Courtesy SXC. Yes, you will fall down using social media. Learn and get on with it!
Do you really understand that the world is starting to undergo a major communications and business revolution?
Like the great Industrial Revolution, the arrival of three rivers of public need have merged to create the perfect storm for social networking or social media: convergence , personal/business need for real time communications, and a breakdown in traditional media avenues over safety, trust, and accessibility. This perfect storm has allowed faster development of social networking, social computing , social media, content marketing, and the concept of Enterprise 2.0 . In short, this new marketing empowerment media arrived very fast and will develop even faster as its usage meets many business based demands.
When business is priming for social media , they need to consider the psychological aspects of entering into this open arena of thought and interaction. For any business using the social media, there is no real road maps of thought leadership and success. First, a business needs to focus on whether this new Internet marketing concept fits into their marketing plans and their company’s personality. If it does, start planning. If it doesn’t, consider improving and planning your business before diving into the social media waters.
Here are 4 simple psychological issues both business executives and their employees will face when planning and implementing a social media marketing plan:
Apprehension: Using and interacting within social media creates high amounts of uncertainty and fear with management and their employees. They need and want process based tactics, results and improvements. Business needs to understand that social media will be a trial and fire based tactic. Internet marketing is an evolving lead nurturing and generation medium. My business concentrates on ROI, buyer persona’s, and what will be relevant in activities to your product or your expertise. One will never be able to control what your friends, followers, and fans do when they interact with your social media and employees in on-line environments. One cannot control public opinion, one can influence the decisions. You will make mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and MOVE onward.
Transparency: For the first time instead of using broadcast, push, or pull advertising, businesses and their sales/marketing departments are learning to place a personalized face on products or expertise. This persona, person, and product thought leadership needs to stay focused on being open and honest with their clients, prospects, and detractors. If a product or company is not honest…the fallout will be immense.
Voyeurism: Your competition has very easy access to your on-line movements and conversations. Your detractors will debate you over your products in real time. Your best customers will praise your products because it fits their needs plus solves other problems. Many will disagree with my term voyeurism..but it is very true. Everybody is watching your interactions, your content marketing, and your product’s positives and negatives. Get used to everybody watching you and plan appropriately.
Validation: So many business owners and employees need to gain immediate feedback with their sales, marketing, customer service, and operational endeavors. Social media marketing requires time to see which tactic will drive conversions or proper World of Mouth. Social media approval from your fans, friends, or followers will not happen immediately or be driven by a process. True social media interactions and success happens over time and is based on your goals, expertise, and agility in social media operations. Social validation needs to be earned.
What other psychological issues you have discovered when using social media?
Posted from Tucson, Arizona, United States.
