Top 10 Social Media Myths & How To Overcome Them
Here is the 10 biggest myths and things I hear on a daily basis. So I also give my thoughts on how to overcome the obstacles.
1. I Am Not a Technology Person … This excuse does not work anymore. First, it is very user friendly, but there is so much free training. You do not have to be a CIO to use Social Media. This is an investment because this is not going away.
2. Just sign up and think you are “on social media”… Being on Social Media is a 2 way dialogue at a minimum. It is about conversations and creating relationships. Like any relationship it requires sustained effort.
3. Doesn’t Require a Plan or Strategy… Almost every person I speak to says they are on Social Media, but have plan or direction in which they are trying to increase their value on it. If you do not have a map and any goals, then it will be impossible to judge if you are on the right platforms. If you could do certain things better. Everything in life worth doing deserves the time to plan a strategy.
4. I Do Not Have Time… If you want to maintain, increase and insulate your business, you better MAKE time. This is here to stay. It is too important to keep on the back burner because I promise if you are not conversing with your clients, your competition is enjoying that engagement.
5. I Do Not Have Anything Interesting to Say… I hear this one. Everyone has something of value to bring to the table. Think about the topics that keep your clients up at night. If you personally do not have any solutions or thoughts, then go online and find articles and topics of interest and share those. The converse I hear daily is why do I care what food someone is eating. First, those people do not get social media. There needs to be value. BUT, do not dismiss a tweet as simple as what food someone is eating either. If it is a prospect, that might be a conversation starter. “That is great that you love Chinese food, I do too, I know the best Chinese restaurant in the city, how does your calendar look next Wed for me to take you…”
6. It is about you, your products & company… This is the fastest way to get shut out of Social Media. It is the number one mistake I see. Nobody cares about you. I cringe when I see it because I know how much I get turned off. If you just talk about you, then you will be even more invisible than that TV commercial that everyone just DVR’s by all the time.
7. You will not have control… You do not and never had control anyway. The conversation is going on with or without you. We had this same conversation with email. Your best bet is to engage and get involved.
8. I am just one person and cannot compete with big companies… As Seth Godin said, “Small is the New Big” – and with the internet you can have just as big as reach. Your goal is to have remarkable products and raving fans that talk about you and it will spread horizontally.
9. Why would I want to hear about bad things people are saying about me… This may be the dumbest one. This is the greatest opportunity you have. This is your chance to turn sour grapes into wine. Use this as an advantage and a chance to engage with customers.
10. This is a fad and doesn’t work… The question we should not be asking ourselves any longer is does the medium work, because it is the medium. Rather the question should be how to better utilize it and customize solutions that will work.
Hope these help. If I missed any, then please add to the comments and we can discuss.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Thanks for this list Chad. One of my biggest joys is when someone realizes these are myths, and they suddenly see the light and understand how social media can now be a positive factor in their lives. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Nicely stated. It amazes me that people will ignore the obvious. Yes, there is an elephant in the room and no one wants to acknowledge it! LinkedIn has actually replaced some of my other “tasks” in developing business and made my life easier. Change is good. Thank you for sharing!
Chad, this is a great list, thank you. I found myself realizing that I have heard all of these excuses at least once from people (including myself!) about why they are not involved more effectively with social media.
At DMEautomotive, we’ve recently taken the steps to implement various social media platforms. I definitely am in agreement with your comments…a strategy is crucial! But most of all, the biggest asset, and perhaps the biggest hurdle thus far, is getting people and/or companies to interact with us. I’ve been pushing hard to do more conversational pieces than informational pieces on products and services. Learning as I go!
Thanks for this Chad, great article. I saved it to my blog and credited you if that is ok?
Rach
Great article. Certainly sums up my experiences too. I read and read, and look and look at social media articles, seminars, you name it just to try to figure it all out. Truth is, you have to jump all the way in the pool if you ever expect to swim to the other end and back. Some folks are better than others but doing it shows you the way to success. The more you swim the better you get.
Nice way to put it out there Chad.
I’d have to disagree with numbers 5 and 10, which are related, in that the majority of tweets I get are of no interest to anyone, especially me, and probably not even to the sender. The problem is that users feel they are obligated to share the excruciating minutiae of their daily lives because it IS a fad, and will remain one until the novelty of relentless, incessant connectivity wears thin. Then, who knows? A new fad may emerge, one of isolationism and privacy. Let’s hope so. But for now, as long as social media and perpetual connections remain the communication realm of 16 to 20 year-olds, it won’t be taken seriously or used productively among the masses.
Nice post, Chad.
JSmith: What exactly is terrible about having open communication? Or having a venue to express oneself? Hasn’t technology been bringing us closer and closer to easier communication all this time? Mailing systems, phones, computers– they all make it easier! How is social media different from these other inventions? Sure, it’s more public, but the beauty of the computer is that it is easy to click out of something just as easy as it is to click onto something. When phones were first invented, a lot of people felt it was going to be the demise of human relationships. Sound familiar? Perhaps the computer isn’t the best invention for certain people (Think shut-ins) but on the same coin, you cannot deny the power these social media outlets can give.
Yes, the platforms themselves are fads. You cannot deny that. (Myspace, anyone?) But the philosophy of open communication and sharing? It’s going to continue to grow. You can’t HAVE the internet WITHOUT the aspect of sharing and open communication. But who knows? You may be right! Trends change in the least expected ways. Perhaps the fad of these social media outlets will turn into a fad of isolationism. And trust me, business owners are not gonna want that!
Newest generations are always criticized by the past generation but does that past generation remember when they were criticized by *their* elders? Why can’t we see this pattern here?
(Btw, I’ve never seen “bagel” or “sandwich” as a trending topic on Twitter.
)
Btw Chad, I mentioned a blog post called “The Bullshit of Social Media.” And though the title sounds like it’d negate everything I’ve just said in this comment, it doesn’t: http://www.scottberkun.com/blog/2009/calling-bullshit-on-social-media/
And another one: http://www.bynkii.com/archives/2009/06/web_20social_media_really_guys.html
Absolutely, social networking is a must but don’t think that because you enter discussions on linkedin and maintain a corporate facebook page that you are a social networking god. Like someone mentioned, myspace…fad, facebook, soon to be fad. Look for the next. Be ahead of the curve. Find the niche sites. Want to sell software to corporate recruiters? Advertising to realtors? They have a ton of message boards that the rest of us don’t frequent. Find them and be a god.
Enjoyed reviewing this list Chad — and particularly enjoyed the Comments. I’ll be sharing both w/ our clients — all of whom are thirsty for more insight on the topic.
Keep up the Good Work !
My question is how do you navigate the sites if you really do not care what someone is eating for lunch? I am not using these sites to build a business other than the business of getting myself hired. I suppose I am still in the learning phase of how best to use LinkedIn and Twitter. I see FB as essentially a personal blog site with no professional opportunities whatsoever.
Great post, will retweet this to numerous clients. I especially enjoyed point 9.
of course, other than your brilliant observations, always most important ,I was curious as to what led you to these conclusions. Is there some study or data which I might point to? Clients ask these questions, as I am sure you know.
Keep up the good work!
Hi Chad,
Thank you for the post. Just this morning, I was on a webinar for social networking and picked up yet another few tips: (1) Add a link to your Facebook page on your LinkedIn page. (2) Facebook should be all personal, use it to create personal relationships with your prospects. (3) Join client based groups.
~ Carolyn Davis, CMP
Strategic Meeting Partners
Thank you for all of the comments & thoughts.
This list is not exhaustive by any means. These were just my thoughts from my beliefs and own personal research based on questions I get. (over & over & over)
Velvet asked about navigating the sites. You really have to look at the whole purpose of Social Media. Yes, everyone wants ROI, Sales, a Job or something from their efforts. I hear you & I get that.
Oprah sells millions of dollars of products for her or who ever she endorses. That did not happen overnight. It was a twenty year overnight success…
You have to go through the normal relationship process.
1. Know Me (get their attention) 2. Like Me (give them value) 3. Trust Me (continuously sustained effort) 4. Convert Me
You can not just skip to 4, but everyone tries to do that. Go from A to Z. Plant seeds today and harvest before dinner. Get rich quick. It doesn’t work that way. We have to go through the process.
Find a strategy you believe in. Go through the sustained effort of engaging your audience. Then spend every day perfecting it. It is a marathon and not a sprint. Just believe in the journey.
I wish I had a secret or a better answer, but I do not believe there is a shortcut.
Chad Rothschild