By Bernard Kelvin CLIVE
Have you ever posted something online and received thousands of likes but saw no real business growth?
In today’s digital world, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers—likes, views, and shares. However, if you’re serious about building a brand or growing a business, you must focus on the right metrics.
The Fundamental Difference
Entertainers crave likes. Entrepreneurs crave leads.
Entertainers go after likes. Entrepreneurs go after leads.
This distinction is so critical for one’s success in the digital ecosystem. If you position yourself as someone who simply follows the trends, chasing followers and social media virality without a solid plan to monetize your efforts, you may miss the essence of doing business in this digital age.
Positioning Yourself for Growth
You need to decide: Are you merely entertaining people for likes, or are you strategically positioning yourself to generate leads? Having a post go viral with thousands of likes means little if it doesn’t translate into something tangible.
Consider this—some people have massive engagement on their posts, but it doesn’t lead to anything meaningful. It’s just entertainment. There’s no clear call to action, no structured pathway for conversion. On the other hand, entrepreneurs—real business-minded individuals—focus on monetization. They seek leads, not just visibility.
The Power of Leads Over Likes
Great entrepreneurs understand this concept. You may see their posts getting fewer likes, but behind the scenes, they are generating leads and converting them into paying customers. That’s the mindset small business owners, entrepreneurs, and personal brand builders must adopt.
Your goal should be to provide value, help, and impact lives. But at the backend, there should be a system that constantly generates leads, allowing you to monetize what you do and scale your business.
If you focus only on likes, you may end up with a massive following that doesn’t contribute to your financial growth. That’s why you must shift your focus.
The Business Behind the Content
If you’re an entertainer—creating funny videos, skits, or viral content—that’s great. But what’s the business behind it?
Do you have a long-term plan? Do you want to be a stand-up comedian? Do you intend to monetize your content through brand deals or advertisements? Without a structured strategy, you’ll simply be another content creator hoping for recognition instead of someone strategically building a business.
Thinking Like an Entrepreneur
Instead of just posting and hoping for likes, think like an entrepreneur:
How can I generate leads from my audience?
Do I have a landing page to collect emails?
Do I have a lead magnet to attract potential customers?
Do I have a team that helps me convert engagement into sales?
Am I building a system that works beyond social media views?
When you start thinking this way, you’ll realize that every piece of content should have a backend strategy. It’s not just about putting content out there; it’s about building a system that converts engagement into income.
Let me share three examples from Ghana to illustrate a key difference: entrepreneurs seek leads, while entertainers seek likes.
First, comedian Parrot Mouth, a Christian comedian, runs the Laugh It Off program two to three times a year. While he has a social media presence, he doesn’t rely on online clout to sell tickets. His visibility helps, but he has a solid system that ensures tickets are sold and venues are booked in advance. That’s the difference—a business strategy behind his online presence.
Having a social media following is great, but without a system to generate leads and convert them into sales, it’s just vanity. Your presence should work for you, not just make you visible.
Another example is Dr. Jeff Bassey, who runs ILS International Leadership and Strategy Institution. He has trained corporations, institutions, and multinationals for years. If you check his Facebook presence, he shares deep, insightful content, but his posts don’t always get high engagement. Yet behind the scenes, his business thrives because he has a system in place to secure clients. Many with massive online influence don’t achieve a fraction of his success.
This is the key: online presence is important, but without a business strategy, it’s just noise. You need a system that converts visibility into value. Otherwise, you’ll be seen but not impactful.
A third example is BigGodwin. He blends strong Facebook visibility with an actual business strategy. His large following isn’t just for show—it feeds into his brand and businesses. He’s not just sharing content; he’s using his presence to grow his enterprise and help others do the same.
The bottom line is this! Don’t just chase likes—build a system that turns visibility into leads and sales. That’s how you grow a sustainable business beyond digital hype.
Building a Lead Generation System
Here’s how to position yourself:
Create a Lead Magnet: Offer something valuable in exchange for contact information (e.g., a free guide, webinar, checklist).
Use a Landing Page: Direct traffic to a page where visitors can sign up for more valuable content.
Automate Engagement: Have a system in place—such as email marketing or chatbots—to follow up with leads.
Monetize Beyond Social Media: Sell digital products, offer consultations, create online courses, or promote affiliate products.
Track and Measure Success: Monitor how many leads you generate daily, weekly, or monthly, and refine your strategy accordingly.
The Key to Sustainable Success
If you remain focused on chasing likes, you’ll become just another entertainer, hoping for a breakthrough. But if you shift your mindset to generating leads, you’ll start building a sustainable business.
Make it a goal:
How many leads can I generate today?
How can I convert my audience into clients or customers?
What strategies can I implement to monetize my influence?
As a personal brand, solopreneur, or business owner, think beyond just engagement. Focus on strategy, impact, and monetization. Whether through affiliate marketing, selling products, or offering services, positioning yourself for financial growth should be a priority.
I hope this helps! Let me know your thoughts.
Want to turn your influence into income? Start with my branding books—search ‘Bernard Kelvin Clive’ on Amazon or Google.”
You can grab a copy of my latest book ‘Ungoogleable Brands: The Rise of the Silent Brands’
The best is yours.
