Diving into the realm of social media is not a task to be taken lightly. Many people know they need to be there, but yet many concerns linger in their minds stopping them from seeing the true value in tools like Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc. This massive shift in the way products and businesses promote themselves has happened. It only continues to grow stronger and take more hold.
When consulting businesses on social media we inevitably run into the following objections/concerns. My goal is to offer solutions and advice for the company that may be battling with these same concerns when it comes to social media.
1. What if they say something negative about me?
This concern usually always tops the list and the answer is simple: They are going to talk whether you are there or not!! In fact, turning a blind eye to what is being said on social media can be suicide. Take Dominoes for example. The massive PR crisis they had on their hands a few months back could have turned into major proportions had the leadership of Dominoes decided to “ignore it until it goes away.” Even if a negative storm happens on social media, a companies response and tactic can make all the difference in the world. Oftentimes, a negative can be turned into a positive based on how the company responds. Consumers realize a company isn’t going to be perfect, but they do want to see that a company is willing to engage and acknowledge if indeed something happened that warranted the negative comment.
2. Social media is for kids.
To use Facebook as an example, this tool started out as a way for college students to connect with one another so I can understand why a business who may not be interested in targeting a younger demo would associate social media with kids. However, there has been a staggering increase in the number of 55+ users- with total growth of 513.7% in the last six months alone (as of July 2009) see chart here.
According to NielsenWire, when it comes to Twitter: Twitterers (a.k.a. Tweeters) are not primarily teens or college students as you might expect. In fact, in February the largest age group on Twitter was 35-49; with nearly 3 million unique visitors, comprising almost 42 percent of the site’s audience. We found that the majority of people visit Twitter.com while at work, with 62 percent of the combo unique audience accessing the site from work only versus 35 percent that accessed it from home only.
3. I don’t care to know about meaningless things people are doing throughout their day.
We don’t either! Yes, it is true that while using social networking sites you will come across some “meangingless chatter.” That is not to say that everything on social media is meaningless. The bigger part of these tools is the information exchange that is avaialable at your fingertips. Seek out the information that you are interested in instead of focusing on the meaningless – it’s out there! Keep in mind, however, engaging with people and building relationships involves communication. Personal details shared can become talking points, conversation starters, and ways for you to become more familiar with people. That’s what networking is all about, isn’t it?
4. I’m not a technical person.
You don’t have to be. Using social networking sites aren’t set up for web developers and computer techies. They are built to be used by the average person. Play around with the tools! You will get used to where the buttons are and how to use the websites. More importantly than being a technical person is coming at social media for your business with a marketing and strategic mind. Many computer companies will consult business on social media when their expertise lies in the technical side of things. Make sure the person who will be handling your social media or the consultant you hire has the marketing knowledge to help you succeed, not just tech savvy.
5. I don’t have time.
Finally, the number one objection we hear. We are not going to lie to you- Yes, this stuff takes time. Although most of the sites are free, it will cost you your time in order to participate effectively. We realize in business sometimes time means more than money. In order to break down the time issue into a manageable amount, a strategy must be put in place. Once you have a strategy, you will know what sites will work best for you, know exactly what to do when you log in, stop you from becoming overwhelmed, make you more effective, and combat time wasted. We all know practice makes perfect and the same goes for social media. Once you learn the ropes and how to communicate, it will come naturally and in turn save you time.
Any other concerns you have involving social media? Please talk to me…I would love to try to help.
