Social media is the shiny new tool. Social media for business and marketing in particular is now moving from why to how.....but we mustn't let the how be the starting point....it must remain why...for your business.
The main question I help businesses with...is How to use social media and for me often the social media tools can be a distraction.
The reason? Because social media management is often how to use a tool, rather than how the tool can help achieve the business strategy.
There are 5 steps which I take businessese through before deciding if social media marketing or indeed social media for any part of their business is right for them
- Understand what is the company strategy and the key metrics for the next 12 months - you would be amazed at how many don't truly know these!
- Understand how that strategy is broken down into the functions - again often not known. The best social media training?.....Exploring and listening!
- Gain an understanding of why social media works, an overview of the tools and how marketing and technology can be brought together for bottom line growth.
- THEN decide if digital marketing is for you...and if so which tool (or tools) are best to deliver the strategic goals.
- Measure, revise, measure, revise, etc But not in relation to general social media measurement...in relation to your company strategy and business metrics.
The question for you...is did or are you starting with the tools and creating a strategy?
Or are you critically.....Understanding your business strategy and choosing the tools?
