The big barrier is their concern about the time investment to both learn about and execute social media and, most importantly, what to do. As I consult to and present workshops on the subject here is some of the advice I share with them. Hope this may be helpful to you too.
The number one mistake made is to jump right into the tactics. To decide that all of a sudden you are going to blog, tweet or make someone the mayor on Foursquare. This is folly unless you frame your action by considering your marketing strategy first!
- Who is your primary audience?
- Are they likely to be found on social media?
- What content can you share that would create connection and engage them?
- Who are the key influencers in the social media channels for your niche?
- Do you understand the fundamentals of social media so you can be efficient? Like tools that publish your content across multiple channels, or the right frequency to optimize SEO?
- What are the advantages of social networking and social media vs. traditional interruption marketing?
These are some of the key questions that must be asked to make your time investment worthwhile. Remember, even if you decide not to jump on the bandwagon, that doesn't mean that your prospects and customers are not talking about you or the problems you can solve!
Look for my presentation slides from the workshops I have been doing in Squamish for Howe Sound entrepreneurs in a future post. In the meantime, start to listen and learn by checking out your competitor's social media activity (start with a search on Twitter or Facebook) and by following some key voices that matter in your area of business online. There are a wealth of resources that just might make your business more successful and sociable!
