SMO

 Whilst this emerging and developing medium for connecting people and 'doing business', is heralded by some as 'the answer' to successful marketing, it is worth considering some important facts that balance the argument.

It may be pervasive, but is it persuasive?

There is a lot of drivel that finds its way into our in boxes and online social groups and 'expert's appear to be growing exponentially.

Platforms and networks are proliferating like rabbits in a field.

LinkedIn; Facebook; Twitter; Saga Zone; Google+; YouTube; Hootsuite; TweetDeck. To name a few...

We must NOT throw away good marketing basics in order to 'get in' on the latest I-Fad. Putting an ill-thought-out corporate profile into the public domain, without giving it the same rigorous thought that you would to a corporate brochure, for example, could be counter-productive.

There is no substitute for preparation and SMM is no replacement for personal contact and communication.

People need to feel valued and important. No-one likes to be sold to, but most people do like to buy.

Thoughts to Ponder

1: SMM Magnifies and Amplifies what is there already.

This means that if the business or product has flaws, it will not 'paper over' these cracks, but will simply expose them to a wider audience. Best to get our ethos and offering right before we launch it into 'ether' space.

2: People still like the human touch.

These media do give the opportunity to showcase personality and product, but when it comes down to it, (and there will always be exceptions), most people like people contact. This is why frustration grows when we are forced to navigate from one telephone menu of options to another.

Social media is NOT an e-commerce web site where people expect to buy on line, it is an interface designed to give a personal face to an otherwise amorphous business.

Consider what you write, be informative, be generous, be approachable and avoid the hard sell.

3: Know what your Corporate Message is

Branding is very important and takes mastery to achieve. We all stand in awe at the genius behind simple strap lines that have the ability to recall entire branding messages.

We must know what our core message is. SMM can only amplify what already exists.

4: Use Complimenting Strategies

A clearly defined business strategy and goal can be supported by a clear social media presence.

It can endorse your work and establish you as an expert in your field and should be a fundamental 'part' of you marketing plan.

There are right and wrong ways of doing this and we will be shedding some light on this in future bulletins.

David Vallance is Managing Director at Kit Happens Ltd, a Design & Digital Marketing agency, based in Milton Keynes & London, providing, graphic design & branding, web design [http://www.kithappens.co.uk/services/website-design/professional-websites] and digital marketing services.

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