Drowning in the Kool-Aid

Social media will save your soul and your business! Unless you live under a rock, I’m sure you’ve been witness to the heightened enthusiasm of communication professionals as they declare the second coming of communication, affectionately known as Web 2.0.

Even though my business model includes a large social media component, I’ve had it “up to here” with all the social media zealots. Don’t get me wrong – I love Facebook for keeping up with friends, using Twitter to see what kinds of trending topics people are talking about or to connect with business associates. But, there’s a lack of equilibrium between the so-called experts and people who want to use social media to promote their business.

If the rest of your processes are broken or your product is lackluster, social media isn’t going to help until you get the foundation of your house in order. If a consultant is telling you that social media is what will fill your pipeline or accelerate sales, they’re only right if they’re including social media as part of a larger marketing strategy.

Because social media is fairly new and continuing to evolve, note that the experts aren’t always right, and it’s your responsibility as a marketer to challenge them and ensure you’re proceeding with best-practices and not drowning in the Kool-Aid being served by social media consultants.

What are some best-practices you should follow?

*Blogging is fantastic for demonstrating thought leadership or adding a human voice to your company. Strike a balance! It’s great to provide readers with informative and actionable information, but showing your culture’s personality can also strengthen connections or inspire people to want to know you better. Don’t be afraid to mix professionalism and personality!

*Know your strategy. Social media experts would have you believe that every tweet needs to generate conversation. Not true! Sometimes it *is* about broadcasting. Sharing a link to other’s works or pointing followers to a press release isn’t a bad thing and not every post requires a litany of responses. Keep in mind the social networks are great for generating SEO. Do you want to be found, do you want to interact or are you hoping to achieve both? Understand your goals and then develop a strategy to support it.

*Be flexible! Yes, you can use tools like HootSuite to schedule tweets, but there will be instances you need to respond in real time. Be present! Monitor what is being said about you and identify opportunities to connect with customers and extend your message.

*Break restraints. Yes, short, pithy blogs are more likely to be read all the way through, but if you’ve got depth of subject matter expertise and a good story to tell, let the post dictate its length. Anyone who says “posts should not be longer than 300 words” is likely short-changing readers and your product message.

*Embrace the birds of a feather business philosophy. Want to go places? Align with people who can take you there. That means put some time into connecting with other thought leaders and influencers who are either on the same path or understand where you’re going and can help you achieve your goals.