Social Media Marketing ‘Done Right’

Social Media Marketing ‘done right’ is a thing of beauty while Social Media Marketing ‘done wrong’ is just a waste of time! So, you ask; how in the world is Social Media Marketing done right?

First, let’s start with a fundamental face-off to discover if your biggest challenge may be that you’re ‘fighting the flow’ of successful Social Media Marketing as two nontraditional concepts must be overcome.

Both require ‘doing business’ on the customers terms rather than your own. First, Social Media Marketing requires starting without knowing exactly where it will go or how it will end up. It is not a ‘single product’ that is completed before it begins. Second, Social Media Marketing is a continuous process of change that molds and refines it’s content and goals after listening to your audience on a ‘real-time’ basis. It is not sending messages that originate with you.

Now, let’s consider that because successful Social Media Marketing is counter-intuitive to success with traditional marketing; all too often, businesses just jump into it with out a plan... with out figuring out how, how often and where people want to be communicated with. So, get started with Social Media Marketing with a plan by following these three steps:

1. Brain storm and then record your desired Social Media Marketing outcomes. This will help you to identify the purpose of your content which should be developed to nurture needs that surround your businesses issues and problems and then positioned as ‘thought leadership’ about solving these issues and problems. It will also help you to identify the characteristics of the audience that you will want to attract. Target this audience with content that is useful and that answers questions.

2. With all of the moving parts of web-searches, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, posts, re-tweets, connections, circles, mentions, shares, etc. Each Social Media Marketing component from scheduling, disseminating, tracking and monitoring your messages should do so timely on your end while staying relevant from the audience’s perspective.

3. Join or start social conversations by talking with your audience, ask them questions, comment on what they say, listen to their responses and watch their reactions. And then, establish internal processes to mold and refine your content into messages aligned with what you’ve heard and seen. This will serve as your guide to be able to continuously expand your social reach with valuable content that captures and engages interest among prospects and customers.

Finally, Social Media Marketing a hot topic among businesses these days but there are still some that are a little squeamish about the concept. I hope that by facing fundamental challenges and with a basic plan in mind you will being to identify how your business may be able to begin succeeding with Social Media Marketing!

Please share how Social Media Marketing has impacted your business! 

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Elynn Fish is the Founder and President of The Fish Firm of which specializes in using New Media To Turn Modern Marketing Into Money by helping small business owners and entrepreneurs increase online sales and attract new business.