Expert Article

Putting the Social Back into Social Media

I click on my Facebook account and check my messages. There's one from a group I don't remember joining which means it's either a not so memorable group or I've been added with no invitation; probably the latter!

I have several messages from 'new friends' who want me to look at their 'greatest business on the planet.'  I yawn and delete.

Before I click away I see a message from an ardent suitor who thinks I'm beautiful and wishes to talk to me on yahoo so we can begin a relationship. This is another one who hasn't done his niche research. If he'd taken a couple of seconds to look at my profile he'd see that I am married with 2 children.

Of course I get some great messages from real friends and colleagues who send me things of value which is the reason I visit Facebook several times a day.

It is easy for marketers to think that because Facebook is free and easy to use that they can just paste links and pitch people as part of their daily marketing or sales numbers. 'I've made 5 new contacts today.' If their social media and marketing strategy consists of pitching links to people they don't know, I'm sorry to say they're deluded.

Unfortunately there is no faster turn off than seeing a sales or opportunity link on your wall or in your messages.

Yes there is a place for this. Once you have got to know someone, had some conversations with them and established that there may be a need or an interest in what you offer THEN and only THEN is the time to send the link.

Social Media sites are just that - SOCIAL! They are not Business Media or Opportunity Media.  They are social networking and sharing sites so whether you've been in business for years and are just starting online or whether you've been online for years but are not generating business from social media it could be that you're doing it all wrong.

These social media sites have just sprung into our lives and many people, marketers included, have not taken the time to learn how to use them effectively for their business.

This means that your social media activity can actually work AGAINST you and your business when you have no social media strategy.

It will eat up your time with little or no results to show for it and it will brand you as an amateur, damaging your credibility with your existing social circle.

I see experienced business people committing horrible social media sins and promoting their business in a way that I hope they would not consider doing offline.

Amateurs just don't know any better which is fine for a while but there comes a point when an amateur has to make the decision to become a professional.

So next time you get one of those links pasted on your wall or in your inbox you'll think 'oh yes this is one of those guys that hasn't taken the time to learn how to do this.'

To learn how to put the social back into social media with your own social media strategy and marketing game plan, grab your copy of The Niche Expert and get started on the online road to results today.