In today’s “Immediate Gratification World” Social Media can Make or Break you. Social Media has been responsible for Careers Ending (Case in point Paula Deen Saga), For Businesses Flourishing and for Viral content Trending.
As a Trainer I get asked at least once a day WHY, Why do I need Social Media, Why would I wan to blog, what is the benefit, it is just dumb, It is only a place people air their dirty laundry.
Look we are an immediate world. Were too busy to meet our neighbors, or look up in the check out line. We Put our phone numbers on no call lists, mark emails as spam so we NEVER see them and even put our snail mail on block lists. We are barracking ourselves in.
I speak in part from a sales persons perspective. Long ago, YOU looked for ME when you needed to make a purchase. I have been trained in this and do it daily. Today you read Blogs (By sometimes unqualified people) or articles and are a “Smart” consumer and do your own research. You in many cases refuse the advice of the Professional and go on what you, read on the internet.
I have been told stories multiple times over the past few months of how a buyer client or seller client refused the
Agents advice on a deal because they didn’t trust them. Well then why did you hire them. I even stumbled upon a website that appears to be a “Consumer Help Site” that clearly says under NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you ever take a referral from your agent.
A few bad apples seemingly spoiled the reputation of the outstanding agents out there working for buyers and sellers everyday. The contacts and connections a great agent has with great service providers is one of the MANY valuable services they bring to the table for you.
Oh WAIT this is NOT a blog about Realtor frankly you could insert and industry you want in here, Insurance Agents, Dentists, Car Sales People, Mechanics, Doctors, Lawyers… ANYONE
The benefit of Social Media is it allows you to the ability to educate the public about your industry, education the public about you and your values. Become a valued source of information and insight and you build a relationship with people you have never even met.
Now how do you do that specifically? Here is how. Create the following, a Blog, A Facebook Fan Page, A LinkedIn Account and Twitter, or hire someone to do it for you.
Set up these accounts to post daily for you, no this does not mean you need to be online daily it means create the content and schedule it to appear as if you post daily.
What you post needs to capture the viewer, you can do this with Unique photo graphs, A compelling title that they want to know more about, or make it personal to them. Again if you are not willing to do it, hire someone.
All of these Social Media Sources work together. Meaning you can write a blog that notifies your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Now in one post you have touches 4 places. I will not try to tell you that this following will happen over night, but I will say as long as you are committed to grow and work the plan you will gain credibility.
Let me give you a great example. YOU are HERE right NOW reading this Blog post. One of 2 statements are true, you do not know me and have never been to my blog before or you do know me and visit often. If you do not know me and this is the first time you have been here odd are you are going to click at least one more blog post of mine to see if you really are interested in what I have to say.
If you go and read 3 of my posts, odds are good you might consider following my blog in case I say something else later on that interests you.
I am NOT a super blogger, but my daily reads have gone from 0-5 a day to now 60-100 a day with my biggest day of over 133.
So let me tie this in a pretty little bow for you. Why is social media important for YOUR business? Social Media is important for your business because it allows outsiders to get a look inside who the real you is, behind the logo, behind the fancy commercials, behind the sign or business card and see how you think, what you care about and most importantly to the consumer….
Do You care about me and my situation?
Are you Smart?
Can I trust You?
And Yes in answer to your question here is someone you can hire if you decide not to do it on your own.
Just my 2 cents - Carolyn Mantia 