Getting Started with Social Media

Don’t neglect these powerful communications tools

One of the most common questions business owners are asking now is, “how do I get take advantage of social media?”

Thankfully for those who are still worried that the process is difficult or overly stressful, marketer and self-proclaimed social media addict Pam Moore has laid out a simple list of how to get started in a Social Media Today article. A quote:

Step 1: Do your own research on how to best leverage social media to meet business goals and objectives.

Step 2: Develop a business and integrated marketing plan inclusive of goals and objectives. Be sure to focus clearly on your target market segments with a goal of knowing them and getting in their head the best you possibly can.

Step 3: If you don’t have the skills and knowledge of social media internally, hire the agency or consultant to help you integrate social media into your business. Be sure that they understand integrated marketing, the importance of setting goals and objectives and can help you develop and execute a plan to meet yours! Refuse to accept a list of random acts of social media (RAMs). If the plan is not integrated then the RAMs will eat your ROI for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Step 4: Integrate social media into your business plan with a focus on leveraging social media to support biz goals and objectives. Your business plan may need to be adjusted based upon your new findings and research of the social media landscape.

Step 5: Develop an integrated social media strategy, approach and plan that best supports your business goals and objectives.

Step 6: Execute the integrated marketing, social media and business plan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 7: Continuously analyze, measure and refine your approach, strategies and tactics based upon achievement to goals and objectives.

I like this list because of the advice to focus on not just creating new pages and profiles all over the Web, but tailoring the focus to the business’ individual marketing or communication wants, needs, and goals. Without this, you will fail to attract stakeholders and especially to create a rapport that will keep them engaged and coming back for more.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]