Don’t Be Scared! Overcome the Fear of Social Media Strategy
Some people are creeped out by a TV show like Paranormal State. Others get jittery at the thought of spending a night alone in the deep, dark woods. Still others are scared at the thought of exposing their brand to the social media world. While an increasing number of businesses recognize the power of social sites, there are still a few late adopters who have fears about using this tool. Here are three common fears as well as strategies to overcome them:
I can’t write.
Social media demands interaction that goes beyond saying “hi” to an in-store customer or having an assistant draft a reply to a consumer complaint. One thing that prevents some brand representatives from interacting is the common fear of writing.
If your brand is new to social media, utilize an employee who is already comfortable tweeting, commenting, or posting. However, if you’re like many businesses, team members may not have the time to take on another responsibility. Consider outsourcing to a social media services firm with the experience and confidence to respond to tweets or to post on Facebook.
I don’t know where to start.
For the first few years of the social media phenomenon there were just a few sites, like Friendster and MySpace. Now? Facebook. LinkedIn. YouTube. Flickr. Foursquare. Etc. The longer businesses wait to join the conversation, the more sites are available and the deeper that learning curve becomes.
Before you set lofty goals (We want 10,000 “likes” in the next 30 days!), start by finding out where the customers are. Do they spend hours a day on Facebook? Or are they more likely to surf YouTube? An online listening program is a good first step to finding out where your social media efforts should begin.
We have no money.
It doesn’t matter if you’re Moxie’s Muffin Shop or Big Name Corporation, budgets are tight, which leaves many decision makers asking why they should invest in an initiative that generates relationships first and ROI later.
The key is to craft a formal strategy that sets goals for ROI and establishes checkpoints. Remember most businesses won’t see a viral, overnight success. Instead take reasonable, measurable steps and plan for long-term success.
Get rid of the jitters.
Social media makes some decision makers nervous. Start taking control of the fear by talking to experts who live and breathe tweets, posts, and Diggs. From creating a comprehensive social media strategy to handling online customer engagement, Social Strategy1 will help you overcome your fears.