Comments on: Do you have what it takes to kick social media ass? http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/ Marketing. Social Media. Humanity. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tweets that mention Do you have what it takes to kick social media ass? »» Social Media best practices, Twitter best practices, business relationships, personal branding, social media, sociology, twitter »» Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-7653 Tweets that mention Do you have what it takes to kick social media ass? »» Social Media best practices, Twitter best practices, business relationships, personal branding, social media, sociology, twitter »» Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:50:09 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-7653 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Sherman and Ritchey, Social Media Steve. Social Media Steve said: Perhaps Blogging is not for you? Some Personal traits that might make you suck at it. http://ht.ly/3bLWM [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Sherman and Ritchey, Social Media Steve. Social Media Steve said: Perhaps Blogging is not for you? Some Personal traits that might make you suck at it. http://ht.ly/3bLWM [...]

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]]> By: Mark http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-976 Mark Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:41:28 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-976 These are all truly excellent points. You've given me a lot to ponder. @Brian - Love the NYC analogy. @Davina -- I am a very practical person and would not say any platform is a "must." You're right -- you have to have a plan and then execute. But Twitter is becoming a pretty essential business tool, for the reasons Brian mentions. 15 minutes a day would do it. Yet, 60% of the people who try it quit in the first week. I believe many will come back. These are all truly excellent points. You’ve given me a lot to ponder.

@Brian – Love the NYC analogy.

@Davina — I am a very practical person and would not say any platform is a “must.” You’re right — you have to have a plan and then execute. But Twitter is becoming a pretty essential business tool, for the reasons Brian mentions. 15 minutes a day would do it.

Yet, 60% of the people who try it quit in the first week. I believe many will come back.

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]]> By: Brian Makas http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-975 Brian Makas Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:12:37 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-975 @Davina another resistance I hear all the time is that time argument. Call me naive here but while I do agree that while Twitter CAN take time, why is it better to do nothing than a little (say one Tweet a week)? It's not about being responsive, brands are being thanked/attacked/asked questions even if they're not online. It's not about criticism, companies are as likely to be criticized for not Tweeting as they are for Tweeting sparsely. Is it a fear that the person managing the account will get addicted and not be able to stop at just one (sounds like a potato chip company)? @Davina another resistance I hear all the time is that time argument.

Call me naive here but while I do agree that while Twitter CAN take time, why is it better to do nothing than a little (say one Tweet a week)?

It’s not about being responsive, brands are being thanked/attacked/asked questions even if they’re not online.

It’s not about criticism, companies are as likely to be criticized for not Tweeting as they are for Tweeting sparsely.

Is it a fear that the person managing the account will get addicted and not be able to stop at just one (sounds like a potato chip company)?

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]]> By: Davina K. Brewer http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-974 Davina K. Brewer Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:54:14 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-974 I'm reluctant to jump on the "you MUST be on Twitter" bandwagon, for many reasons outlined above. Twitter is one of those tools IMO that gives back what only you put in; it demands a lot of your time, so it’s not a good tool for everyone. As you say, you have to have the skills (writing, TIME, knowledge, personality) but before joining Twitter, creating a Facebook page or starting a blog, you need a SM game plan. If all your SM eggs are in the Twitter basket, what do you do when it goes down? Just think it takes more than one tool to be a SM ass kicker. My guess for what else you need? Generosity. It can’t be all about YOU. SM is about connecting, giving, learning and sharing: your time, expertise, advise, relationships. Look forward to the next post. I’m reluctant to jump on the “you MUST be on Twitter” bandwagon, for many reasons outlined above. Twitter is one of those tools IMO that gives back what only you put in; it demands a lot of your time, so it’s not a good tool for everyone.

As you say, you have to have the skills (writing, TIME, knowledge, personality) but before joining Twitter, creating a Facebook page or starting a blog, you need a SM game plan. If all your SM eggs are in the Twitter basket, what do you do when it goes down? Just think it takes more than one tool to be a SM ass kicker.

My guess for what else you need? Generosity. It can’t be all about YOU. SM is about connecting, giving, learning and sharing: your time, expertise, advise, relationships. Look forward to the next post.

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]]> By: Brian Makas http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-973 Brian Makas Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:34:38 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-973 @Lisa I always struggle with that point of resistance myself and am looking for a good analogue to explain away pointless babble. How about this: refusing to use Twitter due to pointless babble is like refusing to eat in NYC because there are too many fast food restaurants? Yes there's content that you're not going to care about but (spam issues aside) it's pretty easy to ignore and just follow those people/hashtags/etc that you care about. @Lisa I always struggle with that point of resistance myself and am looking for a good analogue to explain away pointless babble.

How about this: refusing to use Twitter due to pointless babble is like refusing to eat in NYC because there are too many fast food restaurants?

Yes there’s content that you’re not going to care about but (spam issues aside) it’s pretty easy to ignore and just follow those people/hashtags/etc that you care about.

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]]> By: Lisa Foote http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-972 Lisa Foote Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:39:03 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-972 Interesting conversation. Our primary developer recently dumped on Twitter, and I wonder if it's particularly difficult for scientific types to "get." I'm trying hard not to take a "you just don't 'get it' " stance, and this post helped me realize he's not alone in having difficulty seeing the value. I don't believe this mindset fears failure (others do): I think they're too impatient with the "pointless" chatter that fills 80% of *all* human communication (including Twitter). Interesting conversation. Our primary developer recently dumped on Twitter, and I wonder if it’s particularly difficult for scientific types to “get.” I’m trying hard not to take a “you just don’t ‘get it’ ” stance, and this post helped me realize he’s not alone in having difficulty seeing the value. I don’t believe this mindset fears failure (others do): I think they’re too impatient with the “pointless” chatter that fills 80% of *all* human communication (including Twitter).

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]]> By: Steve Dodd http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-971 Steve Dodd Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:39:17 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-971 What I think you missed is the ability to eliminate the fear of failure. Many are scared to death that they'll say or do the one wrong thing online that will ruin their reputation forever. That fear is actually propogated a bit by the list you've created. It's all focused on "doing the right things" with not enough focus on "learning to do the right things". Just like your client example. You found him a lead and he didn't follow up. That says more to me about fear (uncertainty, embarassment or something else) than lack of interest. What I think you missed is the ability to eliminate the fear of failure. Many are scared to death that they’ll say or do the one wrong thing online that will ruin their reputation forever. That fear is actually propogated a bit by the list you’ve created. It’s all focused on “doing the right things” with not enough focus on “learning to do the right things”.
Just like your client example. You found him a lead and he didn’t follow up. That says more to me about fear (uncertainty, embarassment or something else) than lack of interest.

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]]> By: Mark http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-970 Mark Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:09:46 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-970 @Brian, Thanks for this really great addition to the thought process. I won't open the Pandora's Box of measurement, but I think your ideas about faith and tenacity are good ones. @Brian, Thanks for this really great addition to the thought process. I won’t open the Pandora’s Box of measurement, but I think your ideas about faith and tenacity are good ones.

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]]> By: Brian Makas http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-969 Brian Makas Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:11:17 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-969 I'd add two more, first of all, being a risk taker (or at the least not be paralyzed by fear). Twitter's does have a number of risks: 1. It demands a new level of transparency 2. Your mistakes are permanent 3. You will have porn/spammers try to attach themselves to your brand 4. Etc. ... much of traditional marketing (i.e. TV, Radio, Print) has been focused on producing one flawless piece. ... much of social marketing is about being willing to fail fast/fail often and realize that over time the "wins" will outnumber the "losses". And, one needs to have faith. It's very easy to argue that: 1. Your audience isn't on Twitter 2. They wouldn't be willing to interact with you if they were 3. That if results aren't measurable (down to the Tweet) that the sale must have come from another marketing effort ... but you really can't know for sure until you try and if you start up a social media campaign/qualified leads start to increase shortly thereafter at some point you have to realize it might not be a coincidence. Many marketers have fallen into the illusion that 100% of online marketing can be tracked. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot that can be tracked, but (especially in B2B) there are a number of fail points where tracking can't connect the dots. I’d add two more, first of all, being a risk taker (or at the least not be paralyzed by fear). Twitter’s does have a number of risks:

1. It demands a new level of transparency
2. Your mistakes are permanent
3. You will have porn/spammers try to attach themselves to your brand
4. Etc.

… much of traditional marketing (i.e. TV, Radio, Print) has been focused on producing one flawless piece.

… much of social marketing is about being willing to fail fast/fail often and realize that over time the “wins” will outnumber the “losses”.

And, one needs to have faith. It’s very easy to argue that:

1. Your audience isn’t on Twitter
2. They wouldn’t be willing to interact with you if they were
3. That if results aren’t measurable (down to the Tweet) that the sale must have come from another marketing effort

… but you really can’t know for sure until you try and if you start up a social media campaign/qualified leads start to increase shortly thereafter at some point you have to realize it might not be a coincidence.

Many marketers have fallen into the illusion that 100% of online marketing can be tracked. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot that can be tracked, but (especially in B2B) there are a number of fail points where tracking can’t connect the dots.

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]]> By: Mark http://www.businessesgrow.com/2009/10/13/do-you-have-what-it-takes-to-kick-social-media-ass/#comment-968 Mark Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:54:56 +0000 http://businessesgrow.com/?p=891#comment-968 @ Gregg -- Good question. He has a good tech orientation, but does not like the babble of Twitter and, in my mind, does not have the confidence to put himself out there in a bold way. @Anne -- I guess I need to be more clear. I think EVERYONE can "use" social media and find personal/business benefits, friends and fun. I would not dissuade anyone from doing it. However, to really stand-out, I think these four traits need to be in place. Thanks for your comment! @ Gregg — Good question. He has a good tech orientation, but does not like the babble of Twitter and, in my mind, does not have the confidence to put himself out there in a bold way.

@Anne — I guess I need to be more clear. I think EVERYONE can “use” social media and find personal/business benefits, friends and fun. I would not dissuade anyone from doing it. However, to really stand-out, I think these four traits need to be in place. Thanks for your comment!

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