Social Media – is it really the magic bullet?

Social media.  The new marketing reality for everyone – right?  Right!!

This is the issue facing everyone that is promoting any kind of business, product or service.  Over the last couple of years the new media reality of Facebook, Twitter and the like has dominated the limelight and people from all walks of business have flocked (or are looking to flock (!)) to this new magic bullet that will make everyone stinking rich just by being there.  It happened with radio over half a century ago.  TV followed a while later.  And then the Internet, websites, blogs descended upon us and now the Social Media.  Oh, how we don’t take the lessons that history teaches us to heart…. our memories are dimmed by the bright lights of the latest innovation.   Wake up folks, there is no magic bullet!

Don’t get me wrong.  I am not saying that Social media isn’t relevant.  It absolutely is.  However, like everything in life, this new innovation needs to be placed in context and treated with the respect it deserves – within that context.  Just like all the other tools of marketing deserve the same respect.

The decision to use social media requires a common-sense business approach.  It may not cost you a ton of $ – but it will steal a ton of time from you if you do it properly; and time is, after all, money.  You must have some specific goals in mind and you do need to ask some hard questions before diving in.  Be careful – if you dive in and don’t deliver, you could be doing harm to your business and your brand.

Ask the right questions.  Be truthful with yourself and don’t follow the Pied Piper blindly.

In the last few weeks I’ve heard some really interesting reasons that business owners (yes, the real decision-makers) are using to justify a foray into social media.  These are the best:

“It’s free!”      “Well, everyone is using it!”     “It doesn’t cost me real money!”    When hearing these reasons I wonder why they aren’t more concerned about whether the social media will actually reach their customers or prospects.  Surely that is one question that should be asked, at the very least?

Save yourself a ton of time and aggravation.  Contact neville@mastermindsolutions.ca to find out the right questions to ask before making a commitment to social media.  Since each company’s circumstances are different, the questions one would ask are similarly different.  One thing I can promise – the questions will all give rise to more meaningful answers than: “It’s free!”      “Well, everyone is using it!”     “It doesn’t cost me real money!”

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About the author: Neville Pokroy