Social Media Effectiveness (Part 1)
Usage and Adoption Considerations
Some folks still hold the perception that social media is not a viable option for generating interest in their company, products or services… at delivering sales and ongoing revenue. This paradigm is born from lack of experience and, basically, fear of change. When we’re not “in the know”, our base thinking drives us to criticize and or completely avoid whatever is challenging us. This is known as normalcy bias and it can be overcome through repetition, attention and success. A sub-strategy of normalcy bias is to continue doing something a certain way even if does not work any longer or is not as effective as it once was (cold calling on the telephone). Social media is an effective platform for marketing initiatives, generating leads and closing sales. It is the updated marketing and sales vehicle for reaching your target audience.
Another major reason social media is often criticized is due to lack of results early on. Too often, we are quick to label this important stage in our development as failure (mostly due to unrealistic expectations). For many, the experience of trying something and not succeeding can be an even larger challenge. It’s easy to become excited (about something new) and begin activity without a comprehensive understanding of the tools, tactics and goals. Without a clear understanding of the fundamentals, objectives and specific actions necessary, frustration ends up being the primary result. It does take time to accumulate and understand results. And then a bit longer to incorporate changes that will yield better outcomes. Having a defined process is far more effective than the ‘ol shoot, aim, ready approach.
The facts is that numerous precedents have been established and many companies, organizations and individuals are using social media to grow awareness, sales and improve customer relations. SocMed is lead generation, sales process facilitation and customer service 3.0. Learning how to effectively apply these technologies will create a huge difference in your organization’s future success.
