In his recent article for Social Business, Martin Hill-Willson of Brainfood consulting shared this little tidbit:
…although 65% of Fortune 500 brands are reported as active on Social Networks, only 5% of their CEOs have learnt/been brave enough to tweet.
The article likens the current shift in social media marketing to plate tectonics. Most of time the continental plates shift is slow and steady, however, once in a while we experience a jolt and things get dramatic. That's when we see geology at its most spectacular–volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis.
Throughout time, these geological events have cause massive changes in the landscape, not to mention having a serious effect on life.
When it comes to the world of business, the social media wave is the size of a tsunami. The existing plate of Marketing has been jarred and shaken to its core, thanks to social media.
Any business owner who wants to succeed knows they are going to have to develop social media strategies in order to survive these fundamental business changes After all, survival of the fittest in business doesn't mean who is strongest or biggest. In this struggle, survival goes to the most adaptable.
Perhaps the biggest challenge to business owners is understanding the connectedness of the Conscious Consumer. Old internet marketing strategies simply do not work as well anymore, thanks to social media. Consumers are researching more, and have access to almost instantaneous data from multiple sources.
All this can make a business owner feel like a dinosaur. But you don't have to face extinction. You can evolve and change. In fact, you can even dominate the new landscape.
There are three simple steps to effective social media marketing:
- Define a strategic purpose for social media
- Integrate social media with traditional marketing
- Drive more engagement
Simple, yes, but not always easy. It's not enough just to create a Facebook or Pinterest page. You have to have a plan, you have to use what you already have and evolve it to a new level of being.
The good news is you don't need a volcano, earthquake or tsunami to evolve as a business. The key to survival is adaptation, and it never hurts to have a mentor on that journey.
How have you adapted your business to take advantage of social media?
About Debra Zimmer
