Often, people ask me: “Should my business get into social media?”
In some sense, your business may already be in social media. People are already talking about your business – in-person and on the web. At the very least, doesn’t it make sense to listen to what they’re saying? And even better, doesn’t it make sense to participate, shape, and even inspire those conversations, too?
Think about all the ways you are marketing your business – email, web, radio, print, brochures, other multimedia. The bottom line is that your customers are very likely spending more and more time in social media – so why not allocate your marketing budget accordingly? If you want to influence your audience, go to where they already are. Social media also has some advantages over other media:
- The tools are basically free. They do take time to do well (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise)
- Social media is an on-going influence, rather than a one-shot campaign.
- Social media is the best tool for allowing your customers to tell your story for you.
Can you explain social media to me in the most simplest of terms?
Lots of people often ask me, “what is social media anyways?” Some will even ask me specifically not to use any lingo because the lingo somehow ends up dominating any kind of explanation. In 100 words or less (lingo-free), this is what social media is to me:
Our world is built on relationships.
Relationships are built on trust.
Trust is built upon interactions.
Social media is what you use to interact with others online.
That’s it. So what’s the big deal? The beauty of social media is that its conversational nature makes it organic. Like life, it’s unscripted. It’s a little unpredictable (because those darn humans are involved). As such, it has the potential to spread information virally — faster and more broadly than you might imagine. Because the information everyone wants is information we get from someone we trust.
“Social Media is like…”
Another way to wrap your head quickly around social media is through analogy. Social media is sort of like:
- Throwing a party: By far, this has been the most helpful analogy for my clients to zoom up the learning curve on social media. How do you throw a great party? Invite lots of people with common interests. Get some your most committed friends to come early, help set up, and start conversations. Don’t “open up the whole house” too early because then the party seems too sparse. Give people something to do together right off the bat. Get your “big-time” guests to come when the party’s already buzzing — and they’ll want to invite their friends, also. Oh, and no matter what, make sure you bring enough beverages.
- Chatting with someone at Starbucks: Don’t be that guy who talks about himself all the time. Take time to listen. Let there be a give and take. And even better, be a great listener and responder to others. Don’t use corporate-speak — imagine yourself not at a lectern, but at a coffeeshop table.
- Playing during Recess (by Beth Harte): Remember recess in grade school? Grown-ups or kids – people are people, groups (and sub-groups) always form, leaders always emerge, and good/bad choices always have consequences.
- Taking the Bus to Work (by Eric Fulwiler): No one cares how you got to work, they just want to know that you got the work done. In many ways, social media is the same. It is a means to the end, not the end itself.