image courtesy of Hugh MacLeod

It seems like everyday we’re introduced to at least a half dozen new “Social media experts” who will gladly assist your business with Twitter, Facebook, Blogging and whatever else is popular that day. With unemployment so high right now, a lot of would-be entrepreneurs are diving into social media, simply thinking that just by knowing how to use the tools, they’re capable of overseeing a brand’s image online.

This new sentiment is scary to say the least.

What a lot of businesses fail to understand is the true power of social media and where it is going. Yes kids, social media is the future, and I’ve got news for you, the future has arrived.

There are a few key questions to ask yourself when hiring a self-proclaimed “Social media expert.”

1. Would I hire this person to create and build my brand?

2. Would I put this person in charge of my customer service ?

3. Would I put this person in charge of my advertising campaign?

If you cannot give a solid yes nod to any of these questions, then you might want to think twice.  Social media is about interaction with your customers, future customers, partners and associates. It is about building trust and solid relationships. Social Media is about communication on the most fundamental levels.  These people will all form an opinion about you and your business based upon that social media experience.  Is this something you really want to put in the hands of someone who just knows how to post some pictures, play Farmville and re-tweet a motivational quote?

No matter what you hear, Social Media is marketing, customer service and relationship building all wrapped up in one. When someone walks in for a meeting about building your new blog or managing your tweets, remember, they are the face of your business on the fastest growing form of communication ever. Proceed with caution.

Last night we held a private social media course in Maryland. It was a great time and we met a lot of enthusiastic and anxious people ready to jump into the social media realm. As we find most often when we speak, the bulk of the questions were about Twitter.  If you haven’t really grasped the notion of Twitter or if you’re using it, but not sure if you are doing the right things, I hope taking a look at what NOT to do will answer some questions.

What not to do #1: Hit people over the head with sales messages.

We all know when someone is trying to hard sell us in person and we don’t appreciate it. The same rules apply with Twitter. You wouldn’t (we hope) walk up to someone off the street and start giving them a hard sales pitch, so don’t do it on Twitter. People are not on Twitter to get an advertising message. They want to share information, communicate about mutual interests, network with others, and share their ideas. Seek first to listen to the conversations and build real relationships in these communities. Offer up content that has VALUE to your audience. People will appreciate and pay attention to content driven posts. Your sales-y posts will just get ignored and in some cases blocked.

What not to do #2: Act like a robot.

People want to communicate with other people in a sincere fashion. Your automated direct welcome message is going to do nothing. People know it was automated. Often times, this is combined with #1 and the auto message is a hard sales pitch. Don’t do it! Likewise, I understand the ease at which applications allow Twitter, Linked In and Facebook to be connected, but use this will caution. Twitter posts automatically sent to post to Facebook can be extremely annoying. Each social media portal should be treated as separate entities. There is no doubt there are times when it is appropriate to post the same thing everywhere, but not every time.

What not to do #3: Stress over follower counts.

It is easy to get caught up in counting numbers, but don’t stress over it. Don’t ask for followers or freak out when you lose a couple. Instead, focus on the people that are your followers (no matter how small that number is). Quality always wins over quantity. Also, focus your attention on your content. If the content is relevant and interesting, you will gain followers naturally.

What not to do #4: Broadcasting over communicating.

Now you may think this sounds a little counter-intuitive being I just told you to broadcast your relevant content. Let me explain. Yes, content is a MUST and you are broadcasting that information. However, communication is MORE of a must. Take the time to Retweet something that someone posted. Use your tweets to promote others and ask questions. You want your content to be there, but relationship building must be present as well.  With all of social media, you give  in order to get.

Customers are behaving very differently than ever before. They’re more educated, with access to information from their phones at their fingertips virtually 24/7. They’re harder to reach, as programs like  TiVo make commercials feel as relevant as a drive-in movie theater, and iPods replace radio stations in most cars.  They’re constantly in touch with their peers, with sites like Facebook and Twitter, and blogs allow them to express their opinions to anyone who will listen.

All of this can be disconcerting if you’re unfamiliar with these developments, but ultimately they can help every business become more successful.

Educated consumers can find out about your business by searching for what they need and what you provide – if you make sure you have a website that represents your company well. The changes in traditional media can lower your profile – unless you take other steps to raise it, like hosting events in your community instead of commercials. And of course, a social customer is your best method of advertising. Having satisfied customers with Facebook or Twitter accounts means you have free promotion from a source that potential customers already trust.

Some companies improve information searches – like the new search engine Bing -  and some benefit from them – like Nationwide’s car accident application for iPhones. Product integration is one of the ways big companies advertise without commercials, but for local businesses something simple like sponsoring a youth team or a community charity run works with the same principles. Businesses can use Facebook and Twitter, but it’s also useful for researching consumer behaviors and getting a sense of customer interests.

If you’re able to provide your customers with something they need or want, and can do it as well as or better than everyone else, your business will benefit from today’s evolved customers. Find the strength of your business – a product, customer service, a unique experience, maybe all of the above – and make sure today’s customers know it. It’s just a matter of time until tomorrow’s customers will want to see what the buzz is about.

Traditional marketing methods and campaigns typically start with a plan. What is your target demographic? What are the desired results? What is the call to action? Just as you would create a solid strategy for traditional marketing methods, the same must be done for social media.

To start, map out a list of your goals and desired outcomes. Goals can include, providing better customer service, building brand awareness, gaining market share, learning more about your target demographic, etc.

Once you determine your goals, research the options and decide on the best social media mix for your company. Other things to take into consideration are your time constraints, where your target audience is and brand image. For example, if your goal is increased customer service it would be a good idea to explore twitter as an option since the response is instant. It is also beneficial to explore what other companies are doing and set realistic expectations for your efforts.

Putting the strategy in place requires a time commitment, however, it does not have to be unmanageable. Part of your strategy should include time management. For example, try spending 10 minutes first thing in the morning checking your Facebook profile and responding to friend requests, wall posts, and messages. Once you have created a schedule that works for you, don’t give up! Social media is not something that develops overnight. It is all about building relationships. We all know a good, solid relationship is built over time. Do not get discouraged if you are not receiving the exact response you had hoped. Make some tweaks as needed and keep monitoring your success.

Twitter is a buzzword today. Many people, however, still do not realize or think this tool can benefit their business in any way. To some, it seems like a waste of time and a way for people to participate in useless chatter. I have heard people’s hesitations and reservations when it comes to taking the plunge into the Twittosphere.

For the unbelievers and skeptics, may I offer a brief list of some benefits to using Twitter for your business. Keep in mind, conversations about Twitter (and social networking in general) can go on and on and on… and they do!

Benefit #1: Twitter can help you gain and share important industry insights. For example, if you are a landscaper, you can follow others who are in the industry to learn important information and stay current. At the same time, you can also become the expert in your field by giving thoughtful advice to those in need of landscaping. If someone is interested in this kind of information, they will seek it out.

Benefit #2: You can see what other people are saying about you. Is your business a restaurant? Use Twitter to regularly search for your restaurant and monitor if people are talking about it and what they are saying.

Benefit #3: Informing Loyal Customers. Twitter is an excellent way to keep in touch with your loyal customers. Encourage people to follow you on Twitter for regular updates about promotions, sales, contests, and news updates. Also, listen to your customers and ask them for feedback on what they would like to see.

Benefit #4: Interact with potential customers. This is a sticky subject. Twitter is not the place for spamming or having a hard selling approach. What it is, however, is giving out relevant information and encouraging people to follow you since what you are posting is of value to them. Another example: if you are a retail clothing store, post information about spring trends, new accessories, and the cool new shoes your store received last week. If someone is interested in spring fashion trends, they can easily search you out and read your information. This can be more powerful than taking out a traditional advertisement because the potential customer can talk to you!

Twitter has many benefits for a business. I hope this may have changed some skeptical minds out there.

Our answer: YES!!

Social networking has become a buzzword recently, but I feel like there is a misconception about social media as it pertains to business and making money. Social media “experts” are telling people that the basis of participating in the on-going, online conversation is to gain important industry insights and to give those insights to others. True, following others in your industry on a format like Twitter is beneficial for many reasons. Additionally, giving out advice etc. is important and definitely builds credibility. Let’s face it though, as a business owner how much free time do you really have to devote?

There IS a way for social networking to equal money that goes beyond talking about your industry with people in China. For example, loyal customers can hear from you instantly! What better way to keep in touch with the latest promotions and coupons? How much are you saving as opposed to a direct mailing?

The ways are many, but it all comes down to time and how much your time is worth.