by Curt Mercadante
This is Part II of a series of answers I provided to the Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce in advance of my keynote address at their February Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce Business Expo. You can view Part One here. Following is my answer to the question, “How much time or resources does a strong “social media” presence require?
I get the time and resources question a lot — and it’s a question I love to answer.
In terms of resources, social media can be free … or, if you’re willing to spend money, it can be nearly free.
Today’s online tools are free, and you just need to engage. Certainly, you can hire someone to build your Web site, or you can purchase inexpensive, pay-per-click ads on Facebook or Google, but we’re talking pennies on the dollar.
In terms of time, I would say that time spent on communication (or what is known as “social media”) is not “extra” time spent by business owners — it’s necessary time that should replace other things you’re doing that don’t help build your brand.
For example, I’m the member of a monthly wine club at a small, local wine shop in my town. The owner of this shop — who is very busy with inventory, purchasing, accounting, and running her brick-and-mortar store — is very good about communicating with regular emails and even keeping us updated on Twitter.
It’s that “extra” time she is spending using social media tools? No — it’s necessary time she is spending engaging with her customers to generate a return on investment. And, I will tell you that her emails and Tweets are much more cost-effective than any full-page ad she could take out in our local daily newspaper.
I work with one political candidate who first groaned when I wanted to get him started on Facebook. He saw it as “extra” time spent on a passing fad. But now, as he sees over 4,000 people engaging with his campaign, providing feedback and volunteering — he realizes that this isn’t “extra” time spent, it’s necessary time spent communicating with voters.