“Social Media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, video and audio.” –Wikipedia, 2009
What does the above definition really mean however? In its simplest form, social media is just social interaction via a new medium, the internet. The same laws that apply to traditional social interaction are largely the same in this new communication medium, and the same holds true for business. Like Jeffrey Gitomer says, “People still don’t want to be sold, but they still love to buy.”
Where are all these conversations taking place? Everywhere is really the most appropriate answer:
• Blogs
• Micro blogs (i.e. Twitter)
• Online Chat
• RSS
• Widgets
• Social Networks
• Social Bookmarks
• Message Boards
• Podcasts
• Video Sharing Sites
• Virtual Worlds
• Wikis
Question: As a Business Owner, Why Should You Care?
Reason #1: This is not a fad. It’s a fundamental shift in the way people communicate with each other.
So many times a new technology emerges, and people embrace it, use it and eventually think, “How did I ever live without this?” This is very much the paradigm that social media has created. Ten years ago it would have been nearly impossible to actively stay in touch with high school friends, meet people from all over the world that have similar interests as you, or place information in the hands of thousands with only a few clicks and a few dollars.
Reason #2: Traditional advertising is dead
The traditional method of telling consumers about your product was nothing more than a flashy monologue. It is estimated that roughly 18% of TV ad campaigns generate a positive return on investment. The average person is exposed to 3,000 advertisements daily. People just don’t pay as much attention to advertising as they used to.
Reason #3: 78% of people trust the recommendations of other consumers
The new communication model is a dialogue, not monologue. Specifically that means that communication is:
• Transparent
• Inclusive
• Authentic
• Vibrant
• Consumer Driven
This is very different than traditional advertising, which is:
• Controlled
• Organized
• Exclusive
• Product-Driven
• “On Message”
In Summary:
A big shift has been taking place. To not embrace social media would be like not embracing the internet as it emerged a decade ago. Social media is not overly complex, as many think it to be. The reasoning behind this is that social media is a completely new way of thinking about marketing and sales. The control has shifted to the consumers, and how sales and marketing professionals adapt to that will be paramount in the success of their businesses.
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I would love to get a training program to make available for my team. Do you have a training program for sale or that you can teach. If so how far in advance do we need o book and how much is it? I have a group of 10 people who need the training and we would like to doa phone/webinar type set up.