Social Media – Getting Started

Social Tools

Just because everything you read talks about the importance of integrating social media into your business – that doesn’t mean you should spend a lot of energy and resources on social media. The fact that social media gives you the ability to connect and engage with your stakeholders in ways you never could before DOES mean you should learn about the medium. And when I say learn about the medium, I mean learn about how the various tools can help you connect and engage. I don’t mean learn how to set up a Facebook page.

Where do you start? Getting started in social media is a bit like eating an elephant; one bite at a time. Even if you’ve already slapped up a Facebook page or a Twitter account, you need to be clear about how Facebook and / or Twitter – or any other social media tactic is going to help you.  In other words, what is the RESULT you want to see from investing your time and efforts online? Is it more meetings? Increased donations? Better customer service? What’s the business goal you want to accomplish?

Here’s a simple form you can use as an easy framework to start clarifying your thoughts. It’s not rocket science – it’s business. What is it you want (business objective)  – from whom? (target market) -  what’s the best way to do this? (strategy) – how will you know if it’s working? (benchmarks)

(To give you an idea, I filled out a little of the form based on a cool, new company I’m working with, The Pocket Referee. If you have young kids or grandkids and need help keeping the peace, you need this. btw, The Pocket Referee people didn’t ask me nor pay me for saying this. If you end up buying one I don’t make a penny. It’s a wicked cool idea – that’s all.)

Coming next: The social media planning form is filled out – now what?