Myths of Social Media

Trade shows and fairs. I really enjoy them. If you have read previous posts, you probably have figured that out. Doesn’t matter if it is a home show, woodworking, garden, craft, motorcycle, food service or RV show or eating bbq sandwiches and visiting the vendor booths at the summer fairs. I really like going to the shows. It allows me to practice networking skills. By talking to the vendors and listening to their patter about their products, I can usually tell who is passionate about their company, who practices and who doesn’t. I can also tell if the vendors are having fun, or if their eyes tell me if they would rather be out fishing. But the best part is I always go home with a give-away bag full of flyers, brochures, business cards and goodies.

Usually the following weekend after the show, while it is still fresh in my memory, I make a freshly roasted cup of coffee, grab the goodie bag and sit at my desk. I sort thru the cards and brochures, then one by one, visit all websites. I do this as a habit, to see how well each business markets their services. I make notes of marketing techniques I find interesting, and notes of sites that are ho-hum and boring.

When I am at the shows, I have a series of questions I usually ask, such as do you have a website, do you tweet or are you linkedin? – once in a while I get a blank stare, but for the most part, I get one of 4 responses.

”I don’t have the time” – Hmmm – he was standing around doing nothing until I showed up to ask questions. Seems to me that there was more than enough time to tweet a message like – “I am at my booth now, stop by to say hi, join me for a cup of Joe”. That is under 140 characters, is not invasive – sounds more like an invite.

How about a tweet that says “I am at my booth today, if you have any questions, stop by” or “If you missed me at the show, check out this 3 minute video we did today [link]”.

My point is – there is no better time to market while you are marketing.

”I don’t see the value” – I get reasons like ‘those sites are for college kids and actors trying to get popular’, or ‘oh yah- my kids like playing on them’.

Recent statistics (email me if you would like a copy) show that businesses are joining these sites by the millions monthly. What started as a fad has become a very popular business explosion. Remember search engine optimization (SEO) years ago? It was popular and seemed like there was little value. Today, SEO it is a necessity. Businesses that acknowledge Social Media having value will have a competitive advantage, until the rest join in and it becomes a necessity.

“I am not very comfortable with technology”- Tweets, links, blogs, tiny urls and other dohickeys of Social Media use computers and cell phones, but it’s not the technology that gets broadcasted. It is your message – the technology just delivers the value and simplifies building relationships. You just need to know how to use a word processor, send email, text a message with a phone (and know a good copywriter to write your messages, of course :-d )

”I really don’t know where to start” – From the days of Compuserve, through the browser wars and the Dot Com bust, I have always been a Website traditionalist – (I believe that a successful website is user friendly, states the USP, provides quick access to a company’s products and services, client testimonials and references, and leaves the Flash at home). I have converted to a blog and its siblings of video streaming and tele-seminars, and have greatly realized its value. Yes, I still believe there is a time and place for traditional, but the value of Social Media has proven itself. And it is much easier to convert a simple conversation to a valuable relationship and maintain marketing continuity.

So, as the economy still struggles to find itself, businesses that realize the value and potential of Social Media, will have the competitive advantage, will not be trapped by ‘myths’ and will succeed.

If you are ready to expand into Social Media, feel free to contact me. Lets get together for a freshly roasted cup of coffee and have a discussion.