People often ask in social marketing workshops how to use social media to grow your business. Great question, but I always start a workshop well away from the mechanics of social media and indeed social marketing.
It can initially confuse people why we don't get stuck straight into the tricks of Twitter, the anatomy of a blog post or how to measure the right social media analytics.
So why do I start with the mindset and intentions of great social media?
The cartoon says it all.
How great your social marketing is...depends on how true your intentions are...(Tweet this)
The reasons for social media are numerous. The reasons for social marketing are genuine. However, if the mindset of people of the social team is not right, then your social media will fail.
Social needs a good heart. Social needs to come from the goodness of the brand. (Tweet this)
There is a reason why we put social ahead of the word media, ahead of the word marketing, ahead of the word business. The words media, marketing, business are just defining the type of social activity.
If you don't show the goodness then goodness struggles to be reciprocated.
So what is goodness? How do we remain true to our brand's 'goodness'?
You have to embrace social with the right intention and that intention needs to come from the right place.
The intention has to be of a social nature; to help, give, explain, educate, inform, entertain.
The right place has to be of a social nature - because you want to help, give, explain, educate, inform and educate.
If you are 'doing' social media for business reasons such as increasing sales then you will likely fail.
Increasing sales are a function of helping, giving, explaining, educating, informing or entertaining.
That is a subtle difference but the effect is HUGE.
Indeed if you don't have the time, if you think social media is a fad, if you want to sell without giving reasons of why the customer should consider you...then stay well away from social media.
But if you feel, like I do, that the social element is nothing new...that those good intentions have always been what business is about...then embrace social media tools as they will allow you to socialise with more focus and more strength.