The Wrong Approach To Social Media
When it comes to social media, a lot of companies still don’t get it. They opt to take a “cookie cutter social media” approach instead of treating their accounts with the same respect as their corporate lines of credit or anything else critical to their business. Their social media accounts are viewed as something that can be mass produced and processed. This is the wrong approach to social media!
Some companies hire people at a low rate to simply push out content. Quite often find they have nothing to show for it. Then there are other companies that will invest a lot of money on all sorts of tools only to find that they barely impact their bottom line. This is because they are so incredibly automated that they neglect to make a real, solid connection with their customers. They completely miss their mark. Sure, at times, some businesses who automate everything may experience a bumper crop in business but it is merely for a short period of time. It is not something that lasts.
It is really that simple!
So, why doesn’t this work? Well, social media gives business the means to forge relationships. If a business wants more customers, they have to earn it. It is really that simple! Social media can be a handy tool that helps businesses increase their brand recognition, improve customer engagement, provide the best customer service and of course, increase revenue!
The Fraternity House and The Maid
Recently, I spoke to a hiring manager that was interested in contracting a social media expert for a short term project. Apparently, over the past few months, the company experienced a rapid increase in the number of new consultants that came on board. They were seeking an expert to make sure their social media team was on point and that their strategy was working. The representative explained that although they hire social media experts to manage their accounts, they needed to hire yet another expert to make sure everything was in order. Now then, if everything was copacetic, they would not need to hire an expert to fix this mess but that is the whole point of this article.
Imagine hiring a maid service to do a deep cleaning in a fraternity house. (Think Animal House as far as the type of mess we are dealing with.) It is a big undertaking because there is a lot of work to be done. It isn’t as simple as a quick sweep and folding a few shirts. It’s complex! Here is the breakdown:
- First, this job requires an assessment based upon how big the house is, how many rooms need to be deep cleaned, loads of laundry to be washed, floors scrubbed, etc., etc.
- Next, add the total number of days it will take to clean the house, the cost of labor, cleaning supplies, special cleaning tools, etc. Mind you, this is not going to be an inexpensive project because it isn’t simple. Time costs money!
- Third, after the deep cleaning has been completed, the fraternity house will be back in order. Although the house may be spotless for the time being, how long will it take before chaos ensues and it turns into a pigsty all over again? It is a cycle that never ends!
Every Social Media Platform Is Different
This concept applies to companies that treat their social media accounts with the same disregard. The real solution is to hire competent people that know what they are doing. It is about thoroughly understanding all aspects of managing each social media account, interacting with the target audience and achieving the company’s goals. There is no cookie cutter solution. Every social media platform is different. How you engage with people on each platform is different. Pushing content out for the sake of posting is not the best strategy. If you want something to be successful, you have to nurture it!
If that example didn’t resonate with you, perhaps this one will!
Eating The Center Of A Pizza Pie
When you order a pizza, you don’t order it to only eat the center of the pie. Not only is it a waste of food but a waste of money. Who does that? No one! Well, when it comes to social media, there are companies that treat their social media as though they are only interested in the center of the pie.
Be Persistent and Consistent
Social media is something that can benefit a company in many ways. Here are a few examples:
- Connecting with others. Social media is about building relationships with customers, other businesses and within your industry. Plus, you can connect directly with your target audience at any time!
- Brand awareness. Social media is a great way to establish and increase your brand’s visibility
- Sharing information and expertise. Social media platforms provide an excellent opportunity to showcase what your company does best and why people should work with you.
If you are not achieving the results you are seeking with your social media accounts, it could be a matter of patience. For new accounts, it does take time. Be persistent and consistent! If, after a long period of time, your social media accounts aren’t doing anything to increase your bottom line, then feel free to reach out to me and schedule a free consultation by clicking this link.
If you liked this article, please read Boosting Your Business With Google Maps