As meeting planners and associations (and the rest of the world) continue to learn about social media, many people are looking for cookie-cutter solutions. They want to attend a webinar and leave knowing exactly what they need to do to implement social media.
For those people, I ask you to think back to your first day at your job. Did you walk out the door at 5 p.m. knowing everything about the company, the clients, the vendors and your co-workers? Did you understand the intricacies of the company’s strategic plan and could recite the mission statement? If you were like most people, you were lucky enough to know the code to the restroom and how to make it back to your desk without getting lost.
Think about social media the same way. Social media is much more than knowing how to set-up a Facebook page or create a Twitter account. It is about creating a strategy that aligns with the goals and objectives of the organization and/or event. While you may be able to mimic the tactics of another organization when it comes to social media, your best results will be when your target your approach to meet the needs of your audience.
New media vehicles and best practices are changing faster than most people can keep up. If you are serious about integrating web 2.0+ into your plans, take the time to learn the trends. Read publications like Mashable and follow thought leaders like Chris Brogan, Jason Falls and Jeff Hurt. Take time to create a plan with solid objectives. But don’t get overwhelmed during the process. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Give your social media plan the time it deserves.
Delphia Consulting, LLC
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As usual sound advice – now I just have to follow it!
Jessica:
Great post & thanks for the shout out. I’m humbled and to be listed with some great thought leaders too!
It’s so true that in our world of fast food, fast company, fast searches and fast cars we want fast learnings. If only we could take a pill or just add water for instant social media success. Just like planning conferences, events and meetings, it takes strategy for success and that takes time!
Thanks for encouraging us to dedicate some quality time to creating a social media strategy!
Very Insightful post Jessica! My advice to everyone is to research which platforms can have the most impact for your business/brand and implement it with COMMITMENT. It is imperative to have a goal as part of your strategy in order to measure ROI. However, there is no right or wrong way on how you go about social media, practice makes all the difference.
@BackdropsBeauti tweets by @josedramirez
Thanks for your comments.
Social media is just like any other tool in the tool box. @Jeff – you are so right, people really want a magic pill. I think if they compare it to other channels and the learning curve that everything has, it might help to alleviate some of the anxiety.
Excellent post. Makes me chuckle now every time I see webinar invites with grandiose claims about expected social media learning. What we need to define are some good learning paths just like good corporations have good orientation programs.
Instant gratification. Seems like that’s all we are focused on these days. Can’t we short cut this learning process? If Facebook and Twitter are free, why do we have to apply any manpower or financial resources to make it work for us? I read all these stories about how companies used social media to generate massive sales. This is just what we need – a distribution channel that costs pennies and provides a sales bonanza.
Houston, we have a problem.
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