Fire ball, Energy Ball—Brenda-Starr (Flickr.com)

Social Media Marketing offers you the opportunity to Blow-Up Your Business.

Both in a good way… and a bad way.

Blow-Up Good:

Building long-term relationships with prospects and clients that positions your business for exponential growth.

Blow-Up Bad:

Spreads the word fast about how much your business sucks.

Social Media, no matter how you define it, no matter how much everyone hypes it, is simply another from of communication, another tool to build relationships. To paraphrase David Armano, Social Media shifts the way we communicate. Don’t confuse shift with salvation.

If you’re already good at communication, if you’re already good at building relationships, it gives you a tool to scale your communication and your relationships. If you suck at communications and building relationships, social media ain’t gonna save ya. In fact, it will reveal your flaws faster and to more people.

Social Media Marketing: Do NOT

Don’t Be That Guy (or Girl)

Social Media Marketing: Do’s

Success in using Social Media Marketing really boils down to three key elements.

Kudos to Phil Dunn for revealing these to me in his lengthy, but spot on post:

Beyond the Smoke,Hype and Fanfare- What is Social Media? … really

1. The strength of your connections. Connections result from your ability to listen and respond appropriately. It’s how you demonstrate your caring.

2. The level of your engagement. Do you bug your prospects and clients and friends with too many messages… with messages that don’t add value?

3. The quality of your message. Does your message Educate, Entertain, and Engage before you start reaching for your prospect’s wallet?

DO:

1. Listen

2. Care

3. Engage

4. Share first, before you ask.

If you’re consistently practice these four steps, in this order, now in your offline social approaches with prospects- for example, at networking meetings, Social Media Marketing has the potential to Blow-Up your sales in a good way. (but, don’t expect it to explode instantly)

If you’re “That Guy” (or Girl) leading with a pitch for your product or service, you run the risk of Blowing Up, destroying your marketing and business as a result. Expect Social Media to spread the word about you instantly.

Your thoughts?

Photo Credit: Flickr

Related articles on Social Media Marketing:

• 4 Ways to Effectively Use Social Media as a Catalyst (fredzimny.wordpress.com)
• Social Media & Marketing: Personal or Impersonal? (lafondwinery.com)
• Top 500 Social Media Marketing Blogs (ecairn.com)
• What’s the fuss with social media marketing? (mediapress.co.za)