We recommend social media to many of our clients. It’s a great way to discover what your customers want, to interact with them in a place where they are comfortable, to generate search engine rankings, and so much more. But it’s not right for everyone. If you’re not prepared to do it right, it might not be the right strategy for you. Ask yourself these four questions to see if you’re ready for it:
- Could my business benefit from hearing what people are saying about us? If you already know exactly how people talk about your business, you might not need social media. On the other hand, if you’re not tracking your word of mouth reputation, you may not be able to afford not to participate in social media.
- Could we benefit from learning more about our target customers? If you think you know exactly what it is that makes your customer tick, maybe you don’t need social media. Maybe your sales are great, and finding more effective or efficient ways to serve your customer just isn’t a priority. ‘Nuff said. Social media might not be in the cards for you.
- Would it be useful to meet and talk to industry influencers? If you’re the kind of business who leads the pack (y’know, like google), then maybe you don’t need to worry about social media. You influence the influencers, and your business leadership is regarded as the gold standard. That’s great! The connections you can make on social media probably won’t turn into any valuable insight or influence.
- Are we willing to commit to using social media? Having a half-hearted social media presence is like having a lousy TV commercial – it can annoy people and do more harm than good. If you set up Facebook and Twitter accounts but don’t have the time to follow up when people ask you questions, you’re going to have some disappointed customers. Should you decide to enter the social media scene, make sure you are prepared to update your pages regularly and interact with customers punctually so your followers and fans feel the love.