On the surface, it looks unfair. Just as many well-established professionals hit their stride, all the rules change. It’s no surprise that they are either slow adopters or “no adopters” of Social Media.
If they can just get beyond the hype, hysteria and frenzy surrounding Social Media, they will find abundant opportunities awaiting them. Here are just five examples.
Reason One: Social Media can validate you as a professional. Consumers’ expectations have shifted more in the last 3 years than in the prior 30. They expect to find what they are looking for — online. If they can’t find you easily and quickly, you could be toast. As times passes, they’ll not only expect to find you online, they’ll expect to engage with you through a blog, Twitter, or discussion group.
Reason Two: Social media enables you to build your personal brand. Through Social Media, you can become a thought leader in your area of expertise. Whether through a robust profile on LinkedIn, information you gather using Google Alerts or Twitter and then share, or a blog, you can stand out in your field.
Reason Three: Social media is affordable, often free. When I began my marketing career in the late 1970s, print ads were prohibitively expensive. Typesetting and printing could take days, even weeks. Admin staff were needed to fold, stuff, and mail marketing collateral. Social media allows you to achieve similar communication objectives at virtually no cost, and within hours. The biggest investment is your time.
Reason Four: Social media provides you protection. Yes, that’s right. In today’s viral, linked-in world, the best defense is a strong offense. Every client is now a potential critic and reporter. Your clients and competitors can compare notes like never before. The stronger your Internet presence and personal brand, the more likely you are to withstand questionable or less than favorable online buzz.
Reason Five: Social media keeps you top of mind. Staying top of mind is one of the biggest challenges of successful professionals. Job one is to take care of your clients — not market yourself. Social media is an opportunity to do both. Thoughtful and concise commentary (think short conversations), made on a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly basis, allows you to share expertise with clients and stay in touch.
Despite the naysayers, a well-planned Social Media strategy can take you to new levels. If you are hesitating, I’d love to hear your reasons why. There’s lots of support in the Social Media community.
