Part 1: The floodgates have opened and there’s a rush of social media experts. Some very good, but more are not-so good. Buyer beware…
From printers to mail houses, we’re seeing a flood of messaging both on and offline to convince you of their marketing prowess. Look beyond the surface and you’ll see a wide variety of selling strategies that are aimed at convincing you to use them as your social media partner. It’s tempting, especially if they’re a solid name within their industry, and it sure would be an easier decision to piggyback on your existing business.
Recently, I received a high-end magazine from a printer featuring social media articles. The perception was that this was their content, however under further review, I found the same content and graphics from an out of state printer. It looked much like the personalized magazines that you receive from your local Realtor with a logo and a bit of bolt-on content. From the outside, it may appear as though social media is a simple switch from printing a message to posting it online. However, marketing is a much different discipline from production, and social media is exponentially more complex.
Social media is your voice, your personality and an on-going conversation with your community. It’s also connected in a very big way to your brand and your image, which you would never place in the hands of your fulfillment house. In fulfillment, you want a team of professionals that know the complexities of print management. This challenge in itself is daunting in an age of ever changing USPS guidelines and fast paced changes in print technology. This isn’t to say that a print or mail house facility could not add social media marketing staff.
Your decisions are important and the consequences are real. Losing credibility or losing focus, after you’ve worked hard to develop your business can be extremely costly.
Social Media for Business is a series of articles meant to help you avoid pitfalls in developing a meaning social media presence for your business. Buyer Beware is the first of three articles to be published throughout the month of November. Check back with us next week on more useful social media information.