So last night Todd Salansky presented ‘The New Big 3” with me at year end dinner of the Buffalo Niagara Sales and Marketing Executives. Usually they have 60-65 people attend their dinners, last night I’m told they had 100 in attendance and had to cut off reservations. Yup, it was sold out.
There were many of my friends in attendance, most of who were not terribly immersed in any of the social media channels. Obviously they came to learn and Todd and I were happy to oblige.
The one point I wanted to make very clear to them was that I was presenting on the topic as an active user, not some kind of expert. There are many more expert people than I on this topic and there are many more presenting themselves as expert. I am not that delusional.
So what are my FWIW observations and recommendations for them as a social media user?
• As a networking and marketing tool, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter should not be looked at as three behemoths that must be tamed through hours and hours of study. Rather, you should look at them strictly as three additional tools that can be including in your existing marketing mix. If you looks at anyone of the three in that way, these tools should immediately seem a bit more easier to consider.
• The two main questions people ask me about the value or worth of social media are:
> Why bother?
Because social media can help develop an on-line community of people interested in you and possibly your line of work. The global reach of the internet makes that prospecting tool limitless.
>Who cares?
Almost anybody you currently market to (or would care to market to) is now or soon will be involved in social media. In a down economy, everybody is looking for free marketing resources. Can you find them, and engage them? Can they find you?
• If you are not willing to be a part of or establish a community of people with whom you can engage in non-selling on-line communication, don’t bother with social media. It’s not one size fits all and some business and business owners just won’t mesh with the process…so don’t bother.
As I told the audience and as I said last night: I hope this helps.
