| design58 | social media consultancy | huddersfield, west yorkshire, uk

Don’t let Social Media scare you

It seems some people are concerned about the technology and this fear puts them off using it and may then feel it’s passing them by.

Forget the technologies for now and concentrate on the people in your network and how you normally communicate in a genuine informative authentic manner. The internet and social media platforms are no different to real time, in fact a massive bonus is that they will add value to your face to face meetings.

If you take the first 20 to 30 names from your mailing list, search for them on Google. Or with a little more time on Twitter, Facebook or Linked In.

If none of them show up no problem you don’t need to use any of these or other technologies to improve brand awareness and instill better customer services.

If they do turn up as being active in these fields then simply click a few links and see what they are doing, where they are doing it and why they are doing it. Start simply listening and monitoring what goes on at the base level of entry into discussions and comments that you have found.

If there is still concern regarding how to use the technologies available click the websites help buttons, tutorials and faq links.

If you want a little more help contact us and we will look at what you are doing and how we can add value to benefit your business, your employees and your customers/clients.

They will soon become your fans, followers and friends.

Moving forward socially

In the following post on Soical Media Explorer Jason Falls opens up what Clay Shirky is now writing about regarding his term ‘Cognitive Surplus’.

http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2010/07/08/questioning-shirkys-cognitive-surplus/

With evidence growing that building branded communities and viral marketing  does not work and happens organically. [viral marketing a myth...]

Clay Shirky: How cognitive surplus will change the world

To quote Falls ‘we’re migrating away from (and our younger generations aren’t even starting on) TV addiction.’

This doesn’t result in all social technology use being of benefit globally, there are still going to be the good the bad and the ugly.

It wouldn’t be human otherwise, but amongst it all is real time engagement and collaboration rather than simple marketing and PR exploitation.

Social technologies provide the opportunity to help communities globally as well as our neighbours and families it doesn’t have to be one or the other. The choice is down to the individual reagrding the time available as stated throughout the post by falls and the talk by Shirky.

What do you think….

Social Media and You

Slide1
Looking at the relevance of social media, to you, your business and your customers/consumers/clients focusing on the importance of conversation.

Slide2
What does social media mean to you?

Slide3
Making contacts and connections in communities is not a new concept

Slide4
People and community are more important to business than ever before.

Slide5
2005 saw an explosion in wall to wall to wall interaction.

Slide6
We have more and more interruptions in our day from marketing.
We have the ability to ignore these marketing interruptions and we do.

Slide7
We wrote letters and got junk mail, we wrote emails and got spam.
Now we write direct messages to people who opt in to our network for information.

Slide8
What happens when we do listen to our community?
What happens when a community is enabled, inspired and influenced?
What happens if we engage with an inspired community?

Slide9
They share the information with their friends, followers and fans.

Slide10
Be Genuine, authentic, informative and real.
Engaged networks and communities provide trust and loyalty.
Information travels much further when it is shared.
Relationships have become more important than marketing.
People want companies to be open and approachable.

Slide11
Conversations and discussions will happen without being initiated by the company.
Companies are hanging on to the thought that they are in control.
Listening will improve your knowledge of your audience.

Slide12
It is not about message but the conversation that follows.

Slide13
The slideshow shows how relevant social media is when developing conversations between businesses and their customers/consumers/clients, and how understanding your target audience you are able to deliver added value to a service that they can benefit from.