asking them to like my page.”
3. “Don’t just sell stuff. When you build engagement by sharing skincare and beauty tips not necessarily tied to a product, or by sharing your own before/after photos and testimonies, you build trust with your audience. They like your tips and your opinions, so when you have a product to sell, they will believe you.”
4. “Finally, just go for it! I am not polished and perfected in social media, but my customers don’t care about that. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being you, and in reality, that’s what your customers want to see on social media.”

To learn more about Diane please visit her Facebook page here.