Tag: social networking

6 Reasons We Didn’t Hire a Social Media Consultant

I know you are expecting it to be snarky, so I will try to avoid letting you down. Yeah, you guessed it, I am writing yet another “Mr. Smarty Pants” article on social media. This time it is about some of the very good reasons for not hiring a social media consultant. Without further delay, I want to introduce Mr. John Lunchbucket of Clip Away Paper Clip Company to explain some reasons his company didn’t hire a social media consultant.

Number 1 – Obscure Market Audience

“We sell paper clips. It would be pretty boring to blog, tweet, and Facebook about that, don’t you think? I doubt anybody could make our business more fun or engaging.”

If that is the attitude you take, Mr Lunchbucket, you are right. You should probably carefully avoid social media. Come to think of it, you may do well to stop marketing your business completely. You wouldn’t want to bore people with paper clips such as explained in this video:

Number 2 – We Can Do It In-House

“Jerry in accounting set up our Twitter and Facebook accounts and he sends out some stuff every day. He says that by handling it in-house we can save a lot of money. “

I guess I really do understand this idea. After all, I was thinking about going to dentistry school so I can take care of my kids’ teeth one day.

It is good to spread the work around. It can show off the company’s best assets … the people. However, the sad part is that Jerry didn’t have anything more productive to be doing. Now I know why. While Jerry is busy handling bad marketing efforts, the accountant over at the competition is counting the money Jerry used to account for.

Number 3 – Localized Market

“We only provide products and services in a localized market. The Internet is better suited for companies doing business with a broader geography.”

This is fine if the people in your market area don’t use the Internet, like at the bottom of the ocean! I suppose that the enhanced search engine ranking from those links on other Websites talking about your company would be considered wasteful. Maybe you should save some of that recognition for the competition. When I ask the people at your competitor, can I quote you?

I am glad you have such a good grasp on my job, Mr. Lunchbucket. I hope you don’t go into my line of work like everybody else who “knows” the Internet as well as you.

Number 4 – The Expense

“It has been a tough year, and our budget is shot. We just can’t justify spending money on something that could take months to see a return on our investment.”

You are correct, Mr. Lunchbucket. It has been a really challenging year for a lot of companies. Thanks for pointing this out for me, because I really only like to do business with companies willing to plan for being around in a year or more.

Something to consider is whether it has been hard for your competitor, too. If so, but they get a leg up on you, how much harder will it be next year? If you only market during the best of times, you are doomed to fail. Allow me to share a wise quote with you:

“The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.” –Thomas Jefferson

Number 5 – It Doesn’t Work!

“We already tried social media and it didn’t work. It was a big waste of time!”

Yep, it sure was a waste of time. It is a good thing you figured that out early. Maybe Jerry in accounting can get back to counting all of that money you are making through your newspaper and phone book advertisements. Good luck in the coming year!

Number 6 – We Ran Out of Reasons

“We ran out of reasons, but we are pretty sure there are others.”

Director of Social Media Instrumental in Blunders

“Get to the point!” was my reaction as I read the article from a “social media expert” bragging about this and that, blah blah, “instrumental in”, yada, yada, “leveraged” that, and etcetera.

Attempting to gain respect by adding ambiguous terms or unrecognized titles is losing ground. It has a lot to do with making people feel smaller than you by using bigger words than they do. Do you speak to people that way? Do you speak to friends that way? People like friends.

Welcome to the human era of communications!

As I read the article, it did not take more than a single line to realize I was reading some garbage filled with a bunch of fancy word plays to distract me from any meaning. What do people really get from a bunch of language that sounds like a resume? I can tell you, but if I did, my language may not be as eloquent as this 1990’s throwback hoping to create allure with a bunch of impressive blather. Do not get me wrong, my linguistics are fine. I can do that, too. I have authored countless marketing articles over the past two decades and three books just this year. I can blow you away with a bunch of word plays, but will you admire my work more if I do?

I am not going to say that you should curse like a sailor and use a bunch of slang, but if you are writing to general public like it is your resume, don’t bother. They probably wrote that same line of junk in their resume, too. If they didn’t, then they likely have a better job than you, and if they did, they have probably held their job for a while.

Maybe it is just me, but I get a little tired of false impressions and a lack of the human aspects in communication. Sure, the “experts” will tell you that if you polish it with some glittery words and make it look really shiny that it does make a difference. That was true, way back then, but then is in the past. People want people, and they want real people they can relate to on some level. Some people will still look at the shiny things and go blind and be fooled. Most of us are smarter than that. I know this because I did the research. I know the people. There are still opportunities to puff out your chest and be the “impressive” one whom everybody will linger on your every word. Those days of false impressions with big titles and clever phrases are fading. Being reliable, having integrity, and being human are more important again … as it once was.

My hands are cold from standing outside where I just smoked a cigarette. I printed the particular article I am referencing so that I could pace my driveway where I could smoke and thump my finger on the pages as I read them with disgust, without carrying my laptop around. I am a real guy … a guy with a brain of my own. I guess I just don’t see a whole lot of value in building myself up to gain your respect and admiration. Sure, I know a whole lot more about marketing, the Internet, and Internet marketing than most of my readers. I got that by working in my industry for a very long time. I was here before Al Gore released the Internet to the rest of the world. I was here when yahoo was not “Yahoo! ®” and I remember when RFC 1939 (POP3) was established. I became successful in my industry by working hard and not showering until I learned that new craze called HTML. If I ever need to be a “Director of Social Media, Instrumental in Blunders” in order to impress you … count me out. I am just not that guy. I evolved. If you want your resume written, I can send you to some swell writers, but I wouldn’t suggest using it as your marketing “hook”.

History is repeating itself, as we knew it would. The people who came up with terms like “instrumental in leveraging” and “received awards for” without telling you that the award was given by their mother are greats in history. They are right up there with the piano keyboard necktie and the Delorean automobile, which both get a lot of chuckles. Maybe that fashion will return, but for now, it is a whole lot more acceptable to just say it clearly and stop trying to impress everybody. Be yourself! Then you can come have a beer and a cigarette with me.

If you have ever felt as if you are not in their league because of the words they so cleverly crafted, do not be fooled! They are probably the ones writing their resume and “seeking a fulfilling opportunity”, which really means they want a job that pays them to be somebody completely different than what it said on their resume.

Are You Ashamed of the Social Media Company You Keep?

Haven’t we all had a gawky friend or bizarre “Aunt Nancy” type whom we are nice to but that we kind of keep to ourselves? I think so, and I will be the first to admit it. When it comes to social media, I have found myself cringing at the thought of some people posting something awkward and out of place on my Facebook Wall or letting the public see that I have responded to something that may seem strange to some people.

What do you do about these folks? I will not say that you should go way out of bounds and get racy or scandalous in your social media space, but let’s face it: somebody likes them! Even if they seem a bit off key and you kind of wonder how it may make you look to associate with them, the fact remains that if you like them, they are just another part of your life’s tapestry. Who doesn’t know an Amway representative? I do, and one who comes to mind is a super nice guy named Rick Wright. I met him as a client when my company developed a Website for his auto dealership. Sure, I give him all kinds of grief about his “Amway Gospel”, but I like him, and I like his family. I also know a guy who puts an aluminum foil hat on and talks about all kinds of strange stuff in his Webcast. He is about as odd as a marshmallow on a turkey sandwich and often as offensive as a fart in a steam shower, but he is a very intelligent guy and sometimes talks about some interesting topics. Strangely, he also has a large and loyal following of viewers and participants of his chat.

Being yourself in social media and being responsible for only you is what matters here. It is largely accepted that we are judged by the company we keep, but on the social networking stage, the rules are different. Social media will introduce you to all kinds of people, and you may find a few with a strange attraction. Heck, there is me … the know-it-all who fears nothing, has a broken inner dialog, and keeps on promoting his all-knowing books (Twitter for Business: Twitter for Friends and Living in the Storm). You still seem to find it in your heart to keep me out of your shadows. What other interesting characters make you laugh or provide an interesting point of view? Share them with the rest of us here in the comments.

So You Know Everything About Twitter, Right?

I have been honored to be in the presence of many amazing Twitter users who know how to keep up with the massive data flow. They know how to keep up with advanced Twitter searches so they always know what is happening in the world, or even just in their neighborhood. They know how to create groups that allow them to keep a close watch on everything their friends have to say on Twitter. They even know how to reach out and meet people like them, and to gain introductions to other people they will enjoy knowing. They know the principles I explained in the video below, talking about how and why relationship building is important. I have been honored to meet many of these people, and I enjoy their friendship.

Wouldn’t It Be Great if Everybody Knew What You Know?

I love communicating with my friends all around the world. We have shared amazing times together. We often share a lot of interesting information, personal stories, happy times, and we are the people who count on each other when we need a pick-me-up or some help to reach the right people. Some of us help with each others’ business pursuits, and some of us open our hearts to share our life’s story. All together, it makes an amazing mix of people … each learning from the mixing pot of Twitter and social media. My amazement of social media still leaves me with the question: “Wouldn’t it be great if everybody knew what you know?”

It is often really challenging to try and help people … especially with trying to help them learn something new. After all, if you try to teach them something, it is sometimes the case that they will take you as the “know it all” or they may just have a really hard time accepting the idea that “You will never know how much you don’t know.”

Do You Know Somebody Who Does Not Know Everything?

I will raise my hand first. I certainly do not know everything. I do, however, know a lot about social media, and I know a lot about Twitter. I spent hundreds of hours and months of my life to author a book about it!

I am seeking your help to find other people, like me, who do not know everything. I am particularly looking for people who do not know everything about Twitter, and people who may benefit from a guide book with a lot of lessons on how Twitter and social media can be more beneficial through understanding it better.

If you are willing to help me find these people, please click here to read a few ways to help. This will not cost you any money, and it could help you in return. I sincerely appreciate you!

In case you have not read my blogs or my new book, click here to see what others have said.

Enjoy my comedy video and I hope you will get a great smile from it!