We came up with this concept shortly after a chat with Jim Alexander of Socially Mediated. Yes, it’s that easy – come up with a Social Media strategy for your organization and it will be like Manna from Heaven. Wonderful, tasty sweet bread falling from the sky. Social Media Manna. SMM.
Social Media Manna will not fall from the sky.
Remember Seth Godin? Very smart, uber-marketer, always writing another book? That Seth Godin? He hit the nail on the head — here’s a quote from him:
“The reason social media is so difficult for most organizations? It’s a process, not an event. Dating is a process. So is losing weight, being a public company and building a brand. On the other hand, putting up a trade show booth is an event. So are going public and having surgery. Events are easier to manage, pay for and get excited about. Processes build results for the long haul.†– Seth Godin, 2009.
This is where the Manna test fails for most organizations.
Process: Engaging with customers, prospects, clients, friends, the general public.
Event: Setting up a Twitter account.
Process: The quid-pro-quo of social media interaction – quid of sharing information and having conversations; quo of getting valuable insights from clients or consumers and being proactive about making things happen.
Event: Setting up a Facebook Fan Page.
If you look at the PROCESS of Social Media Marketing – that’s what the “M” stands for, “Marketing” – you’ll realize that the skies will not open, and delicious bread will not fall into your lap immediately.
If you invest time into engagement marketing, authenticity marketing, and know that you have to get real — well, you’ll get your slices here and there. And you might just find out what type of bread people really want.
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