The Importance of Being Sociable
Nothing. Zero. Not a penny. That’s the total spend on my marketing budget this year, yet I find myself the busiest I have ever been. No flyers, no PPC and no mailing lists purchased. Not that these are outmoded; instead, my business has been developed through talking with people instead of talking at people. And it is social media, this permeative force and seismic shift in communication that has allowed me to do so.
Such superlatives hold justice when you look at the figures. The 106m people signed up to Twitter search over 600m things every day, which is barely a scratch on the billion items shared daily on Facebook . But let’s not marvel at the numbers, but rather, the opportunities that all this provides.
Let’s begin with listening. With an ear fixed firmly on the social mediasphere, I can catch conversations happening between competitors and their clients. I can listen to what people are saying about me, my brand and my sector. I get to hear questions, requests, complaints and praise. This is my market research made easy. When you know how to filter through the noise and, moreover, when you know what to listen for, there is an incredible amount of valuable information to be gleaned.
Perhaps more important than acquiring such information is what to do with it: how I respond and engage. Marketing was once reliant on traditional media monologues; television, radio and magazines told us things. Now when we’re told something, we can respond immediately and directly. It isn’t a monologue anymore, it’s a dialogue.
The very nature of engaging in dialogue demands human interaction. Some businesses seek automation in their social media strategy but surely this antagonises that cornerstone of social media: being sociable.
Getting involved has enabled me to humanise my brand. I’m able to ask questions, find answers and seek feedback. Conversely, I offer answers and provide feedback where I can. This seemingly philanthropic backbone of social media does more than offer a good conscience; just as I promote others’ services, they are willing to reciprocate. When Mark Shaw, a leading Twitter expert, was pleased with my redesign of his eBook, his 13,000 followers soon knew about it and it wasn’t long before web and graphic design enquiries found their way to me.
And it has indubitably enhanced my business by kicking wide open the door of opportunity; guest lecture spots, workshops, high profile clients and great PR. Social media has developed from a business fad to a business fundamental. And it’s here to stay.
This article was written for the Lancashire Evening Post (though it suffered the axe of the word count). This is the original version, produced with permission. This is The Importance of Being Social in it’s colour printed glory.
