I was meeting with a group of senior leaders at one of my clients last month, talking about various marketing strategies and tactics. One of the items we discussed was the use of social media marketing… specifically that these key leaders be active on LinkedIn and Twitter.
One of my contacts (by the way, not a technology luddite) literally rolled his eyes at the prospect of actively using social media.
My response to him… “I understand your hesitation… but GET OVER IT! It doesn’t really matter want you want… it only matters what your clients and prospects want.”
Like it or not… believe it or not… agree with it or not… social media is a primary vehicle for engaging with your marketplace as a way to build a personal brand and a brand for your firm. It’s a proven and very accepted way of communicating, sharing information and learning. Most importantly, if your clients and prospects use it (and they do!), then you have to be there, too!
“But, Steve, there’s a bunch of garbage on social media.” True. But there’s also a lot that’s not garbage. There are large collections of professionals participating in interesting online conversations… all kinds of firms using social media as an integral part of their marketing programs… hundreds of thousands of professionals showcasing their expertise and thought leadership… and millions of engaged followers eager to read their content. Do you really want to turn a blind eye to that opportunity?
So, if you’re not there now… get there! It’s not difficult. Set up your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles. Explore the different LinkedIn groups that you should join (hint: join the ones where your target market hangs out). Determine which Twitter hashtags you should use (hint: see which ones your top clients are using). Reach out and connect on LinkedIn… and follow others on Twitter. Then post & tweet relevant content… and engage with the marketplace.
Bottom line… if you’re not actively engaged in social media – not just ON social media, but truly IN it – then you’re missing out on a critical avenue for connecting with your clients and prospective clients and the opportunity to leverage those connections to help drive growth.
You may be a little late to the social media party… but the good news is – you’re not too late.