You hear people saying all the time that social networking is sales; it's marketing. Quite correct, but let's get closer to the nitty gritty.
The Telephone
Lets first talk about something you've used all of your life: your telephone. It offers you two vast benefits, and I'll bet you a cup of coffee that you've only thought of one.
- It provides real time voice to voice communication.
- It provides a medium in which your message can not be altered, changed, or edited in any way.
Think about number two, and what that means. Your message is delivered without intervention by anyone. There is no newspaper editor, no book agent, publisher, no one stands between the message you send, and the message received. No one.
Enter Social Media
Social networking offers you number 2 on a vast scale. If you have ever used a press release, an article, book, or any other traditional method of communication this is literally a priceless way to communicate. You receive these vast benefits for the cost of using social networking tools.
Social networking is the most significant advancement in communications since the invention of the printing press. Never in human history have you, your company or organization, had this ability. And because social networking is still new, it is misunderstood, still changing, evolving, and will continue to do so. What it will not do is go away.
Social Networking is a Tool
Like any tool, you need the right one for the job. Many people choose a social networking tool first, and they try to make it do their bidding. That's not the way to do this.
First, do your homework. What do you want from social networking? What do your customers, clients, employees, vendors, manufacturers, suppliers, shippers, advertisers want from your social networking campaign? Answer those questions, and many more, then pick the tool. Then create the content. Then tie your Website and social networking campaign together, then tell the world.
Then it will work for you.
Don't stay in the dark on this. Social networking is to your business what a Website was years ago. Social networking, and your Web site, will only grow in importance to your success.
Let us hear from you.