Think about this - some might have to think very hard and for once be real honest with themselves - how much time do you spend "marketing" your business on social media? This answer, for most, will be "too long". So, does this mean you should spend less time "thinking social"? HELL NO! By spending less time playing around on Facebook etc, you actually free up time to dedicate to strategy, operational change, culture, creating value etc. These are the things that will lead to "social media success" for YOUR business, and not just success for the social platform(s) you use.
Whether it be marketers (who, by the way, RUIN EVERYTHING!), PR people, customer service, owners, whoever, we all spend too much time "on Facebook" or "on" another platform. We don't know "why" we're on there, "what" we're on there for, or"who" we're on there to communicate with (or in most cases "sell to"). We're clueless! But, we're happy to spend hours and hours kidding ourselves that it's benefitting our business. Zuckerberg et al must be laughing at us!
So how to stop this rot? Here's 3 ways...
1) Realise that the technology are not on our (the business) side. They weren't created to help our businesses to succeed. They were created as tools/places for PEOPLE (remember them?) to communicate with each other, to share value with each other, to help each other. At no point has anyone on Facebook gone "gee, I wish someone would try and sell me something so I can help their business grow and succeed"... and believe me, THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN.
2) Concentrate on the word "Social" and not on the word media. Think about it, when has the word "media" ever been associated with good and positivity? Media are tools (in both senses of the word) and they are now, and always will be, controlled byHUMANS. In this current economy the humans controlling these media areSOCIAL. Therefore, to succeed in social business you must become more "social" and less "media" orientated. Before you think to ignore me, understand this... "the social people buy from you, the media do not".
3) Kick marketing out of the equation, at least for a little while. Lets face it, marketing was once an art... now it's just a nicer word for sales. Marketing, on the whole, sucks. It isn't entertaining, inspiring, interesting, intriguing... it "salesy", desperate, value-empty, and it sucks. Instead try this approach: your audience are your family, who are in danger/hurt/upset/curious/bored/whatever, and you have the solution. Would you try and sell them a product/service, or would you provide the solution in a way that suits them?
I have a task for you. I want you to spend half an hour (today), away from Facebook or Twitter etc, calling you current customer base, asking them what problems/interests/questions/etc they have (not necessarily to do with your industry) that you could either provide a solution for, or point them towards the right solution.
Why? Because they spend their hard earned money on your business. Because they promote your business to their connections. Because they are human beings that you can help. Okay Okay, here's 3 business/social media benefits from doing this task:
1) They will thank you for it, publicly on social media. Human kindness on this scale, especially from a business, is so rare that the receiver (who spends hours a day on social media) will want to shout about it. Trust me.
2) They will become an advocate, and they will tell others. Next time you cock up, they will either not mind, or they will be there to back you up. They will follow you more avidly, and they will share your content (they might even read it now!). They will influence their connections (to buy from you) more than you ever could.
3) Your competitor will see, but be too scared to follow your path. Most business people are sheep. Fact. They follow what they see the "big boy" in the industry or local area doing. But they won't realise is the efforts you're doing behind the scenes (and the benefits/returns that you're gaining as a result). Your non-technological changes in culture and operations will scare your competitor. This is because they will be looking for a change you've made on Facebook/Twitter... and they will be stumped, scared, and continuing to fail.
Here endeth the lesson. Go now and carry out the task, then come back and let me know how it went. As the late great Steve Jobs once said... "Think Different".