Is it all necessary?
I’ve been asked by established business people the big WWWWH questions. Why do they need to spend the time and energy to learn about Social Media? What will it do for their business? Will it pay for itself? Who will teach them? How does it all work together to help them succeed?
Well, that second-to-last one seems like the easiest, doesn’t it? One would assume the blanket answer to be ‘Me’! That’s what I do, so I’ll just do it. But lately I’ve been asking myself some similar questions. Is it all necessary? Are my customers losing out by not devoting energy to all these new channels? Will they (and therefore I) become past tense if we don’t stay on the bleeding edge of technology? If we have to choose, which channel do we follow?
Let me backtrack a bit. When I was setting up my business I read a lot of information about starting a new biz. One thing kept popping up – a business plan. Pah! I don’t need no stinkin’ business plan! I’m just gonna do what I do, get paid for it, and go on my merry way, right?
Now, however, I can see the sense in this plan. If I map out what I can do, what I want to do, and where I want to end up, then my path, my channel, should be easier to see. I would be able to view each option as it presents itself and weigh whether it furthers my plan or diverts me down a side-channel. I would be less prone to chase ever new ‘thing’, thinking new = better.
I also have to keep in mind fashion. Technology is not immune to fashion trends, far from it. I have the Beta tapes to prove it. Just because it is the hot topic buzzword today doesn’t mean it won’t flame out a year from now (MySpace anyone?).
From now on, each new technology will have to pass the “does this help me or distract me” test. I will hold it up to my business plan (which will exist shortly, I swear), and if it does not apply, then no matter the ‘cool’ factor, I will move on, staying on my path.
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Great job on realizing the necessity of a business plan. Don’t worry too much about making it elaborate, just get something in place that details where you are now and where you’d like to go. I believe you should update your business and marketing plans every year. Heck, social media wasn’t even around five years ago, so as technology changes, so does your plan.
If you’re going to support clients in the social media arena, you will need to do your due dilligence and find out WHY they would want to do it (what are the benefits) and what you should and should not do for them.
While you can certainly assist them, the messages and ‘personality’ of the posts do need to come from the client. It’s about building relationships with people, and that’s not something you can pay someone else to develop for you – that HAS to come from your voice.
My clients provide me with the basic information they’d like to submit and I take that information and develop it into 140-character posts and post them consistently to provide the best ROI possible.
Wishing you all the best.
Jeannine Clontz
Your Virtual Assistance Business Coach
http://www.VAbizcoach.com