Why are you on Facebook?  What do you hope to accomplish by using Twitter?  Do you have a plan for all those audio and video testimonials that you are creating?  Does your overall web presence clearly communicate how your customers can (and should) interact with you through each channel?   If not, don’t read any more of this blog post.  Go figure out why you are doing what you are doing then come back and figure out how to make the most of your Social Media Marketing efforts to achieve your goals.

For the rest of us, the recipe is actually simple.  It’s the preparation and execution that can get complex.  We get caught up in all the possibilities that the web and Social Media offer us.  In fact, when you read this blog post, don’t read too into it.  Don’t try to get fancy – just stick to the basics.

1.  Be Genuine – Above all, be yourself (as a person and as a corporation).  Remember, that our customers are very smart and they know when we are not being real.  Our customers connect with us online so they can engage us in a personal, candid dialogue.  Remember, if they want to read the polished Press Release they will pick it up off the Wire.  Give them more – don’t just tell them that you are great (even if you are) but instead show them what makes you so great.  Maybe it’s the great people you have that work with you.  Maybe it’s the high value you put on customers.  Maybe it’s your quirky approach to business.  Whatever it is, don’t be afraid to show the real you.  (I feel like your Mom giving you a pep talk)

SIDE NOTE: It’s also ok to share the bad with the good – it demonstrates candor and establishes credibility.

2.  Provide Value – What do your customers want?  They may want discounts (who doesn’t).  They may want information.  They may want to be heard.  They may want to laugh.  Whatever they want, give it to them and give it often.  More often than not, especially in the B2B space, the answer is not just money.  Trust me, it’s not just about money – it is about a mutually beneficial relationship.  In the end, Value is different for every customer and every organization.  Pair what your customers want with what you can offer but figure this out quickly because, without this, your customers have no reason to engage you and, worse, they have no reason to recommend you.

3.  Interact – We have spent more than a century providing static content to our customers and prospects.  Our marketing message has been one way and we never knew, for sure, if anyone was listening to it.  Social Media is changing all of that.  We now have the ability to engage in conversations with our customers in ways we couldn’t before.  We can get feedback and adjust accordingly in an instant.  Social Media empowers our customers to evangelize our products and services.  The best part of all of this is that our customers actually want to interact with us online.  We, as a people, are spending so much more time in Social Networks than ever before.  Take advantage of this trend and engage your audience and interact with them through the channels that they are already comfortable with.

In Social Media, to be successful, you don’t need a persona, you don’t need to bribe, and you don’t need to be polished – but you do need a plan.

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