I attend my fair share of networking events and spend a lot of time chatting with people about Blue Daring.
I’ve noticed a definite trend: When I make even a slight mention of social media—as part of a bigger marketing plan and part of our offering—many people get fixated on it and ask “Do you guys do social media? I’m looking for someone to do it for me.” And when I follow up by asking what exactly they’re looking for, they often respond with “I just want someone to handle it, I don’t want to think about it.”
This always surprises me. The way I see it, your brand is your baby. You created this living thing and it’s your job to help it grow along the way. Like babies, brands can be a handful and you might need a little help—a social media expert is a great resource. But they should never do all the work. Just as you wouldn’t leave a child with their nannies for long periods of time without checking in, don’t abandon your brand either.
A social media expert can create a great strategic plans for your social efforts that will help get the ball rolling, but injecting your unique brand personality, as only you can do, makes a huge a difference as well. I recommend having an internal point person between your social media expert and your company—to help lend an authentic voice and to veto any questionable posts that are proposed.
Another reason not to be totally absent from your social media profiles: business leads. If your business card, email and website all have your LinkedIn and Twitter handles, someone of interest will eventually try connecting with you through those channels. Imagine if you have an amazing conversation with a target client at an event who sends you an effusive message that night about how great it was to meet you. Timing is crucial here. If you are completely hands off you may not respond quickly enough to strike while the iron is hot. Additionally, people in your company’s networks want to connect with YOU on social media that’s what will keep them engaged.
Because of its more casual nature it might not seem like you need to be hands on with social media, but remember—the people reading your post are all clients or potential clients. Every interaction with your customers is a reflection of your business.
“Just like no one knows a child better than her parents,
no one will know your brand’s needs better than you.”