How Far Into Social Media Do You Have To Go - Really?

It's daunting, isn't it?  You give in to the pressure, sign up for Twitter, and start following people.  You read their tweets, subscribe to some of their blogs or newsletters, and before you know it, you have an in-box full of "How-To" and "You Should" and "Helpful Hints" and "99 Ways to Make {fill in social media platform here} Generate Leads."  Backlinks and track backs, advocates and influencers, blogs, microblogs, and Klout. 

How far into this stuff does the average business really need to be?  Now, fair disclaimer, I am not a social media consultant.  My focus is on bringing effective content and effective branding together into a cohesive marketing approach.  If content needs or should be distributed online, I work with my clients to figure out the best avenues for that content distribution, and, if need be, I will have one of my partners who IS a social media consultant work with my client.  I get that it's important; I just don't feel that it is the be-all and end-all to effective marketing.

That said, a LOT of what is being said about social media is exactly what businesses should be doing to drive client engagement; specifically that social media is all about a conversation.  Whether that conversation takes place in person, via email marketing, on Twitter, or on Facebook has everything to do with the individual business.  Just because it seems that everyone is doing it, it isn't necessarily right for you.

First step - Identify your present customers and your potential clients.  What is your ideal customer profile? What are the characteristics of your perfect customer?

Second step:  Figure out where your perfect customers are lurking.  Are they on Twitter or Facebook?  Are they in the grocery store, or at the Y?  Do they attend certain types of events?  Do they gather with certain types of people?  Are they likely to be social-media-savvy, or are they not?  You might enjoy asking your present customers these questions, and they will likely love answering them.

Third step:  Determine if your customers find you first, then look for information about you, or if they look for information and then find you.  This is important - more important than it seems from the simplicity of the sentence.  When your customers and potential customers need your products or services, and they go online, for what are they searching?

Fourth step:  Don't assume anything, and don't stop doing the good things you are already doing to build customer engagement and brand advocates.

Fifth step:  Figure out if your customers are already talking about you online.  Configure Google Alerts to send you an email when your name is mentioned and Google finds it. 

Sixth step:  Start your journey into social media based on what you find. 

I contend that most businesses don't need to worry about many of the complexities of social media.  Ensure that you can be found.  When you are found, ensure that you are credible.  Engage with your customers wherever it makes sense for them.  Continue to provide value to your customers, and you will continue to be relevant to them.

For the businesses that DO need to be involved in all of the complexities of social media, I know some great people who would be glad to help. 

There's a lot more to this topic.  I'll get into more detail, with some examples, in subsequent blog posts.

In the meantime, have a great day!